Florida Mom Arrested After Allegedly Violating HOA Rules ‘Like a Criminal’
Florida homeowner Irena Green was arrested and jailed after her HOA cited brown lawn dirty mailbox and commercial van violations—despite her efforts to comply. She says she was treated “ like a criminal .”
Background & Initial Violations
Irena Green a resident of Hillsborough County Florida says her troubles began when her homeowners association The Trowbridge Company Inc. cited her for several violations brown grass a dirty mailbox dents in her garage door and a commercial cargo van parked in her driveway .
Green believes these issues were beyond her control. She blames a large shade tree and local drought restrictions for the lawn’s brown patches. She also pointed out that other residents regularly parked similar vehicles without penalty leading her to feel unfairly targeted .
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Legal Escalation & Court Order
Rather than granting leniency the HOA escalated matters by filing a lawsuit. Representing herself in court Green says a judge gave her 30 days to correct the violations .
She complied—selling the cargo van cleaning the mailbox and reseeding the lawn—but still faced pressure from the HOAs lawyers. Later she missed a follow up court hearing in August 2024. According to Green she never received mailed court notices despite repeatedly calling the courthouse to confirm the date .
Arrest & Jail Experience
On May 23 2025 while driving her 15 year old daughter home from cheerleading practice Green was pulled over and told she had an outstanding arrest warrant .
She was charged with contempt of court and failure to comply with the courts order and was taken into custody without bond . Green spent seven days in jail describing the experience as humiliating and deeply distressing . She had no opportunity to return home before being booked .
Release & Aftermath
Greens sister in law intervened by presenting proof that the violations had been resolved. A different judge reviewed the case and granted her emergency release despite opposition from the HOAs attorneys .
However Green says the ordeal isn’t over—she’s now facing mounting legal fees and even the threat of foreclosure over unpaid HOA dues .
Greens Reaction & Broader Concerns
Reflecting on the incident Green expressed disbelief at how quickly minor aesthetic issues escalated into criminal consequences .
“To be taken to jail and to be treated like that for brown grass at my own home … that’s horrible.”
She emphasized her efforts to maintain a good home environment for her family and criticized what she sees as excessive HOA power .
Key Takeaways
- HOAs can enforce strict property appearance rules and violations—if unresolved—can escalate into lawsuits .
- Missing court communications even unintentionally can lead to arrest warrants .
- Self representation in court can make it harder to navigate legal processes and deadlines .
- This case highlights the tension between HOA regulations and individual homeowners’ circumstances especially when environmental factors affect compliance .