Dad writes letter calling out 'casual cruelty' of person who got HOA to tear down kids' treehouse

Having a treehouse to play in is one of the highlights of every kid's childhood. It's a place for bonding between siblings and friends. Plus, spending time outdoors and engaging in unstructured play is a foundational part of healthy development for kids. A 2025 study published in the BMC Public Health draws on decades of research and explains that children who spend time outdoors are more active, experience better mental well-being, and develop stronger social skills compared to those who stay indoors. It also highlights how outdoor play helps offset excessive screen time and supports healthier lifelong habits.

However, one kid no longer has that opportunity after someone in the neighborhood made an anonymous complaint to the homeowner's association, forcing the parent to take down the treehouse. The heartbroken parent wrote a letter to the complainant letting them know how cruel they were in having the tree removed. The letter by the parent is addressed to the "anonymous passerby" and calls out their "casual cruelty." The note was pinned to a tree.

"The complaint you lodged against the HOA was heard. They had me take down the small treefort that I built on this location with my sons during the pandemic," wrote the parent. "No longer will its presence offend your walk past my house. Please enjoy your stroll free from the sound of my children's play and laughter. They are safely back inside now, watching television I'm sure." The image of the note was shared on Reddit where it went viral. The post was upvoted 105,000 times. 

Many others shared their own problematic stories of HOAs interfering in people's lives for no valid reason. As in the case of this parent, many were simply abusing the HOA rules to annoy and make life harder for those living there. "Now, they will report them for not getting a permit to place that note on the tree," joked one person. One person called on the parent to fight back by getting elected to the HOA. "Dave, Fight back. Don’t let them win. Take over the HOA and change the rules. Work from inside the system if you must. Don’t let the children down. I really really need to know you didn’t let this idiot have her way. Let me know if you need help. Dave’s of the world UNITE!" they wrote. 

One person said the best way to respond was to demand proof of the enforcement of all the laws. "So, this is the ultimate in petty, but if you’re cited by your HOA, check your state’s (assuming US) laws regarding HOAs. My state has a law where if they enforce one violation, they have to enforce all. I had an issue with my HOA, so I went around and took photos of a bunch of HOA violations I could see from the street (I tried to keep out identifying info). I asked them if they would show me where they had enforced these. I haven’t heard back in over a year," they wrote.

This article originally appeared 1 month ago.