In Riverview, Florida, Irena Green, a local mother, endured a week-long jail sentence stemming from a contentious dispute with her Homeowners Association (HOA) over minor property violations, including brown grass, a dirty mailbox, dents in her garage, and a commercial cargo van parked in her driveway. The ordeal, which unfolded in the Creek View subdivision of Hillsborough County, has sparked widespread attention due to its extreme outcome.
The conflict began when Green received notices from The Trowbridge Company, Inc., the management company for the Creek View HOA, citing violations of the HOA’s covenants. Green attributed her lawn’s poor condition to a large tree casting shade on her yard and a drought that exacerbated the browning of her grass. She noted that her yard was far from the worst in the neighborhood, pointing out that other properties also failed to meet the HOA’s standards. Additional citations included mildew on her mailbox and a dented garage door, alongside the presence of a commercial van, which she claimed was similar to others in the area.
A judge initially granted Green 30 days to address the violations. Green stated she took steps to comply, selling her van, cleaning the mailbox, and planting grass seeds while watering her lawn diligently. However, the situation escalated when she missed a court hearing on August 19, 2024. Green claimed she was not personally served a notice for this hearing and had proactively contacted the courthouse multiple times to inquire about her court date, to no avail.
Due to her absence, the judge issued a contempt of court order and a warrant for her arrest at the request of the HOA’s attorney, Francis Friscia. On May 23, 2025, Green was pulled over by a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputy while driving with her 15-year-old daughter after cheerleading practice. Unaware of the warrant, she was informed of her arrest, handcuffed, and taken to Orient Road Jail. Compounding her distress, Green learned there was no bond set, leaving her unable to return home to her family. She described the experience as feeling “like a criminal,” spending seven days incarcerated, a measure legal experts described as rare for a civil case.
Green’s release came after her sister-in-law intervened, filing for an emergency hearing. At this hearing, a different judge reviewed photos of Green’s yard provided by her relative. Despite objections from the HOA’s attorney, who argued the yard required complete resodding, the judge deemed the evidence sufficient to show compliance and ordered Green’s immediate release. She was freed the following day after paperwork was processed.
The Creek View HOA, through attorney Francis Friscia, declined to comment directly but issued a statement asserting that Green had disregarded multiple violation notices and failed to accept an offer to mediate the issue before legal action was taken. The HOA emphasized that the court’s actions, including the contempt order and arrest warrant, were due to Green’s failure to comply with judicial instructions, as documented in public records.
Green’s case has raised concerns about the authority of HOAs and the severity of consequences for minor violations. “I think they have way too much power. I’ve never heard of anything like this in my life,” Green said, highlighting her belief that she was unfairly targeted. She remains the only homeowner in her subdivision known to have been jailed over such HOA-related issues, prompting broader discussions about the enforcement practices of homeowners’ associations.
