RESIDENTS in a tranquil Southern neighborhood were shocked to learn that their HOA hired gunmen to go out into the night and shoot animals.
Richele Bartkowiak who has lived in Cypress, Texas, outside Houston, for years, has slammed her HOA for its alleged failure to alert residents and for taking the issue to the extreme.
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“Nobody in the neighborhood was notified, so none of the residents knew,” she told ABC News affiliate KTRK.
“So, it was a really scary sight. It was a time when people were still easily out walking their dogs or taking a stroll in the night.”
According to one resident, two men claimed they were hired by the Coles Crossing Community Association to patrol the local pond and kill an invasive species of duck called Muscovy ducks.
The pond at the heart of the HOA community is often used for peaceful walks, fishing, and dog walking.
However, this sense of peace was shattered when a resident reportedly saw the two men armed with long air rifles patrolling the pond at around 9 pm on March 26.
The resident filmed her encounter with the men, asking them, “What are you guys doing?”
They stated that they were hired by the HOA, but they added that, so far, they had failed to shoot any Muscovy ducks.
Bartkowiak was shocked when she first saw the clip, which she has since shared on NextDoor and other social media pages.
“I think what the community was most upset about is the fact this was ever an option on the table,” Bartkowski told the news outlet.
“When we returned in February, they caught and relocated the ducks. Why now are we just slaughtering these ducks?”
Fellow resident Steve Robinson told the news outlet how he understood the HOA’s apparent frustration with the ducks but that a mass cull was taking the issue too far.
“I can see both sides,” Robinson said.
“You spend a lot of money making your flower beds look nice and the ducks destroy it. So I totally get wanting to remove them.
“But I don’t think you need to show up with a pellet gun at night and shoot them.”
Robinson, who likes to go hunting, also added that he reported the incident to the local game warden due to concerns that other birds may have been killed while removing the invasive species.
Why would anyone hire people to shoot ducks??? HORRIBLE decision.
Teresa Schindler Miller
“I did call the game warden and reported it, so I’m waiting to hear back from them,” said Robinson.
“The initial report was there were guys out here with air rifles shooting ducks.
“And I didn’t know what species it was, and I thought it was the right thing to do: have the game warden come out and do an investigation.”
Residents told the news outlet that back in February, the HOA had attempted other methods of pest control including trying to capture the ducks in large nets.
Now, they want answers as to why guns were seen as the next option and why they were not informed of the apparent decision.
“I think the neighborhood is a little concerned that this manner of thinning out the population of ducks was ever on the table for our board to debate,” Bartkowiak said.
‘HEAVY-HANDED’
On the Coles Crossing HOA Facebook page, the organization is incredibly active and regularly informs members of updates and events.
However, the last post relating to ducks was from December 2023 reminding residents to “NOT make wildlife into pets” and that doing so will see the HOA have to take “appropriate action as needed.”
“We do not want to be heavy-handed, but the scope of this problem is larger than you can imagine,” the HOA added.
What is an HOA?
One in five Americans live in an area with a Homeowners’ Association – or HOA. But what exactly is it that they do?
- An HOA is a homeowner’s association – an organization that aims to maintain a clean and cohesive place to live for its residents.
- Entire neighborhoods, subdivisions, condominiums, family homes, or townhouses within “a planned development” will often make up an HOA.
- They also act as a governing body for tenants, who run and fund the HOA through monthly fees.
- Their principal aims are to keep the community functioning and visually appealing and to maintain property values.
- They primarily focus on common areas of a neighborhood, such as roads, parks, and pools – but may also stipulate what residents can do with their properties, such as yards and driveways.
- Often these restrictions enforce uniformity on properties, for example, ensuring most houses look the same and all driveways are clear of weeds.
- An HOA rulebook of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R) is distributed to all residents, and an elected volunteer board of directors enforces these regulations.
- Breaking these rules can result in penalties such as fines and even litigation – as most HOAs are incorporated and subject to state law.
- HOAs are often the subject of controversy, with some members feeling that the rules are too punitive and restricting, or that the leadership has too much power.
- But others like that HOAs give communities the power of self-governance, and can ensure a degree of harmony between residents.
Coles Crossing explained that complaints were regularly being filed about residents feeding ducks which increased their population and resulted in private and HOA property damage and health hazards.
The HOA reminded residents of Section 6 of their Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions which details rules surrounding pets and wildlife.
Despite no further update or comment from the HOA on its Facebook page, residents quickly asked questions in the comments of unrelated posts.
“Why was there a pest control company out shooting ducks supposedly at your direction on the evening of Tuesday 3/26? That’s appalling,” resident Lisa Laurenzo said.
“Yeah it was on the news…why would anyone hire people to shoot ducks??? HORRIBLE decision,” Teresa Schindler Miller added.
Coles Crossing HOA has not responded to KTRK’s inquiries.
The U.S. Sun has reached out for comment.
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