HOA vs. Owner – Who’s Responsible for Common Area Landscaping?
HOA vs. Owner – Who’s Responsible for Common Area Landscaping?
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Don’t Get Stuck Paying for What the HOA Should Cover
In Colorado’s newer developments, the line between what the homeowner maintains and what the HOA covers isn’t always clear. From shared greenbelts to side yards and fence lines, disputes happen all the time — often because of miscommunication. Here’s how to determine who’s responsible for what — and how to protect yourself.
1. What Counts as “Common Area”
1. What Counts as “Common Area”
Typically owned and maintained by the HOA or metro district, these include:
Parks and playgrounds
Greenbelts and walkways
Stormwater detention basins
Entry monuments and shared fencing
Parkways or landscape strips between sidewalk and curb (depending on plat)
But some HOAs push maintenance back to the nearest property owner — even if the land technically isn’t theirs.
2. What Homeowners Are Usually Responsible For
2. What Homeowners Are Usually Responsible For
Private yards (front, back, side)
Personal irrigation heads and timers
Tree pruning and plant health in deeded lots
Fence lines bordering private property (even if adjacent to common space)
Any upgrades or modifications to original landscaping
Pro tip: Always check your Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) and plat map before assuming ownership.
3. Gray Areas Where Disputes Happen
3. Gray Areas Where Disputes Happen
Fence Lines on Lot Borders
Even if the fence faces a greenbelt, you may share maintenance. Many HOAs require shared cost for repairs — but few enforce it evenly.
Turf Between Sidewalk and Street
In some developments, the city maintains it. In others, the HOA or homeowner must water and mow it. Responsibility varies by town — Erie, Frederick, and Lafayette differ.
Trees in Front Lawns
You may own the tree but need HOA permission to remove or replace. Some cities (like Lafayette) require specific species in rights-of-way.
4. How to Protect Yourself From Surprise Costs
4. How to Protect Yourself From Surprise Costs
Request and review your landscape maintenance map from the HOA
Walk your property and highlight “disputed zones”
Take photos of shared elements (fence lines, rock beds, irrigation controls)
Don’t assume landscapers hired by the HOA will handle everything near you
Clarify with the property manager — then get it in writing
We’ve seen clients billed for lawn repairs they didn’t own, and others who let failing plants sit because “the HOA should handle it.”
5. If You Need to Take Over Common Area Maintenance
5. If You Need to Take Over Common Area Maintenance
We often get hired by homeowners to:
Fix drainage near HOA fencing (without HOA support)
Clean up overgrown shared beds
Replace failed rock/mulch between lots
Maintain tree wells or irrigation heads at sidewalk edges
If the HOA won’t do it, we can — with clean, HOA-compliant results.
Related Services:
Related Services:
Not Sure What’s Yours to Maintain? We’ll Walk It With You.
Not Sure What’s Yours to Maintain? We’ll Walk It With You.
We’ll help you identify what you own, what the HOA should handle, and how to keep your landscape safe and compliant either way.
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