Ohio HOA Orders Homeowner’s Little Free Library to Be Taken Down
An Ohio family wanted to bring a beloved community tradition with them after moving from Colorado. Their homeowners association sees things differently.
Lana and James Carter installed a Little Free Library outside their North Ridgeville home in late June. Lana told 19 News that their former Denver neighborhood had several of the book-sharing boxes, which their grandchildren adored visiting.
Visitors take a book and leave a book, fueling a tradition rooted in togetherness and the spirit of adventure only a book can ignite. Volunteer “stewards” generally maintain and stock them.
Within weeks, however, the Carters’ new library had caught the attention of the North Ridge Pointe HOA.
The HOA Says The Library Is ‘Storage’
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According to correspondence reviewed by 19 News, the HOA cited Rule 9.2.5, titled “Front Porch Storage,” and classified the freestanding library as unauthorized storage. Carter said an initial letter ordered the family to remove it by July 31.
Carter disagreed with that interpretation and requested a hearing. She said the family had read the rules before installing the library and did not consider the small book exchange to be the kind of storage the rule prohibited.
After a hearing in late August, the board upheld its decision. The final notice ordered the library removed by Sept. 30, with the HOA threatening $50 weekly fines if it remained.
The HOA Offered Another Location
The board did offer a compromise.
In a statement provided directly to 19 News, North Ridge Pointe HOA board member Denny Abbuhl said the association had twice offered to relocate the library to HOA property near lighting and security cameras, where the board believed it would also be more centrally located.
Carter said the proposed recreation-area location is more than half a mile from her house, making daily upkeep impractical. The family instead plans to close the library by Sept. 30.
Before it comes down, Carter has posted a notice inviting neighbors to take the remaining books and pass them along to others.
