HOA Nut House

If done right and in the proper neighborhood, a committee can be a big asset. Sometimes people lose sight of what an HOA is intended to do - as residents, as boards and their committees. In our case, it's a gated community intended to provide a greater level of security; a few specific amenities such as a pool, ponds and tennis courts; and ensure property owners maintain their lots. Our committees do the legwork and advise the board. More importantly, ours act within an established set of guidelines.

It takes a lot of time and effort to not only compile and agree upon a set of community standards but to socialize them amongst the residents. And whoever is running a committee has a responsibility to not only do the "dirty work" but to make sure everyone understands the long term goals. With established guidelines, committees can maintain the continuity boards often don't have. Unless things are in disarray and members aren't operating within established guidelines, about the last thing you'd want to do is dissolve and/or reform committees every time someone on the board changes.

Getting back to your point - People love their plants. However, you step into a different arena when "your" plants are in common area. It's quite a statement that a single homeowner has the resources and passion to pursue legal action over plants she placed in a common area. Without knowing specifics, one might assume you're talking about a substantial investment of plants. Or perhaps an even bigger problem with the HOA in general. Which takes us back to why investing the time and effort into establishing reasonable guidelines is so important. if they're not there, people will use their judgment. Nature abhors a vacuum.

All that being said, common areas are ripe for trouble. In our HOA, we, at times, allow people to extend fences, landscaping, etc. into common areas. But it's with specific written confirmation that they understand their structure or plants will be removed if we choose to use the area for other purposes (including utility construction).

As with most "problems", you first have to get agreement there is one. Sounds like not everyone agrees with the landscape company assessment. To help people understand, it might mean producing presentations showing the difference between good and bad with the goal of getting the "a-ha" moment from those who are unenlightened. The next step probably involves sending out some kind of Request for Proposal (RFP) stating what the community's goals are. Either some kind of all-encompassing landscaping RFP or even just one specific to the area you mention. You might perhaps compile a list of other landscape companies that can meet not only the aesthetic but the budgetary goals. (You sometimes have to keep in mind that just because some people like the way something looks it doesn't mean everyone else wants to pay for it through dues increases.)

That's the kind of junk good committees will do to assist boards. Lots of phone calls, analysis of bids, looking at property conditions, writing policies (for approval), reviewing situations based on established guidelines and so on.

An unasked for personal suggestion - it's easier to affect change if you work towards being one of the policy makers. And it's easier to become one of the policy makers if you're not viewed as being a single issue (one trick) pony. Better to be viewed as someone with reason who can guide the community in a specific direction.

And yes, that can take time.

Good luck.