HOAs can no longer fine for brown lawns
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side — homeowners associations can no longer slap fines on residents for dry, brown lawns during declared droughts.
“I think it’s appropriate especially with the times we are in right now where everyone’s trying to conserve water,” said William Pullis, owner of Community Management Associates.
The property managers we spoke with tell us this is something they’ve never done.
“To my knowledge I’ve never fined anybody for a brown lawn,” added Pullis.
Lee Bothe owns Community Association Financial Services in Palm Springs.
“Everybody should do their part to save water and I don’t see where fining people will help,” said Bothe.
Bothe manages the Parc Andreas community where Michael Joblin lives. We asked him how he felt about lawns that weren’t perfectly green.
“I look at that and say great they’re saving water,” said Joblin.”I’m very much opposed to grass in the desert it doesn’t belong it’s inappropriate it doesn’t really go with the desert.”
Also in the works, another bill that would prevent homeowner associations from punishing owners for installing drought resistant landscaping.
But, again, we are told this is something HOAs support.
“HOAs are encouraging people to install drought tolerant plants,” said Bothe. “I can’t imagine why they would penalize them for that.”
“I agree with it — desert landscape is coming in a hurry here to the Coachella Valley if you don’t have it you’re going to want it and almost all of my associations right now are looking at adding more desert landscape,” added Pullis.
