Texas Locals Can't Stand Chip And Joanna Gaines & It's So Obvious

Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines have changed how Americans see Waco, Texas. Before they turned the modern farmhouse into all the rage through the wildly popular "Fixer Upper," the Central Texas city was best known as the stage for the tragic 1993 standoff between FBI agents and cult leader David Koresh that left nearly 80 dead, including him and his wife, Rachel. But this doesn't mean every Wacoan loves the Gaineses. In fact, Chip and Joanna have landed in their neighbors' bad books more than once.

When Joanna started her home reno business, she made the cardinal mistake of picking a school bus yellow to paint the exterior of their home. No one was happy with the decision, as she discovered when she parked in front of the property after the deed was done. "All the neighbors were looking at me going," she said, shaking her head in a 2016 Facebook livestream (via The List). Chip, being Chip, didn't miss the opportunity to tease his wife about her fail. "They really wanted to kick her out of the homeowners association," he quipped.

But that wasn't the only such incident. In early 2005, Chip even spent some time in jail thanks to a neighbor's wrath. Angry at the Gaineses for allowing their three dogs to roam free, the neighbor repeatedly called animal control. The hefty fines piled up. "I absolutely refused to pay out of some misguided form of principle," Chip wrote in "The Magnolia Story" (via Radar). He learned his lesson, though. "Guess what? When you don't pay your fines, eventually the police come looking for you." Chip and Joanna's issues go beyond their neighborhood, though.

Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines' hit HGTV show may have put Waco, Texas, on the map, but many locals weren't thrilled about it. That recognition came with higher property taxes and higher prices. The Gaineses' Magnolia Market at the Silos was one of the leading contributors to the tourism boom Waco has experienced since the debut of "Fixer Upper" in 2013. This caused an increase in demand for short-term rentals, which have pushed out locals from the city.

Chip and Joanna may have hurt longtime Waco residents beyond repair, and they aren't afraid to speak out. "I personally couldn't care less about their fame or fortune and they haven't done so much for the 'community' aside from drive of cost of living with no increase in pay," a Reddit user argued in 2021. But the Gaineses' role in gentrifying the city isn't the only reason locals can't stand the former HGTV stars. Some have also accused Joanna and Chip of shady behavior. 

Another Redditor shared an anecdote about friends who once sought to buy a property from them but backed out when they realized the wiring would fail their loan inspection. "And Chip was like, 'oh it's okay we'll just use our inspector,'" the netizen contended. Of course, this is all online speculation. However, Chip and Joanna did strike a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency for lead paint violations in 2018. Still, the shady rumors about Chip and Joanna should be taken with a grain of salt.