I feel for this lady. Your house is in a drought area. But you have to keep your lawn green else the Home Owners Association gets after you. The article doesn’t really go into it to much but if she was warned and had 9 months to take care of it all I can say is she knew about the problem and when she moved into the area she knew the Homeowners association and I’m sure the rules were shown to her.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/18/tagblogsfindlawcom2012-legallyweird-idUS107193641920120718

Now what should could have done? I don’t know what the rules are for her but what about painting the yard green?

http://portlandrealestateblog.com/realestate/2009/07/painting-the-town-green-painted-grass-update/

Or having the yard replaced with synthetic grass

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=21208657

You know we all don’t have to try to grow the stuff if the area you live in is in a bad drought.