A Florida resident, Irena Green, found herself in handcuffs due to her brown grass and a dirty mailbox outside her property, all thanks to the stringent regulations of her Homeowners Association (HOA). What initially began as a straightforward violation notice quickly escalated into a series of notices, leading to a formal lawsuit. After missing her scheduled court appearance, Irena faced a shocking number of days behind bars. Here’s a detailed overview of her challenging situation…

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Explore Irena Green’s Legal Battle with Her HOA

Irena’s troubles began with a notification from The Trowbridge Company Inc., the management team for her HOA, which highlighted the issue of her lawn’s browning grass. “The grass has started turning brown. So then they started sending notes,” Irena explained to ABC Action News. She attributed the condition of her lawn to a large tree that casts shade and the drought-related watering restrictions imposed in her area. “If you drive around my neighborhood, you’ll see there’s plenty of yards not up to par,” she remarked, emphasizing that many others in her community faced similar challenges. However, the HOA remained steadfast and unwilling to compromise.

Subsequently, the HOA issued further violations, including a dirty mailbox, a dented garage door, and a commercial cargo van parked in her driveway. Irena pointed out that comparable vans were ubiquitous in her neighborhood, leading her to feel unfairly targeted. When she disregarded a request for mediation, the HOA escalated matters by hiring attorney Francis Friscia to initiate a lawsuit in the Hillsborough County Civil Court.

Representing herself, Irena submitted a response but faced disappointment when the judge rejected her letter. In July 2024, the court imposed a strict 30-day deadline for her to rectify the violations or risk incarceration. “He said you can get seed, you can do something, but you’ve got 30 days to get it corrected,” Irena recalled. Determined to comply, she took action by selling her van, cleaning the mailbox, and reseeding her lawn. Unfortunately, her challenges were far from over.

The Consequences of a Missed Court Date: A Shocking Arrest

Irena believed she had fulfilled the necessary requirements to comply with the HOA’s demands, yet the association still expressed dissatisfaction. The major complication arose when she missed a follow-up court hearing in August 2024.

“I was supposed to receive documentation. Nothing was sent to my home. And I reached out to the courthouse several times to try to find out when was my court date,” she clarified.

The judge, unimpressed with her situation, found her in contempt of court and subsequently issued a warrant for her arrest, reportedly at the request of Friscia. On May 23, while driving her 15-year-old daughter home from cheerleading practice, Irena was stopped by a deputy. “He asked me can I get out. When I got out he said, ‘Ms. Green, did you know that you have a warrant for your arrest?’” she recounted, vividly recalling the moment.

Handcuffed and taken to jail without the option of bond, Irena described her experience as humiliating. “There was no bond. So I couldn’t even go home to my family. I sat in there for seven days. Seven days in the jailhouse like a criminal,” Irena expressed, detailing how deeply the ordeal affected her. She faced charges of contempt of court and failure to comply with a court order to show cause.

Irena Green’s Release: Continuing the Fight Against the HOA

After spending six days behind bars, Irena’s sister-in-law took action by filing an emergency petition. During the hearing, her sibling presented photographic evidence demonstrating that the yard had been restored to compliance. A different judge ordered her immediate release, despite the HOA attorney’s attempts to keep her detained.

“It makes me feel horrible. I work hard to buy this home for me and my kids in a better neighborhood and environment, and to be taken to jail and to be treated like that for brown grass at my own home … that’s horrible,” Irena reflected on her experience.

Currently, she is reportedly facing thousands of dollars in legal fees and is threatened with foreclosure by the HOA due to unpaid dues. “I think they have way too much power. I’ve never heard of anything like this in my life,” she lamented, underscoring the profound implications of her encounter with the HOA.

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