Not long ago, we discovered that the most uniting force in America is a near universal hate of HOAs.
And this story is a particularly despicable example of their evil at work.
George and Kathleen Rowe of Cypress, Texas were sued by their Lakeland Community Homeowners' Association (HOA) for feeding the ducks. The HOA wants $250,000 or their house. They're also requesting a court order for the Rowes to cease and desist with the duck feeding thing.
To be fair, ducks in Texas can be a real problem. Muscovy ducks are not native that far north and considered to be an invasive species. Plus, they're just ugly.
A few years ago, there was a literal human versus duck war that broke out in Pearland, TX.
Muscovy ducks were destroying flowerbeds, littering feathers on mowed lawns, ripping open trash bags and leaving refuse all over, and the poop…was…everywhere: cars, porches, mailboxes. The city of Pearland sent out a newsletter for how to get rid of the ducks, but people were done playing nice, and they showed up with guns and bows and arrows, and there was a duck massacre.
That's as fair as I'm going to be though. The idea that the HOA is so obviously going after the Rowe's house is ridiculous. The Rowe's lawyer says the HOA has nothing to stand on:
"There is nothing in the community rules that would prohibit a person from feeding the ducks," he said.
However, the Rowes are not taking any chances. They've put their house up for sale.
"We didn't have the $250,000, so we have to be prepared in case that's what it's going to cost," Kathleen Rowe said.
There is another reason to sell though. The ducks were one of the reasons they bought the house in the first place. Kathleen has named her favorites and treats them like pets, and they've lived there for ten years. It would just be too sad to have give up feeding them.
Still, the idea that an evil HOA can just go after your house if you cross them is absurd. Would they be after them if property values weren't sky rocketing? It must be Mister Banks's neighborhood.
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