HOA Arrests Owner for Lawn Not Being Green Enough

In a case that shocked many across Florida and beyond, Hillsborough County homeowner Irena Green spent seven days in jail over what began as simple homeowners’ association (HOA) violations. ABC Action News investigative reporter Adam Walser broke the story, detailing how the Creek View HOA in Riverview, Florida, aggressively pursued legal action over Green’s brown grass, ultimately leading to her arrest.

The initial violation stemmed from grass that had turned brown, reportedly due to drought conditions and watering restrictions. According to Walser’s July 14, 2025 report, Green’s yard suffered from shade caused by a large tree, which worsened the issue. “If you drive around my neighborhood, you’ll see there’s plenty of yards not up to par,” Green told Walser, insisting hers wasn’t the worst.

The Violations Pile Up

But the HOA didn’t stop at the grass. Green was also cited for mildew on her mailbox, caused by the same tree’s shade, and for a small dent in her garage door that wasn’t even visible from the road. Adding to the list, her commercial cargo van, similar to those owned by other residents, also drew a violation. According to Walser’s report, all these complaints came from the HOA’s management company, The Trowbridge Company, Inc.

Green tried to fix everything. “I sold my van to comply. My mailbox was cleaned. I bought seeds and watered my grass,” she explained. But when she missed a court date, one she claims she was never notified about, the judge issued a contempt of court order at the request of HOA attorney Francis Friscia.

Seven Days in Jail

Green’s arrest came as a shock. On May 23, 2025, she was pulled over by a Hillsborough County deputy after picking up her daughter from cheerleading practice. She was told there was a warrant for her arrest. “There was no bond. So I couldn’t even go home to my family,” she said. “Seven days in the jailhouse. Like a criminal.”

Legal experts told Walser this outcome was far from normal. “To be incarcerated without bond is certainly an extreme measure and is pretty rare,” said Stetson Law School Professor Paul Boudreaux, who reviewed the case. The fact that a civil dispute, typically resolved with fines or liens, escalated to jail time drew national attention.

The Mugshot That Sparked Outrage

Green asked ABC Action News to show her mugshot as part of her story, hoping to raise awareness. “It makes me feel horrible. I work hard to buy this home for me and my kids in a better neighborhood,” she told Walser. “To be taken to jail and to be treated like that for brown grass at my own home… that’s horrible.”

She recalled how one fellow inmate misunderstood her charges. “One girl asked what I was in for, and when I said ‘grass,’ she thought I meant marijuana.” That moment captured the surreal nature of Green’s ordeal, making it hard to believe something so petty could lead to incarceration.

A Legal Maze With No Easy Exit

After six days in jail, Green’s sister-in-law, who works as a paralegal, filed a petition for an emergency hearing. A different judge reviewed updated photos of Green’s lawn and ordered her release, rejecting the HOA’s claim that the yard still wasn’t fully resodded.

Walser’s investigation noted that Green was the only person in county civil court wearing a jail uniform. Even in court, the HOA attorney continued to argue against her release. “He wanted me to continue to sit in jail and not come home to my family,” Green said.

From Jail Cell to Foreclosure

Unfortunately, the story didn’t end with Green’s release. In a follow-up July 18, 2025 report, Walser revealed that Green is now facing foreclosure from the same HOA, largely due to mounting legal fees. Green, who lost her job and was caring for her sick mother, fell behind on her $65/month HOA dues. Although she tried wiring partial payments, she said she was eventually locked out of her online account.

A February 2025 court filing listed her total debt at $12,295, with $9,400 of that being legal fees. “Every time they go down to do something, they just add another fee on it,” a neighbor told Walser.

A Neighborhood on Edge

Green isn’t alone. Another Creek View resident, Shonia Cruz Munoz, shared a similar story with Walser. Despite painting her house multiple times since 2015, she was repeatedly cited for faded paint. Even after repainting and sending proof, she was sued again and eventually threatened with foreclosure.

Munoz said she only found out about the foreclosure when she received letters in the mail offering “help.” When she contacted her bank, they knew nothing about it. The foreclosure wasn’t from her mortgage – it was from the HOA. “It was like [the property manager] was running the show,” she said.

Outsourced Enforcement Making Things Worse

The Creek View HOA had turned enforcement duties over to Ron Trowbridge of The Trowbridge Company, Inc., and to Friscia & Ross, a law firm based in Tampa. Neighbors described Trowbridge as patrolling the neighborhood slowly, clipboard in hand, issuing violations for everything from wagons left out on Sunday to trash cans visible too long.

Attorney David Lehr, who specializes in HOA-related legal disputes, told Walser that this kind of outsourcing creates problems. “You’re not dealing with someone who lives there, who’s a neighbor… You tend to run into problems.”

Legal Action Over $65 Fees

According to court records, Friscia’s firm filed a foreclosure suit against Green, citing her unpaid dues and legal costs. In an interview with Walser, Friscia confirmed the suit and said, “She has a legal obligation to pay those, so she’ll be foreclosed.” He later clarified via email that some of the legal costs stemmed from a separate enforcement case, not just unpaid dues.

Interestingly, days after Green was jailed, a foreclosure hearing was quietly canceled. The reason for the pause is unclear, but the financial pressure remains. Green now owes an additional $3,300 in fees and faces the possibility of losing her home.

A Broken System?

This case highlights the massive power imbalance that can exist between homeowners and their HOAs – especially when the HOA enlists third-party attorneys and property managers. What started with a bit of brown grass snowballed into thousands of dollars in legal costs, a week in jail, and now potential foreclosure.

Even Green admitted, “I definitely wish I would have hired a lawyer.” And as Walser’s reporting shows, that’s the sad reality: navigating HOA disputes without legal help can be a trap. Many homeowners don’t realize how far things can go until it’s too late.

When Grass Becomes a Crime

What’s striking here isn’t just the harsh treatment of Irena Green – it’s how a minor problem escalated into full-blown legal warfare. A patch of brown grass turned into a jail sentence. A dirty mailbox became a court summons. It sounds like satire, but it’s real life.

Even if Green missed a court date, locking someone up over grass, and then tacking on thousands in legal fees, feels like punishment out of proportion. It raises important questions about HOA power, due process, and how we balance community rules with common sense. At some point, enforcement becomes harassment.

A Warning for All HOA Residents

Over 40% of Florida residents live in HOA communities, according to legal expert Paul Boudreaux. Most people sign the dotted line without reading the full rules – or realizing the legal muscle their HOA might flex one day. Green’s story, as reported by Adam Walser, should be a wake-up call.

If you live in an HOA community, take their letters seriously, document everything, and when in doubt, seek legal advice. Because if a missed paint touch-up can cost you your house, then none of us are really safe from the fine print.

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