SAN DIEGO — Dozens are upset that the Villa Portofino Homeowners Association is now requiring all residents to remove holiday decorations in all common areas.
"I think we have a board of Grinches,” said John Baker, resident of Villa Portofino for 32 years.
Penny Sansevieri, has lived in Villa Portofino for 13 years. “I have one sad little pumpkin sitting up on my fence, and I got a notice that it was in violation."
The notice letter from the HOA stated "we are particularly devoted to maintaining the appearance of our community to ensure property values are protected. No personal items including holiday decorations shall be placed or attached to any portion of the common area, including fences trees shrubs and other landscaping.”
Baker says if residents don't remove the decorations by November 3, they are going to be cited $75. Now outraged, the group will have to 'rest in peace' their Halloween graves placed on the lawn, and the spiders and cobwebs sprawled on top of the bushes need to come down.
Residents vow it’s never been a problem in the past, so many are stunned that in a time with no trick-or-treating, now, no decorations too in any area deemed “common.”
"We've had so much taken away from us this year in this pandemic, but at least let us decorate our homes,” Sansevieri said.
Residents have requested hearings with the HOA board and started a petition that has nearly 200 signatures.
Baker, who is a past member of the HOA board for five years says “they do have the right to enforce these types of things the question is why are they doing it now?”
In an email from Jacqueline Sax, the manager of Villa Portofino HOA, she says:
"We do not allow decorations within the commons areas due to possible liability and it can make performing association maintenance difficult. Additionally, we have had issues in the past where association property such as fences were damaged when decorations were attached.”
Baker says “You'd be hard-pressed through 721 homes to find anything where it's hindering maintenance people to be able to do their job, this is unreasonable, and it's un-American, this rule needs to be rescinded."