GOODYEAR, Ariz. — One Goodyear man is facing hundreds of dollars of fines for leaving a cooler outside his home that provides free water to the neighborhood.
“It’s ridiculous. Point blank, absolutely ridiculous," David Martin, who's been giving away the water for four years, said. “I’ve done it for four years and I’m not going to stop.”
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Since 2020, there's been a cooler with free water in front of Martin's home. But now he's being fined for it.
“I don’t feel like I’m doing a disservice to the HOA, to the community, or my family," Martin said. “It baffles my brain and makes it work too hard to figure it out.”
Martin has been giving away free bottles of water since May 2020. Two years later, the HOA gave him a warning. Martin called them expressing his frustration with the notice. Martin shortly after received an apology letter.
“At that point, I thought it was over and done and we wouldn’t have any problems ever again. Until May of this year," Martin said.
Ever since May 2024, FS Residential, the company that over the Canyon Trails’ HOA has been fining David. It started off as a $50 fine in May, increased to $100 every month after, and could continue to go up, Martin said.
“They won’t be paid," Martin said.
The HOA released a statement to the media, saying:
“The Association does not object to a resident providing free water bottles to the community; however, the community’s rules do not allow a resident to advertise water bottle distribution from a portable ice chest, located next to their garage that is visible from neighboring property.”
"The resident decided to place additional signage in his front yard further advertising water bottle distribution, which violates the community's rules. The Association is hopeful that a mutually agreeable resolution remains achievable."
Martin and his wife said they hadn’t seen the statement until 12 News showed it to them.
David's neighbor Larry Marks stops by for free water a few times a month for him and his dog and strongly disagrees with the HOA's actions.
“I think it’s horrible and atrocious," Marks said. "I think they should focus more on improving our community than fining someone giving out free water.”
People have reached out to Marin to try to help pay the fines, but David refuses that money.
“You can donate water. You can donate money that will go to water," David said.
Martin said he never plans on stopping — he'll always have free water to give to his community, and he has a message for the HOA:
“Come get some free water and chill.”
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