Little girls’ love for pink goes back for years. But when four-year-old Aubree’s wish for a pink playhouse was granted, it landed her grandmother in a legal fix.
The four-year-old’s pink playhouse seems to have irked the Mill Haven neighborhood homeowners association, who went as far as to sue the owner, Becky Rogers-Peck, even though the playhouse is not completely visible from the street, NBC reported.
Rogers-Peck believes the lawsuit is as absurd as it can get.
“It’s a little 4-year-old girl’s playhouse, what other color would I make it?” Rogers-Peck told NBC. “The general reaction is, ‘Are you kidding me?’ They’re suing you over a pink playhouse?’ They're policing us like we're in a communist country, and it's just ridiculous. Every once in a while you’ve got to stand your ground.’’
The association says that they don’t have a problem with the playhouse, but the point of contention is the color. They believe that Rogers-Peck should have obtained the association’s approval before painting it pink.
"Part of the approval is the color," NBC quoted Susan Bradley, HOA president. "We didn't disapprove of the play house. We disapproved of the color of it."
However, Rogers-Peck feels that the playhouse doesn’t qualify as a backyard structure similar to a garage, and hence it doesn’t defy association rules.
“I totally agree with the rules if it’s a shed or a garage, but I consider this play equipment like a trampoline or a swingset,’’ Rogers-Peck said. “Originally, I was just going to buy a Little Tikes Playhouse, and what would have been the difference? I would venture to say 90 percent of people I've had contact with, through messages, emails, or comments on websites, think this is absurd as you can get.”
The lawsuit was filed on Sept. 5 and Roger-Peck has 30 days to file a response. Though she has checked with attorneys, the feedback was that she wouldn’t win.
“It’s really disheartening,” Rogers-Peck told The Columbia County News-Times. “I feel like I live in Russia, ... where I can’t do anything on my own property without (the association’s) permission.”
“It never even once crossed my mind that it was ever going to be an issue,” Rogers-Peck said. “Once it became an issue, I thought I’d stand up for myself and my rights. I had no idea a (homeowners association) had so much control in a neighborhood based on who was on the board of directors.”