Do you have to remove offensive Halloween decorations in Oregon if people don't like them?

Halloween decorations in someone's yard including a pumpkin and fake tombstones.Photo byDillon KyddonUnsplash

It's always tough to say what you should do if one neighbor has a problem with you but none of the rest do. This Halloween season in the state of Oregon, should you be worried if someone near you is upset with your decorations?

Halloween Decorations In Oregon: What Do The Laws Say?

There was one story I could find where a homeowner had to pull a display in Oregon that was deemed offensive. There were decorations of 3 people hanging in trash bags from a tree. This offended some because it was seen as a symbol of people being lynched and the homeowner ended up taking it down over the controversy.

In the above instance, it wasn't a legal matter that caused the decorations to be pulled but it was due to locals not being happy with it. There are also instances of HOAs in Oregon state and around the country that won't allow certain kinds of decorating, but there are ways to make sure you don't cause problems in these instances.

For example, this website says that your HOA will probably have something to say about religious references in your display. Another common issue people run into is that the lighting is not up to the standards of the HOA so they have to take down their decorations.

Oregon law doesn't really have a section for yard decorations but there are areas where the code says that you cannot have a buildup of junk in your yard. On a code enforcement website for Sandy Oregon, you can see that if you don't clean up your yard and they consider it junk eventually, you can end up paying a $500 fine.

What Do You Think About Oregon State And Halloween Decorations?

Oregon has definitely been accused of having lax laws as of late, so it comes as no surprise they really haven't cracked down on lawn decorations as of 2023. I am curious what my readers think no matter where they are located. Is it important that you have whatever you want in your yard or should there be some sort of limit?