HOA slaps single mom with fine after wind blows trash bag from full dumpster

SURPRISE, Ariz. (KTVK/KPHO/Gray News) - A single mother who rents an Arizona townhome was fined $150 by her homeowners association after a takeout bag she left by an overflowing dumpster blew into the street.

Jessica Ensley, who lives in Surprise’s Hayden Farms community, says she left a brown paper bag from her $20 dinner by the dumpster because it was already full. The bag, which contained a receipt with her name, blew into the street.

“I’m a very clean person, and I respect the rules,” Ensley said. “I’m not one to just blatantly throw trash around, so yes, it was so full that even that brown paper bag couldn’t fit into it at that time.”

Having identified Ensley as the owner of the trash through her receipt, the HOA is now fining her $150 over the incident. She got a letter that said she violated the HOA agreement and called the fine a warning.

“Feels like a money grab,” Ensley said. “I thought it was absurd because it seemed so extreme for such a small object and a first time infraction.”

The HOA notice she received states the goal of the fee is to discourage violations and reimburse the cost of enforcement, not to punish tenants or generate revenue for the association.

“They nitpick, they find small little issues and then, they find ways to fine you for them,” Ensley said. “It makes no sense to me at all. Feels like I’m being taken advantage of.”

Ensley says the complex’s garbage bins are emptied twice a week. Other residents say the bins are constantly filled to capacity.

“I find trash in my front yard constantly because it’s overflowing and it’s just being blown around,” Ensley said.

One neighbor who didn’t want his name used says because of the amount of trash, he has also ended up leaving trash next to the bin.

“Nine times out of 10 that I come out here, there’s gonna be mattresses or just trash built up on the side,” he said. “So, a lot of times, even myself, I’ve had to leave trash next to the bin.”

Ensley says the property manager told her she should keep all trash in her home if it won’t fit in the bin and wait until there’s enough room to throw it away.

As of Thursday, she had not been able to address her concerns directly with the HOA or dispute the charge, which was automatically applied to her rental portal.

The HOA office was closed for New Year’s Day and did not respond to requests for comment.