Homeowners, Squirrels, and the Tyranny of Cedar Siding

A homeowner in a planned community received a violation notice from his HOA for unauthorized modifications to his property. The offense: tree damage. Specifically, squirrel damage. The squirrels had gnawed through his cedar siding, and the HOA wanted it fixed before the inspection deadline.

The homeowner attempted to resolve the situation. He installed a metal baffle around the oak tree. He applied capsaicin-based repellent to the trunk. He contacted a wildlife removal company, which caught and relocated seventeen squirrels. The damage continued. The squirrels, it seemed, had additional friends.

The HOA's position did not soften. They issued a second notice. The homeowner hired a contractor and had the siding replaced with composite material. The squirrels, undeterred by progress, relocated their operations to the vinyl gutters and soffit. The HOA issued a third notice. It did not specify what outcome they were expecting.

At the hearing, the homeowner presented photographic evidence of active squirrel occupation. The HOA board nodded sympathetically and voted to extend his deadline by sixty days. When the deadline passed, the squirrels had moved to the attic fascia. The homeowner did not respond to the next violation notice.

The case remains unresolved. The squirrels appear satisfied with the arrangement.

Meanwhile, in a different subdivision three states over, residents discovered that their community pond—maintained at significant collective expense—had been regularly drained and refilled by a neighbor who preferred the water table three feet lower. When confronted, the neighbor produced a survey suggesting his property line extended beneath the pond. The HOA's legal fund took a small hit. The neighbor continues draining. The pond continues refilling. Everyone has lawyered up and stopped speaking to one another, which, in HOA terms, is peak performance.

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