A single mother in the US state of Arizona has been left furious after her Homeowners' Association (HOA) imposed a hefty $150 fine – equivalent to roughly £120 – because a paper bag was blown by the wind into the street.
'It feels like a money grab,' says fined resident
Jessica Ensley, who lives in the Hayden Farms community in Surprise, Arizona, told local broadcaster KTVK that the incident occurred on Monday 5 January 2026. She explained that she had placed a brown paper bag from a takeaway order next to a communal dumpster because the bin was completely full.
"I’m a very clean person, and I respect the rules," Ms Ensley stated. "I’m not one to just blatantly throw trash around, so yes, it was so full that even that brown paper bag couldn’t fit into it at that time."
A gust of wind subsequently carried the bag away from the dumpster area and onto the road. The fine was issued because a receipt inside the bag bore her name, allowing a member of the HOA to identify her as responsible for the litter.
Overflowing bins a chronic issue, neighbours claim
In a letter, the HOA justified the $150 fine by stating it was intended to discourage future violations and to cover the cost of enforcing the community's rules, not merely to generate revenue.
However, Ms Ensley labelled the penalty "absurd" and excessive for a first-time, minor infraction. "They nitpick, they find small little issues and then, they find ways to fine you for them," she said. "It makes no sense to me at all. Feels like I’m being taken advantage of."
She and other residents pointed to a systemic problem: the dumpsters provided by the HOA are only emptied twice a week and are often overflowing. This leads to rubbish piling up beside them and frequently blowing into neighbouring yards.
"Nine times out of 10 that I come out here, there’s gonna be mattresses or just trash built up on the side," one anonymous neighbour confirmed to the news outlet. "So, a lot of times, even myself, I’ve had to leave trash next to the bin."
Property manager's advice: 'Keep trash in your home'
When Ms Ensley raised the issue of consistently full bins with a property manager, she was reportedly advised to keep her rubbish inside her own home if the communal dumpsters were at capacity.
The situation highlights ongoing tensions between residents and the property management bodies that set and enforce rules in many planned communities. The focus on strict penalty enforcement, while practical waste disposal issues persist, has sparked accusations of unfairness.
The Independent has contacted the Hayden Farms community for comment on the matter.
