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Composting 101 For Homeowners’ Association Residents

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Mother and daughter starting a compost pile in their kitchen, placing vegetables into a plastic green bin.

If permitted, composting is a great way for homeowners’ association (HOA) residents to be more environmentally friendly. It not only reduces waste but also limits greenhouse emissions and more. If you’ve been wanting to learn about composting and how to compost in an HOA, read on. This article explains what composting in an HOA looks like, including rules, a step-by-step composting guide, best practices, and more. 

What Is Composting?

Composting is the process of recycling food and other organic waste. When these scraps are collected and piled up, bugs and bacteria cause them to decompose into dense, dark, dirt-like matter. That decomposed matter can be a valuable and nutrient-rich additive, allowing soil to:

  • Increase water retention

  • Prevent erosion

  • Nurture contaminated soil 

  • Reduce the need for fertilizers and chemicals

What to Compost and What Not to Compost

Almost any organic material can be composted, but some items can damage or contaminate your progress. Here’s a list of what you can compost and what you cannot compost.

What to Compost

  • Cardboard

  • Coffee grounds and natural fiber filters

  • Eggshells

  • Natural wood

  • Fireplace ashes

  • Fruit cores

  • Fur and hair

  • Grass clippings

  • Hay and straw

  • Houseplants

  • Leaves

  • Shredded newspaper

  • Nutshells

  • Uncoated paper bits

  • Sawdust

  • Tea leaves

  • Vegetables

  • Woodchips

  • Pesticide-free yard trimmings

What Not to Compost

  • Diseased or infected plants

  • Meat and bones

  • Charcoal ash

  • Pet waste

  • Fats and oils

  • Weeds

  • Cooking oil

  • Construction paper

  • Dairy products

  • Bread

  • Baked goods

  • Large branches

  • Dryer lint

Benefits of Composting

Besides producing a soil superfood and being the best growth stimulator for your plants and crops, composting offers several other benefits. One of the biggest is reducing personal food waste. Every year, the U.S. lets dozens of tons of food go to waste. Composting provides an alternative, allowing you to repurpose trash and:

  • Lower your carbon footprint

  • Cut down on landfill methane emissions, improving air quality

  • Assist in saving space in landfills

Related: Spring Landscaping Ideas for HOA Homeowners

Close-up of a gloved hand holding compost in a garden.

Do HOAs Allow Composting?

It depends. Composting is permitted in some communities and prohibited in others. Composting may violate a community’s architectural, trash, recycling, or nuisance rules. These HOA rules aren’t meant to disrupt a homeowner’s way of life. Instead, they’re designed to maintain property values, preserve aesthetics, and promote a harmonious lifestyle. Always check your community’s governing documents and local and state ordinances for more on composting regulations.

Composting Rules and Regulations in an HOA

If your community allows composting bins or compost piles, it’s important to follow the rules. Often outlined in the backyard rules, architectural controls, or trash and recycling rules sections of your governing documents, your neighborhood may require:

  • Residents to have prior approval before they begin composting.

  • Composting bins to be set up in specific locations.

  • Composting to be collected in fully enclosed, pest-resistant containers or other special containers.

  • Certain materials, like meat and dairy, to not be composted.

  • Composting practices to meet local or state health and sanitation standards.

How to Compost in an HOA

Once you’ve confirmed you can compost in your neighborhood and have gotten the necessary approvals, you can get started. Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to compost in an HOA:

1. Consider the cost before you start.

How much does composting cost? It shouldn’t be much if you’re repurposing materials you’ve already bought. Here’s what you might have to pay for:

  • Tools. You’ll need containers or bins to hold everything, a shovel or garden fork for turning, and a tarp if you want to cover your pile to help retain heat and moisture.

  • Trash service. The removal of compost waste in your neighborhood may come with an additional charge on top of standard waste management fees.

  • HOA fees. Your association may have additional composting-related fees.

2. Get a container.

You’ll need a composting container that’s at least one cubic yard, or three feet by three feet, with a tight-fitting lid with holes on the top and bottom for airflow and drainage. They can be made from a variety of weather-resistant materials, including plastic, wood, metal, and even concrete. Buy them at your local hardware store, or if you’re looking to save money and truly embrace reusing and recycling, create your own composting bin from the materials you already have.

3. Add the right ingredients.

Lay down about four inches of soil in your compost bin. Add a layer of “brown”, carbon-rich materials (yard trimmings, woodchips, leaves, etc.), followed by a thin layer of “green”, nutrient-rich materials (eggshells, tea leaves, fruits, vegetables, etc.). Always use a three-to-one ratio of carbon-rich to nutrient-rich matter. Lastly, top with another layer of brown material and add just enough water to moisten the contents, then mix it all up.

4. Maintain your compost

Turn the mixture once a week with a shovel or another yard tool to get oxygen moving. Add more soil and water to keep the matter from drying out, and put your scraps in as you get them, making sure to stick to the three-to-one ratio. It can take up to six months to get the mixture right. Once the matter is dark, rich, crumbly, and smooth with no identifiable scraps, it’s ready to use.

Related: HOA Spring Inspections Checklist: Reduce Safety & Liability Risks

HOA-Approved Ways to Use Your Compost Soil

Compost soil can beautify your landscaping and strengthen your community’s ecosystem while maintaining architectural compliance. Here are a few ways you may be able to use compost in your HOA:

  • Add it to potting soil. Mix compost in with your potting soil twice a year to give it a boost.

  • Repurpose it as mulch. In the spring or fall, add one to three inches of compost around trees or in your garden to act as mulch and limit weed growth.

  • Mix it into garden beds. During growing season, spread one to three inches of compost across your garden beds. Mix it into the top four inches of soil with a shovel.

  • Use it as lawn fertilizer. Sprinkle about a ¼-inch of compost across your lawn to keep it hydrated.

Composts in an HOA: Common Complaints

When a homeowner takes issue with a neighbor’s compost, the board may have to step in. Here are some of the most common compost complaints in an HOA and how to address them:

  • Odor problems. This often occurs when a pile is not properly oxygenated. Try turning the pile thoroughly to get more oxygen or sunlight into the source of the smell.

  • Unsightly appearance. With their unique shapes, holes, and ridges, compost bins can stick out like a sore thumb in a garden or backyard and impact curb appeal. For a better look, consider surrounding your bin with shrubs, splitting your pile among smaller bins, or using a sunken, in-ground container.

  • Pests and animals. Compost piles can attract rodents, raccoons, flies, ants, and stray animals. Instead, use compost bins that are properly sealed, avoid adding meat and dairy, and turn the pile frequently.  

Composting and Going Green in an HOA

Understanding how to compost is a great first step for HOA residents to reduce personal waste and emissions, but it’s not the only way to go green. Green standards are being prioritized in HOAs like never before, and there are so many ways residents can work together to get on the right track to sustainability. Read our ebook, “Eco-Friendly Community: 8 Easy Ways to Go Green Right Now,” to learn more.