This guy got a $200 fine from his HOA for having brown grass, so he joined the HOA, made everyone resign, and became president.
A New Neighborhood
A few years ago, the Original Poster (OP) purchased his first home in a medium-sized neighborhood in the southern region of the United States.
Minimal Homeowner’s Association Restrictions
The neighborhood had a Homeowner’s Association (HOA), but he chose it due to its low HOA fees, minimal rules, and because the house was the nicest they could afford within his budget.
The Violations Started Coming In
Shortly after moving in, OP received a violation notice from the HOA informing him of two violations that needed correction: their lawn was not green enough, and their trash cans were too close to the driveway.
The Violations Were Confusing
The first violation confused the narrator, as it was in the middle of winter, and his lawn, like many others in the neighborhood, was dead.
He assumed it was either a mistake or a pre-existing violation from the previous homeowner.
The Man Shrugged off the Violations
As for the trash cans, they were kept on the side of the house and only slightly protruded beyond the side wall. The man shrugged off the violations and continued with their daily routine.
A Second Warning With a Fine!
Then, OP received another notice from the HOA the following month, demanding a fine of $100 for each violation. He was furious and did not understand how he could be fined for such frivolous violations.
Starting the Appeal Process
He decided to contact the management company that worked with the board to appeal the fine, only to be told they needed to appeal directly to the board at the next annual meeting, which was just a few days away.
Others in the Same Boat
At the annual meeting, OP learned that many of his fellow homeowners were also there to appeal similar, seemingly petty violations.
He spoke with one of the board members, who was an older man in his 70s with short gray hair and a perpetually angry expression.
Backlash From the HOA
When OP explained his situation, the board member responded with disdain, telling them that young people like them were the reason he joined the board and that they needed to learn how to be better property owners.
Let the Revenge Begin
OP had an idea to get his revenge on the board. He decided to join the board and was instantly voted in.
If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them
After joining the board as the secretary, he was instructed not to propose any new policies but was allowed to vote on new ones proposed by the VP or President.
He Voted Against Every New Policy
He voted against every new policy proposed as long as he was in that position. He listened carefully to how the other board members operated, looking for opportunities to get them off the board.
Looking for Opportunities to Take Over
The first opportunity came when the President proposed a policy to fine homeowners for having flowers that were not a “neutral” color.
OP found this policy ridiculous and started a Slack message thread with the other board members to discuss the policy’s merits.
Starting a Secret Slack Group
He then posted a long message in the main Homeowner’s Association Slack channel calling for the President’s removal from the board.
A Board Meeting Was Called
A board meeting was called the following week, and the other four board members voted to remove the President for targeting a community member for personal gain.
Taking Them Down One by One
His next targets were the treasurer and director, whom they easily convinced to step down due to their susceptibility to public opinion.
He then created a fake account on Nextdoor and waited until spring when most violations were issued.
HOA Uproar and Resignations
When the HOA sent out violation letters, he used the fake account to post comments criticizing the board’s actions, which caused a public uproar.
This caused a huge turnout at the next HOA meeting, which forced the treasurer and director to resign.
Last but Not Least
After a few months of contentious board meetings, the group finally achieved a 4-1 majority vote to get rid of the strict rules that had been causing tension in the community.
Various Tactics to Get Him to Leave
The President of the board was still stubbornly clinging to his desire to increase violation revenue by adding more rules, despite repeated pushback from the other members. They tried various tactics to get him to leave but to no avail.
A Shocking Discovery
Eventually, a new management company was brought in to help with property management. They had a more efficient system for keeping track of community records and sending automated reports.
Through one of these reports, the group discovered the President had failed to pay fines totaling over $10,000 for open violations that the previous management company had covered up for him.
The President Had Something to Hide
The board reviewed the documents and confirmed the fines were accurate. This enraged the President, who stormed out of the meeting. A few days later, they learned that he had resigned from the board, paid his fine, and put his house up for sale.
A New President in Office
OP, who led the charge against the President a year ago, was now the board’s President. He began chipping away at the rules in place and is still president of the HOA today.
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The post He Became the New HOA President After Systematically Taking Down the Corrupt Ex-president! first appeared on Fistful of Dollars.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit