Current Events > HOA fines homeowner for giving out free water

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GOODYEAR, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) David Martin works out of his garage, making one-of-a-kind sneakers, but what hes doing on his driveway is creating a bit of controversy in his Arizona neighborhood.

I dont feel like I am doing anything wrong, Martin said. I think I am doing what were supposed to do, which is taking care of the people around us.

Four years ago, during the COVID crisis, Martin and his wife set up a free water stand in front of their house in Goodyear as a goodwill gesture, inviting neighbors, kids and delivery drivers to stop by daily to grab a bottle.

I think its fantastic, neighbor Larry Marks said.

I figured, what better way to be an asset to community than cold water, Martin said.

The free water stand was such a hit that the Martins kept it going, stocking up on water while paying for most of it out of their own pocket.

Some neighbors have also stepped up to help out.

Every year, I am sure I get about 30-40 flats of water, said Martin. Water sometimes appears at the front door, and there are two flats. I dont know who dropped them off. Its just a surprise, its fun.

But the goodwill gesture appears to have hit a snag.

In May, the Martins received a notice from FS Residential, the management company that oversees the Canyon Trails Homeowners Association. They were cited for storing items in plain view and were fined $50.

The fines were increased to $100 monthly for non-compliance in June, July and August.

Its absolutely asinine; I dont understand, Martin said. Im sorry. I dont care that its blue and gray, and my house is tan and brown; its a water cooler with cold water for the community.

Martin said his HOA contacted him a couple of years ago and that he was under the impression that having the water stand was OK.

After all these years, he said he wants to know why his HOA is making this an issue again.

I just dont understand what fight they have and why they want to fight, Martin said. I have made it clear: I am not stepping away, not putting the cooler away.

The HOA and FS Residential were asked to explain their position and whether there might be some type of resolution, but they have not responded.

Martin said that even if the fines continue to climb, he wont stop giving out free water.

Im going to continue to take care of community the best way I can, he said.

Stop buying houses with hoas.

In some parts of the USA it's incredibly difficult not to since developers like to set them up when they build the neighbourhood.

People need to be far more willing to try to get on an hoa board if the current board sucks. A lot of the super shitty people on these boards run unopposed and are very unliked by the community and would be out if challenged.

They were cited for storing items in plain view and were fined $50.

Currently looking for a house and our number one filter is NO HOA, can't stand them.

or the HOA could just fuck off and mind there own business

Which would be the preferred outcome but the people who typically run HOAs dont have jobs of their own.

Martin said his HOA contacted him a couple of years ago and that he was under the impression that having the water stand was OK.

After all these years, he said he wants to know why his HOA is making this an issue again.

your trash is outside.

Stop buying houses with hoas.

where else would it be

Sadly that isn't always a choice. Local governments may not care because it lets them avoid spending taxpayer money for upkeep and infrastructure upgrades. Instead they leave it to a "for profit" privatized institution that then goes on to pull crap like this. Few things say you hate your constituency as much as leaving them in the wind against a greedy management firm filled with corporate raiders.

My brothers neighborhood has an HOA and they made a big stink recently about peoples wheelie bins being in clear view of the street and were demanding that they store them in their garages unless it was late at night and they were waiting for the garbage collection service.

He simply moved his bin around to the side of his house where its obscured by a low wall and the air conditioning unit in order to annoy them further since its no longer clearly visible from the street even if it isnt where they wanted him to stick it.

Thats my kind of petty. Like the guy who hired an artist to paint his boat on his wall after some Karens made a big deal about his boat being in his own fucking driveway. I swear these people have no hobbies.

Shocking, an HOA sucking ass

My favorite part of that story is how the majority of his neighbors openly cheered him on for doing that. You can tell how much people despise HOA's from that response.

my favorite part about owning a home is taking on even more extra work for no reason

Thats my kind of petty. Like the guy who hired an artist to paint his boat on his wall after some Karens made a big deal about his boat being in his own fucking driveway. I swear these people have no hobbies.

Except this part makes it seem like they had been in communication and this had been resolved, considering he is asking why they are making an issue of it again:

where else would it be

Sorry, I meant storing your trash cans outside in front. Keep them in garage or backyard. We get garbage pick up 2x a week.

I hate HOAs.

You know I love you, but the people going around dictating others lives usually dont have much else to do with their time. Within reason, homeowners should be allowed to do whatever they want with their property.

My HOA is pretty chill. They only get involved if your grass is overgrown or your trash is outside. I've never been threatened with a fine. Just a friendly reminder.

i know what you ment and i find it strange that people care

Depending on where you live - here you're just asking to have a bear destroy your can and spread your trash everywhere if you don't leave it in a garage or sturdy enclosure.

Idk why people use these stories to justify hating HOAs when they obviously arent the norm. And conveniently forget that rentals are far worse.

You underestimate people's power to hate things. My heart has enough space to loathe both.