Today, we’ve got an entertaining yet serious story about a South Carolina mom who’s taken a colorful stand against two powerful Homeowners Associations (HOAs). Anne Marie, living in Little River, has filled her yard with signs, flags, and quirky ornaments in response to what she claims is harassment by the HOAs and some neighbors. Let’s dive into the details.
Anne Marie’s house sits on a unique piece of land squeezed between the Carolina Crossing and Waccamaw Management HOAs, but it’s not controlled by either. Since moving in, she says she’s faced bullying over petty issues from the HOAs, their directors, and neighbors. The situation escalated recently when she received anonymous death threats about the state of her lawn.
“A lot of people around the neighborhood thought it was really funny and even were trying to contribute,” she shared on TikTok, under the handle trulyyoursannemarie. However, not everyone was amused. “With both of these HOA communities, we have some people who are pretty mad about it.”
The drama kicked up a notch when she moved her camper onto her lawn at the end of June for repairs. Within 24 hours, she said the HOA neighbors called the county on her. Although the county found no issue with the camper, it wasn’t the first time they had been called out due to harassment from the HOA.
In response, Anne Marie transformed her yard into a statement piece. She started with 10 plastic flamingos, a toy bulldog in bondage gear, and a Pride flag. Then came a kiddie pool, grill, and a “redneck dream catcher” made from a wooden wreath with beer cans and knickers. She even hung flags supporting both Donald Trump and Joe Biden side by side on her porch and installed a family of garden gnomes on the lawn.
This colorful protest has gained significant support on social media from followers who feel victimized by HOA overreach. One supporter shared, “We were the first house outside the HOA. We had so many ‘calls’ on our non-approved fence, year-round pool, fire pit, and trampoline.” Another added, “My neighbors all have deed restrictions that they can’t have farm animals and a bunch of other things. We have 13 chickens including a rooster.”
However, not everyone is on board with her actions. Critics have labeled her behavior as entitled and anti-social. “This is such bizarre behavior. I can’t imagine purposely causing issues in my neighborhood,” one critic wrote. Anne Marie responded, “It’s bizarre behavior to fire back at people who think they’re going to harass me until I do what they want with my property? In what world?”
Local news channel WBTW reported that while they couldn’t find critics willing to go on camera, neighbor Maria Morales suggested Anne Marie might cool tensions by talking more to her neighbors than to TikTok. “That trailer was recently moved there a week ago or maybe two weeks ago but besides that, they don’t really speak to anybody,” Morales added. “I mean technically they don’t have an HOA, so like, I guess, they have their own say of what they do to their house.”
Despite the backlash, Anne Marie remains undeterred. Her latest video, which has attracted 2.2 million views, features a sign in her garden thanking objectors for their “concern about my trailer.” The sign adds, “Thus far no mandatory date has been set for removal.”
“All this was, at the end of the day, good fun and showing that nobody is going to take the rights of our property and what we’re going to do with it,” she said, determined to continue her decorative disobedience.
