What began as a small act of kindness in a scorching Arizona neighborhood has escalated into a full-blown battle between a homeowner and his homeowners association.
David Martin, a resident of the Canyon Trails community in Goodyear, Arizona, has spent the past five years offering free cold water to passersby from a cooler placed near his driveway.
And although this random act of kindness would be something many of us would praise, his goodwill gesture has recently put him at odds with his homeowners association (HOA), resulting in repeated fines and a campaign to overhaul the board, per KPHO.
Martin started handing out bottled water in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, as a way to bring neighbors together. He and his wife wanted to offer a simple comfort to delivery drivers, dog walkers, children, and couples out for a stroll, especially during Arizona’s blistering summers.
“It’s for anyone out in the heat,” Martin told KPHO. “What better way to be a good neighbor than by offering cold water?”
However, his generosity caught the attention of the HOA and its management company, FirstService Residential. Last year, they issued him a $50 fine for leaving the cooler in public view. When Martin refused to pay, the fines climbed to $100 each month for noncompliance.
“I’m giving out free water, and I’m getting penalized for it,” Martin said, per 12 News. “It’s ridiculous. Especially in July, on the hottest days of the year.”
The HOA insists they are not opposed to the act of sharing water, only the way it’s being presented. In a statement, the board said the violation was not about the water itself but about the visible ice chest, which they consider an advertisement and a breach of neighborhood rules.
“The community’s rules do not allow advertising distribution of water bottles from a portable ice chest that is visible from neighboring property,” the board stated, via the New York Post.
Unwilling to remove the cooler or pay the fines, Martin decided to take a more direct approach: replace the board.
He began gathering signatures to recall three members of the HOA board and force a leadership change. A special meeting held on July 10 drew roughly two dozen residents. Out of 210 ballots cast, 190 supported removing the targeted board members, a supermajority, according to the Post.
However, the board quickly questioned the legality of the vote, citing issues with quorum and notice procedures. They held an emergency meeting to invalidate the results.
Still, Martin remains undeterred. Armed with legal support and state guidance that affirms the legitimacy of the vote, he’s preparing for a legal showdown.
“This isn’t just about water,” he said. “It’s about standing up for the community, and doing what’s right.”