- Learn the ins and outs of your HOA rules so you can exploit potential loopholes.
- Install a satellite dish or antenna—the federal government protects your right to have them.
- Explore your local and state laws, as some states make exceptions for hang-drying clothes, installing solar panels, and more.
- Be an active member of your HOA community (or even join the board) to make your voice heard.
Study the HOA rules.
It’s easier to bend the rules when you know what they are. Take a look at the handbook your HOA gave you when you first moved into your home—this is the key to getting the upper hand on a pesky and overbearing HOA board. Read through all the fine print so you know what isn’t (and is!) allowed in your neighborhood. Chances are, some of your HOA board members might not know everything that’s in it! HOA rules are formally known as Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs). They’re designed to keep the neighborhood property value high. Some CC&Rs might word their requirements or restrictions in a vague, negotiable way, which is exactly what you want.
Compare HOA rules with local ordinances.
Some HOA rules might not totally line up with local laws. At the end of the day, the local laws of your borough, township, or city trump your HOA’s rules. Check websites like General Code, American Legal Publishing, and Quality Code Publishing to see if you can find a copy of your town’s municipal code. It’ll take a bit of reading, but you might find a local law or ordinance that works in your favor! Let’s say that you live in Avalon, California and your HOA asks you to stop smoking in the neighborhood. This would go against Avalon’s municipal code, which only bans smoking in certain public spaces.
Put off HOA requirements until the last minute.
Your HOA can’t punish you as long as you complete everything on time. Forced to mow your lawn each month? Wait until the afternoon of the 31st. Required to follow an 11 PM curfew? Keep the music blasting until 10:59. As long as you’re technically following the HOA’s rules, there’s nothing they can legally do to you. Keep your relationship with your neighbors in mind, too. Playing loud music is a fun way to irritate your HOA, but it’s also a great way to irritate the people next door.
Invite guests over for as long as possible.
Keep your HOA on their toes by inviting lots of people over for a long time. Double-check your HOA’s CC&Rs to review their policies on long-term guests—there’s a good chance that you can only invite a certain number of people over for a certain amount of time. When the “deadline” arrives, encourage all of your guests to pack up and head home. This will definitely tick off your HOA, but being constantly surrounded by people might tick you off, too. Be extra annoying by inviting another large group of people to stay immediately after the first group.
Display religious symbols.
The Fair Housing Act bans any kind of discrimination from HOAs. From Christianity, Judaism, and Islam to Hinduism, Mormonism, and Buddhism, all American citizens are allowed to freely and openly practice whichever religion they’d like. So, put up a flag or statue of an important religious figure, or put up decorations related to a religious holiday. Your HOA legally can’t force you to take something down because they don’t agree with your religion. Let’s say you wanted to stick a Christian cross in your yard or display a Buddha statue in your garden. Your HOA can’t force you to take these down just because they don’t practice or support your faith. Try to get as extreme as you can with your holiday decorations—for instance, you could deck out your yard in a wild jungle theme while setting out your Christmas decor.
Plant native plants in your yard.
States like Maryland and Florida legally protect your right to grow certain plants. While the exact legislation varies between these states, the bottom line is the same—homeowners have the legal right to have certain types of plants in their yard, regardless of what their HOA prefers. Check your state laws to see if there are any specific protections for your state. States like California might also give you some wiggle room to plant native plants without any repercussions.
Hang your clothes to dry outside.
Nineteen states legally allow you to hang-dry your clothes in your yard. Many HOAs aren’t a fan of hang-drying clothes, as it ruins the uniform and “posh” appearance of the neighborhood. Still, there’s no denying that hang-drying your clothes is great for the environment—in fact, 19 states have “right-to-dry” laws that let you keep your laundry outside for all to see. You can hang-dry your clothes outside in the following states: Florida, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Vermont, Oregon, Arizona, California, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Utah (with some exceptions).
Get a satellite dish or antenna.
Your HOA legally can’t ask you to take down your antenna or satellite dish. According to Telecommunications Act of 1996, you have the right to install satellite dishes designed to pick up video programs. This law also bans your HOA from charging a fee for installation or setting up obstacles to seriously delay installation. In most states (minus Alaska), your satellite dish can be no larger than 1 m (3.3 ft) wide. To some HOAs, antennas and satellite dishes can be eyesores to the neighborhood overall. So, getting one installed is a great way to annoy the board.
Install solar panels.
Some states let you install solar panels without your HOA’s permission. Certain areas give renters and homeowners total freedom to go solar, while other states don’t have any legislation that protects your rights to solar panels. Here’s a quick guide so you can see where your state falls: Offers complete legal protection: Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin Offers partial legal protection: Alaska, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Tennessee Doesn’t offer legal protection: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming
Put up political signs.
Politics is a dicey subject that many HOAs don’t want on full display in the neighborhood. Take a look at your HOA’s CC&Rs to see what their official policy is. While some places may completely ban political signage, others might let you put up signs during a local election cycle. If your neighborhood allows it, put up as many signs as you can—that’s a great way to stick it to your HOA board. For example, Colorado citizens are allowed by law to put up political signs around their homes. However, the HOA can limit the number of signs they can put up as well as the size of them.
Paint your home’s exterior in unique (but permitted) colors.
A wacky paint color will definitely be noticed by your HOA. Check your CC&Rs before making any big paint purchases—chances are, your HOA has rules in place that prevent you from painting your house bright pink or neon yellow. Instead, take a look at the colors that are allowed and brainstorm some weird color combos you can make with them. If only neutral-toned colors are allowed by your HOA, you might paint each wall of your home in black, white, gray, and brown.
Use the amenities as much as possible.
Your HOA might get ticked off if you’re constantly hanging around the amenities. Your HOA has to keep everything in working order, which is a little more challenging when you’re using the amenities all the time. To be extra annoying, invite a group of friends to hang out with you at the amenities (as long as the group size doesn’t break any HOA rules). You could: Hang out by the pool from opening until closing Save all of your workouts at the neighborhood gym until the very end of the day Hold a party every weekend in the community barbecue area
Report any and all “illegal” activity.
Nobody likes a whistle-blower—including your HOA board. Take it upon yourself to be the neighborhood watchdog by observing (and reporting on) everything that your neighbors do. Constantly reporting “wrongdoers” to your HOA is a definite way to get on your board’s nerves (legally, of course!). Bonus points if you catch a member of your HOA board breaking the rules, too! This strategy is a great way to point out pointless and silly rules that are part of your HOA’s CC&Rs.
Attend every HOA meeting.
Ask lots of questions and make your opinion known at the meetings. Find out when and how often your HOA board meets throughout the year. Then, make it your mission to make your presence known at every meeting. You’re allowed to be at the meetings, so there’s nothing the HOA board can do about your attendance. You might ask questions like: How often do you update the HOA’s financial records? Are you doing it often? Is there a list of home repairs that are financed by our HOA dues? Where I can find important HOA paperwork like financial statements and meeting minutes?
Request the minutes from HOA meetings.
You’re legally entitled to see the minutes/notes from your HOA board meetings. Once you move into an HOA-ruled neighborhood, you become a “member” of the HOA yourself. As a member, you’re allowed to request (and are legally required to receive!) a copy of the meeting minutes from the HOA board. Constantly asking your HOA for meeting minutes is a great way to annoy them. You can request copies of other HOA docs, too, like financial statements.
Get elected to the HOA board.
Your HOA can’t stand in your way as much if you’re a part of the board. Getting elected to the HOA doesn’t give you absolute power, but it gives you more of a say than you have as a concerned neighbor. On the board, you’ll have plenty of chances to share your thoughts—and since you’re on the board, the other members won’t be able to dismiss you so easily. Campaign to your neighbors and let them know that you’re running for the position. Explain why you’d be a great member of the board and why you deserve their vote.
Take your HOA to court.
Take legal action against your HOA to really get under their skin. This isn’t easy, though—taking legal action is a time-consuming and pricey process that may not necessarily work out in your favor. Make sure that you have a strong case before you file any paperwork so you can put your best foot forward in front of a judge. Regardless of the outcome, taking legal action will definitely burn a bridge between you and your HOA. Only go this route if you have no other options to pursue. If you don’t want to take things to court, chat with and rally up your neighbors instead. You might be able to make your voices heard without needing to get any lawyers involved.
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