HOAs are socialist in nature. Anything where your neighbors tell you what you can and can’t do to your house, beyond existing local/state codes, micromanage your property, is just wrong.
There are already codes for crap like not cutting a lawn or leaving decaying sh1t on your front lawn, and for people using a private dwelling as a business and dealing with occupancy type issues. Forcing people to buy a certain door or paint trim a certain color, or not being able to plant a bush where they want or fly a flag, none of anyone else’s business.
So as long as everyone in the same city, county, or state is forced to follow a particular law that's OK. Otherwise it's socialism.
What about the people in one city who all agree that people in that city ought to be able to smoke on their porches, but the state decides otherwise? Are the state people being socialists? Or are the city people being scofflaws?
I agree, they are basically communes. They hold area and amenities in common or have common rules and regulations. This is all spelled out in your CONTRACT when you buy into a HOA neighborhood.
However, there is no law against people voluntarily joining communes.
In theory two neighbors can draw up a contract stating what each other can and cannot do with their property. If they both voluntarily sign it, then it’s a valid contract and a mini-HOA. No law preventing and two or more parties from doing this.