Man gets ‘weird’ email from HOA over ‘tame’ birthday get-together as neighbors complain about ‘unsettling’ sight
After his nosy neighbors complained about his “concerning” celebration, a man got into a fight with his homeowner’s association, but he can’t pinpoint the root of their problems.
A few days after the resident’s birthday party, which attracted several guests and the cars to his house, the HOA wrote him an email.
In a Reddit post that has received over 45,000 votes and over 9,000 comments, the homeowner shared a screenshot of the HOA’s email.
In an email marked “concerning event during your recent birthday party,” the HOA voiced concerns about the partygoers’ cars, which had tinted windows.
“A few of us in the community couldn’t help but notice the arrival of three blacked-out SUVs, which quite frankly, startled and unsettled several of your neighbors,” the vice president of the HOA wrote in the email.
“Seeing such cars appear in our generally quiet, family-friendly area, especially with no warning, is incredibly worrisome.
READ MORE HOA HORROR STORIES
“As you may guess, there were many questions and a great deal of worry when they were seen. Some locals even believed that something more serious was taking place.
The homeowner association continued by calling the scenario “alarming” and requesting that the homeowner in the future report any “unusual activity.”
“It would certainly help ease the collective nerves of your neighbors, who were left feeling quite uncomfortable by the presence of those vehicles,” the message stated.
‘JUST WEIRD’
In his post, the Reddit member expressed how annoyed he was by the email.
“The people in the SUV were regular people who were my friends,” he said.
“This is simply strange. Should I advise those individuals to rent a Prius the next time?
My HOA is moving to ban holiday decorations unless they’re ‘federally recognized’ – I can only celebrate 2 annual events
His birthday celebration, the billboard continued, was a “very tame party” with no loud music and no unlawful parking from two cars on the street and six in the driveway.
REDDIT ADVICE
In their comments, thousands of Redditors offered advise to the homeowner, with the majority urging the original poster to reprimand the HOA or pull a practical joke on them.
The remark that read, “I’m furious and this affects me in absolutely zero ways,”
“This is where you invite your friends over multiple times per day and call these people to give notice 3-5 times per day that their SUVs are coming until they realize how ridiculous their request was,” one person joked.
What is an HOA?
A homeowner’s association, or HOA, is present in the area where one in five Americans reside. However, what precisely do they do?
- An HOA is a homeowner’s association – an organization that aims to maintain a clean and cohesive place to live for its residents.
- Entire neighborhoods, subdivisions, condominiums, family homes, or townhouses within “a planned development” will often make up an HOA.
- They also act as a governing body for tenants, who run and fund the HOA through monthly fees.
- Their principal aims are to keep the community functioning and visually appealing and to maintain property values.
- They primarily focus on common areas of a neighborhood, such as roads, parks, and pools – but may also stipulate what residents can do with their properties, such as yards and driveways.
- Often these restrictions enforce uniformity on properties, for example, ensuring most houses look the same and all driveways are clear of weeds.
- An HOA rulebook of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R) is distributed to all residents, and an elected volunteer board of directors enforces these regulations.
- Breaking these rules can result in penalties such as fines and even litigation – as most HOAs are incorporated and subject to state law.
- HOAs are often the subject of controversy, with some members feeling that the rules are too punitive and restricting, or that the leadership has too much power.
- But others like that HOAs give communities the power of self-governance, and can ensure a degree of harmony between residents.
But when the HOA read the widely circulated Reddit article, the tale took a different turn. In an email posted in an update, the organization apologized to the homeowner.
HOA APOLOGIZES
“After reviewing the post and seeing the overwhelming response, I can completely understand why my original message was seen as alarmist, demeaning, and offensive,” the vice president of the HOA stated.
“I want to express my sincere regret to you and everybody else who shared my sentiments. I sincerely apologize for the wording of the email; that was never the goal.
The homeowner’s association stated, “Our community strives to be inclusive and welcoming, and I recognize that my message did not reflect those values.”
RESIDENT FIGHTS BACK
According to the homeowner, he responded to the apologetic email.
The resident claimed that he replied, “It’s hard to believe you’d be this cooperative and apologetic without the 6,000 Redditors who weighed in,”
“Let this serve as a clear message to you and any other HOA ‘leaders’ stop with the nonsense.”
Read More on The US Sun
By signing the email, he claimed to have declared, “Sincerely, a friend of the black SUV owners.”
It’s unclear what the neighbors interpreted the black SUVs to indicate, although depending on the state, tinted automobile windows are usually acceptable.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!