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Girl's Family Sued Over Too Pink Playhouse

By Deanne Katz, Esq. on September 19, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Becky Rogers-Peck built a pink playhouse in her backyard for her granddaughter but if she'd known it would lead to a lawsuit, she might not have bothered.

Her Homeowner's Association is suing over the playhouse's color which is pink with purple doors. It's a cute getaway for her 4-year old granddaughter but the playhouse doesn't match Rogers-Peck's house which is painted brown.

The HOA requires that 'sheds and garages' must be the same color as the house. So they're going after Rogers-Peck for the mismatched building.

An HOA agreement is essentially a contract between the homeowners in a particular area. They agree to abide by certain rules that will hopefully prevent any decrease in their property value and keep the neighborhood looking uniform.

To keep property values up HOAs need to ensure that neighboring properties look good. They do that by regulating a variety of aesthetic qualities of a home and yard including house color and lawn maintenance.

Some of the requirements may seem ridiculous to owners but that doesn't make the agreements any less enforceable.

So long as the provisions aren't discriminatory or otherwise unlawful, most HOA rules will be upheld. That means homeowners generally need to fall in line.

Are you having trouble with your HOA? Get in touch with an attorney or pose a question to the FindLaw Answers Real Estate and Landlord-Tenant forum. You don't have to deal with it on your own.

The board initiated the lawsuit but some of the other homeowners aren't so thrilled. At a recent HOA meeting, members weren't impressed by how their dues are being used, reports WAGT.

Rogers-Peck thinks the whole thing was blown out of proportion by a few neighbors who don't like the pink playhouse. She claims the playhouse is play equipment, not a shed.

If she'd bought a pink Little Tykes Playhouse she doesn't think it would be a problem, reports MSNBC.

The HOA is currently going through elections and this lawsuit might tip the balance towards a less pink-averse board. If that doesn't happen and the lawsuit continues, Rogers-Peck will have to defend herself or tear down the playhouse.

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