As temperatures hit dangerous highs, one homeowner says he just wanted to help his neighbors. But his HOA insists he’s breaking the rules — and the fines keep coming.

The HOA took Green to court in Hillsborough County. Green represented herself and provided photos and explanations for each violation. Still, the judge wasn’t convinced.

This small squabble speaks to a much larger issue — the trickle-down effect of cruelty as policy and empathy as weakness.