Ariel Barner adores her five children and will do anything for them. As a single mom, Barner worked extremely hard to afford to buy them all a home in Orlando, Florida. She chose the Riverchase community in East Orange County, but things have not been a dream for Barner and her children. She claims the homeowners association harasses her and has threatened legal action because her 5-year-old son, Owen, likes to climb a tree at the bus stop. But this HOA messed with the wrong mama, and Barner’s not backing down.
Barner shared her story in a series of Instagram posts. She alleges that the head of the University Pines Property Owners Association doesn’t like Owen climbing the tree at the bus stop and has confronted him. Barner asked the woman to bring up any concerns to her, not to her child, and things took a bizarre turn.
“Within 24 hours that person uses HOA money to file legal action against your 5-year-old. Yes, my FIVE-year-old was listed in a legal complaint as a ‘public nuisance.’ No prior warning, no written notice, no conversation,” Barner wrote on Instagram. “Just retaliation because I asked an adult to stop harassing my children about property that doesn’t belong to them.”
Fox 35 spoke with Albert Yonfa, an Orlando lawyer with no connection to the case, about his thoughts on the HOA’s actions.
“They’re saying that the activity was noxious and offensive. That’s incredibly vague. What does that mean?” he said. “If they can say that kids swinging from a magnolia tree and skipping stones is offensive and noxious behavior. That’s ridiculous. That’s a big overreach.”
According to Fox 35, the HOA’s attorney, Tennille Shipwash, says the HOA’s concern is liability and what could happen if Owen fell from the tree.
Barner alleges the woman said she watches him from her window and that Owen damaged the tree. The tree isn’t on the woman’s property, and according to Barner, no one else has complained. She believes this is a targeted attack because her family is Black and she wants it to stop.
Supporters wrapped Barner and her family in love, disagreeing completely with the HOA’s alleged harassment.
“Everyone needs to do a touch the tree protest,” one person suggested.
“How in THEE world is she upset that a child is touching a freaking tree??!!” someone asked.
“This is ridiculous! I feel so much for you. I’m by your side in spirit. I am so glad we have amazing attorney’s out there!” another supporter shared.
We agree with Barner. This is a case of a child being a child, and an adult acting like a child. We’ve seen plenty of stories of parents who don’t care for their kids and let them be disrespectful and disruptive, but this really doesn’t seem like one of them. Sadly, it sure sounds like a case of a crabby white woman targeting a Black family because of the color of their skin. What a sad way to live.
