Tried to start a community compost pile and got shut down by the HOA

I live in a townhouse complex in Portland and last month I set up a small compost bin in my backyard. The HOA sent me a letter saying it violated the rules because it might attract rats after 3 days. I was pretty annoyed since I had already collected 40 pounds of kitchen scraps from my neighbors. I ended up joining a local community garden that runs a bigger compost system instead. Now I drive 10 minutes every Saturday to drop off my bucket and it works way better. Has anyone else dealt with HOA rules blocking climate friendly stuff like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

victorhernandez4d ago

Haha @michael_williams you're probably right honestly... I used to think composting in your own backyard was the way to go but after getting that letter I changed my mind pretty quick. The community garden setup is way less hassle not having to worry about rules or rats or whatever. Plus I've met some cool people there and the compost they produce is actually high quality stuff for the garden beds. So yeah sometimes getting blocked turns into something better even if it stings at first.

michael_williams5d ago

Yeah, dealing with HOA rules blocking climate friendly stuff is super frustrating. I had the same thing happen when I tried to set up a rain barrel, so I feel your pain. Honestly, sounds like the community garden setup ended up being way more efficient for you anyway since driving 10 minutes one day a week is less hassle than fighting with the board.

martinez.paul4d ago

Never even thought about the pest angle til I read your post. HOA might have had a point if your bin was open top and you were throwing in stuff like meat or dairy. I had a neighbor who did the same thing and we ended up with possums digging through his yard every night for a month. Community garden route sounds like a win though. Bet they hot compost it right so it breaks down faster and kills any weed seeds.