HOA Fines Homeowner For ‘Patchy’ Lawn Despite The City Being Under Strict Water Restrictions
Even when there's a water shortage, they want your lawn to be flawless.
Serhii Bobyk | Shutterstock For some reason, HOAs seem to be obsessed with lawns. It’s their thing. Okay, they seem to be obsessed with all manner of tiny details about a home that no one else would ever pay attention to, but a lawn is the perfect example. Let your grass grow an inch too tall, and the HOA will fine you. Too short? Fine. Too green? Fine. And for one Reddit user, not green enough was the catalyst for his HOA dispute.
Here's where things get a little murky, however. The resolution isn't simply to water and fertilize your lawn. The homeowner explained that they are currently in a drought, and the city has restricted water use. Guess who didn't seem to care ...
A homeowner was fined by his HOA for having a 'patchiness' in his lawn.
The homeowner explained on Reddit that he lives in the West Oak Hill area in Austin, Texas. "My HOA is pressuring me over 'patchiness' in my grass," he wrote. About 95% of his lawn does have grass, but apparently, that wasn’t enough to appease the HOA. "I realize grass is functionally useless," he wrote, "but it's required by our HOA."
Elena Elisseeva | Shutterstock
The homeowner was then given an ultimatum: fix the issue or else. "I bought grass seed and spread it," he said, "and I've gotten some growth." Nonetheless, his efforts seemed meaningless, as the HOA still decided to issue a fine. What made the situation worse, he explained, is that growing grass uses a lot of water. Seeds need constant moisture to germinate properly, and grass needs water to look fresh, especially in a hot place like Texas.
"But our community is under city-imposed water restrictions," he wrote. "We're only allowed to irrigate once per week via sprinkler and once per week via hose." It is incredible to think an HOA would be so petty about lawn care in a place with water restrictions. That is exactly what the homeowner argued, saying it seems impossible to comply with both the HOA and the city's rules.
To add to the unfairness, the homeowner said they tried to explain the issue to the HOA before the fine was issued. "I wrote a level-headed note to the HOA explaining this conflict after their second warning and before the fine." The HOA's response? None. They didn't even bother to write back.
The HOA in Texas cannot impose a fine that defies a city ordinance.
This homeowner might be in the clear when it comes to the fine imposed by his HOA, considering Texas just passed a house bill basically stating that an HOA can't fine a homeowner for having a less-than-perfect lawn. The bill states, "A property owners' association may not assess a fine against a property owner for a violation of an applicable restrictive covenant that requires the owner to maintain green vegetation or turf or prohibits discolored vegetation or turf on the property."
The homeowner scored big time. If you live in Texas and spot an HOA member inspecting your lawn during a water restriction period, know that starting in September 2025, there's nothing they can do. Your property, your lawn, your rules.
Besides, watering lawns drains too much water. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average American family consumes about 320 gallons of water per day, and roughly 30 percent of that goes to outdoor use. That comes out to around 96 gallons. More than half of that is spent on watering lawns and gardens. To put it in perspective, the average shower flow rate is 2.1 gallons per minute, which means American families are using the equivalent of a 45-minute shower’s worth of water outside every single day.
Thankfully, people, including this homeowner, in Texas, will now be able to be eco-friendly without worrying about an HOA fine. Sure, having a full, green lawn can look nice, but sometimes you want to save water. Or you simply do not have the time or inclination to worry about something as trivial as a perfectly manicured lawn.
Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.
