https://www.siliconvalley.com/2020/12/03/sponsored-hoa-refuses-to-take-advice-on-destructive-trees-leaving-sellers-facing-a-big-assessment-how-does-this-affect-their-sale/

Q: Thanks to our homeowners association (HOA) and its management companies, we received a special assessment of $21,800. Since we moved in, my husband has been making suggestions to board members, the HOA managers, gardeners and landscapers that go unheeded. Now the HOA is making major financial decisions driven by the age, height and weight of destructive trees. Tree roots have lifted many sidewalks, retaining walls, townhouse foundations, patios and fence posts due to an inappropriate tree species in ill-advised locations. 

The astronomical cost to remove and replace the trees, hardscape, and fix foundations was avoidable. The HOA chose improper trees 30 years ago and planted them too close to hardscape and buildings. Unbelievably, the HOA began replacing these trees with their damaging roots with a like-kind troublesome species. Last year, my husband provided each HOA board member with a list of species with the least invasive tree root systems. Specifically, trees with roots that do not creep and lift fences, patios, and hardscaping. The HOA board and its property managers ignored his suggestions. He then proceeded to warn the landscaper, property manager and HOA board members to keep their ill-advised choice of trees away from hardscaping. Once again, they disregarded my husband’s advice, claiming root barriers are installed “when needed.”