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“The fact that you did not have a problem in a 3 year time frame doesn’t invalidate the notion that it can (and does) happen in many cases.”

OK. But my Mom’s neighborhood went downhill with an HOA. My daughter’s neighborhood is going downhill with an HOA.

As I pointed out, an HOA can be good for some neighborhoods. However, those who haven’t lived in one may not fully appreciate what Nanny-States they can turn in to. In ours, it varied each year with the BOD. One BOD was into total control. There would be a recall and they would be thrown out. The next year would be quiet. Then the folks who ruined the previous BOD would be the only ones who bothered to vote, and the 3rd BOD would be as bad as the first.

Over 6 years, every other BOD was recalled due to their overbearing behaviour. The final BOD allowed a vote on continuing the HOA, and the tired homeowners voted it out.

Before living in one, I had no idea what petty tyrants tended to float to the top of an HOA. We had butt-wipes patrolling the neighborhood, looking for someone they could complain about. Every other BOD tried to pass rules that frankly would not have stood up in court.

I went to multiple meetings and told the BOD that if they adopted the rule, I would sue. They would then consult the attorney, who would tell them the CC&Rs did not permit them to do what they wanted to do. Or they would pass the rules, and then be forced to back down by angry homeowners.

In the years since the HOA was adopted, property values have gone up, not down. The market as a whole locally has been flat. But then, this was never supposed to be a ‘gated community’ type of place. The CC&Rs had no restrictions in them that were not already in the County Code. The BOD had very limited authority to pass more - but every other BOD tried.

BTW - I was on two of the post-recall BODs. It was a very happy night for me when the vote came in overwhelmingly to disband the HOA.