HOA orders Iraq war veteran to remove mementos from the lawn — mistaking it for ugly lawn ornament

Three fire hydrants don’t sound like something that could provoke a battle, but for one Las Vegas resident, his beloved fire hydrants have compelled him to stand up for himself in court. Brian Saba has been living in a rented house for over a year. Ever since he moved in, these three non-operational vintage fire hydrants in muted red and ivory white colors have been a fixture in his front yard. He was shocked when he received a letter from the homeowners' association (HOA) instructing him to remove these items or bear the fine. The dilemma is not removing these fire hydrants. The dilemma is why he is being forced to remove them, given that these are the mementos of his service as a war veteran. “I am not going to go down without a fight,” Saba declares in a report published April 15 by NBC affiliate KSNV News 3 Las Vegas.

 HOA claims that the decorative fire hydrants violate the rules. Dated April 7, 2026, a letter they sent cites a rule, instructing him to remove the three items from his lawn. “Please remove all storage items in the front and side yard landscape. This is for the three fire hydrants you have in the rocks and patio,” the letter reads. The letter includes a photo of his yard with the three fire hydrants and a heading that reads “Friendly reminder” in big, bold letters. HOA also clipped the exact rule, “Section 11: Yard and Landscape: Landscaping must be neatly trimmed, properly cultivated, and continuously maintained.”

According to HOA Member Services, HOAs exist to manage shared community responsibilities, enforce neighbourhood standards, and protect aesthetic and architectural property values in residential developments. It might sound frustrating for some people, but millions of Americans live in societies where their HOAs decide what color they paint their front door and whether they can park their SUV. In Saba’s case, however, the rules are proving to be the red tape that is prohibiting his very self-expression and freedom of sentiment. Saba served as an Iraq war veteran, and these fire hydrants serve as mementos of his pride, career success, and military service.

“This hydrant right here, I brought this fire hydrant home from Iraq. [...] So that one there was a special piece,” explained Saba, who worked as a firefighter and fire inspector in the war. He revealed that it wasn’t easy for him to get these decorations. A whole rigmarole of procedures was involved. He applied for approval to have them on display. Second, he even submitted the application with written comments from his neighbors to support him. Even that wasn’t enough. Another kerfuffle of “architectural modification permit” application was to be carried out, which he did.

“Well, number one, this isn’t architectural. These are just items to display,” Saba raves. “How are they going to tell the guy with over 30 years in the fire service, you got to get rid of your fire hydrants? I mean, it’s not like it’s clutter. It’s not like it’s defacing anything,” he adds, shrugging his shoulders in helplessness. Even his neighbours, he says, believe that there’s nothing wrong with displaying them.

And while he is enjoying the neighbourhood and time he spends with neighbours, the disappointment of this charge has forced him to rethink his house. He’s already planning to pack up and head somewhere that he feels will allow him to be proud of his career. “This is supposed to be a free country, and as long as it's not in the way, it's not hurting anybody, what’s the harm?”

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