HOA instructs man to 'only mow in straight lines,' so he decided to give them a show of a lifetime

The HOA association is designed to ensure that residents live well in their communities and enjoy a good quality of life in their neighborhoods. However, over time, the members have started imposing rules and laws that make people feel restricted in their own homes. Acting like micromanagers, many push their own preferences over residents under the facade of a rule, but smart residents know how to stand their ground. A man who goes by @rootedlawnco was proud to share his 'improv' after the HOA insisted that he mow his lawn only in straight lines. Your home aesthetics should be yours alone, and he made that very clear with his top-notch response. 

“When HOA tells you only straight lines,” the video’s text overlay read. Just below it was the man holding his lawnmower, completely unbothered by the rule. How do we know? He very skilfully moved his mower around to create fun and thrilling wavy lines across his lawn — just the opposite of what his HOA wanted. He went on until he had a square patch full of thick, wavy paths. Needless to say, he enjoyed the process. He even mowed a little extra out of every alternate line to give it a kind of color difference, adding to the pleasing outcome. “Take that HOA,” he wrote in the caption. 

In another video, he shared how the wavy lines did more than add an aesthetic visual to his lawn. Sharing an aerial shot of the lawn with its perfect waves, the man said, “POV: You can’t go to the beach, so you bring the waves to you.” Not only did the lawn look artsy and vibrant, but it also gave the homeowner the freedom to have his lawn exactly the way he wanted. And why should he not? The rising tensions with the HOA due to such notorious rules are increasing year after year. In statistics shared by Rocket Mortgage, it was revealed that nearly 60% of new single-family homes and 80% of houses in subdivisions are part of an HOA. Florida tops the list with 45% of residents under an HOA. 

While designed to make living comfortable, nearly 60% of residents claimed that they dislike their HOA. 47% of HOA residents noted that they’re better off without them on board. Another 37% said that they dislike the idea of having an HOA. A lot of these statistics have to do with the finances and rules they’re forced to abide by due to the associations. When members and heads make up rules that go against the living standards of a majority, they comply with hysterically ironic arrangements, as this man did. And the internet supports him. @nowherenothin said, “Tell them you have astigmatism and this is straight.” 

@averyandt added, “What is the point of having your own home if you’re living by strict rules?” @jcsunshineband0 remarked, “Have them come and cut the grass if they don’t like it.” @spiderlover74 wrote, “No way they’re trying to control the direction you mow your lawn.” @caffeinatedpossum added, “HOAs have legal rights to control the aesthetic of your grass, but there’s no legal standard for them to control cutting patterns as the cutting pattern is semantic.” 

You can follow @rootedlawnco on TikTok for more content on home decor and lifestyle. 

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