HOA--should I obey or not?

The old saying "when it rains it pours" has never been more true for my life. In the middle of all the stuff I was dealing with with my daughter and aggressive peers at her school, I get notified from my HOA that I have to take down my "high school senior 2022" sign. It's been up for 8 months and nothing was said. Half the neighbors in my neighborhood also have a sign (lots of graduating seniors). Having these signs has been a tradition in our neighborhood for years. I paid $25 to the school boosters for the sign and it's normal sized and displayed tastefully in my yard next to my tulips that are in bloom. We always pay the dues on time and keep our home well maintained. But I can't have a small sign congratulating my kid? There is a clause in the covenants that states no signs, but it's a situation where they would just let it go because it was a tradition for the neighbors. Kind of like looking the other way when people shoot off fireworks on July 4th even though those big fireworks are technically illegal where I live. I heard through the grapevine that 2 neighbors got into an argument over a yard sign and one called HOA on the other so now they are cracking down on everyone. So we all have to pay the price because of 2 morons who were petty. What should I do? Take sign down and leave it down? take sign down temporarily but put back up closer to graduation date in June? Attach a hanger and hang it on my front door? Or just leave it up and ignore them completely?

Can you move it to a different place in your yard and say oops you misunderstood?

You have the sign for 8 months? The whole school year? Usually it’s put up around graduation time.

I’d remove the sign and maybe briefly display it right before actual graduation. Or put a sign on the door rather than front yard. Or better call your HOA and ask what’s best. I’d say it’s petty for them to demand “no signs” if you put it up around graduation time, but to keep it all year around is kind of unusual. Other people could argue they want to keep wedding or baby announcements for the whole year too etc there is no limit then what people could keep on display all year round .

Is this a condo? They usually are strict about uniform look

I agree with this. It seems excessive to me. Am I remembering correctly that you wanted to do something like that for your daughter’s birthday too?

I’d ask the HOA if you can put it out in a less conspicuous area around the time of graduation.

Hmm. In our area, these high school signs stay up all year round. It isn't unusual at all. They go up in August and don't come down until after graduation. In fact, many homes have several signs for band members, football players, choir members, etc. It's completely tradition and absolutely typical.

I would never buy a home in an HOA community for this kind of stupid petty crap.

That said, I would write a letter to the HOA voicing my frustration with the enforcement changing simply to appease the quarrel of two specific residents, and I would suggest that since it has previously been acceptable practice, the HOA might consider altering their rules about the timelines for such signs that might be a reasonable compromise, still support the schools and students, and create a time parameter for the future use of such signs. I'd probably still take it down in the meantime, but I'd very surely put it up again in the weeks surrounding graduation.

HOA's are petty, snoopy, controlling organizations. LOL.

Oh yeah you are right, some areas have all kind of signs by the houses. We have one area where they still have signs to vote for a President who is no longer a president. Some ordinances do not have “no sign” policy. So they can have whatever in front in the back and on top of their houses

This one where OP lives has the policy. She has an option of fighting over it or comply with the rules. Personaly I dislike drama and if it’s no signs, then it’s no signs. I have a bigger fish to fry. I’d just put it up for actual graduation if I feel I must have signs in my yard and would not fuss. But to each it’s own.

Oh yeah you are right, some areas have all kind of signs by the houses. We have one area where they still have signs to vote for a President who is no longer a president. Some ordinances do not have “no sign” policy. So they can have whatever in front in the back and on top of their houses

This one where OP lives has the policy. She has an option of fighting over it or comply with the rules. Personaly I dislike drama and if it’s no signs, then it’s no signs. I have a bigger fish to fry. I’d just put it up for actual graduation if I feel I must have signs in my yard and would not fuss. But to each it’s own.

Thanks Divine. no these are not condos. They are regular single family homes.

Thanks Artley. your area sounds like mine. Lots of signs everywhere. I did call the HOA today and advised of my concerns. I specifically asked why this was being enforced now but never was in the past. the woman said it was enforced up until the pandemic when they stopped enforcing it to "give kids and families a break". I told the lady that people were not getting letters even before the pandemic, she had no answer to that and said well maybe security missed those houses. I also asked did something happen to cause this change? (trying to get her to divulge details in case the rumor of a neighbor spat is true). She brushed me off saying nothing has changed and that no signs has always been the rule. She said anyone who leaves sign up will be called to a hearing and fined.

Based on this phone call and the advice of you and other posters here (who have helped me so much), I've decided to take down the sign temporarily, then I will put it back up closer to graduation date as I found a clause in the covenants stating "seasonal decorations for holidays and special occasions may be put up 30 days prior to occasion and removed 15 days after occasion". So at that point in time the sign will be a seasonal decoration to mark the occasion of graduation.

On a side note, I spoke with one neighbor today who informed the school booster club (who sold these signs to everyone) that our entire neighborhood is being asked to remove these signs. The booster club is going to try to meet with the HOA to get them to allow these signs. Personally, I don't think they will have any luck in changing the HOA's position because if the HOA backtracks and allows the school booster club signs, other neighbors with different signs will call foul on that and demand to put their signs back up. So you can't do for one if you're not going to do for all kind of thing.

I feel good about my decision. My daughter was a little miffed that the sign is down, but I explained to her that I will eventually put it back up.

And yes, HOA is for the birds!! Next time I live somewhere, no HOA!!

Good plan. Graduation falls into seasonal decor so it should be all good.

oops - I wrote my reply in the wrong thread. My apologies!