What is a mandatory HOA? Seriously, when I lived in a town with an HOA you just paid your dues, joined up and got into fights at meetings. It had very little teeth outside of the occasional brawl in front the community center. What’s with this mandatory thing?
If membership is required for home ownership in the subdivision, it is mandatory. You don’t pay your dues, they foreclose your house. You paint your house the wrong color, they sue you to make you repaint. You don’t repaint, they paint it and send you the bill. You don’t pay the bill, they foreclose. You violate a covenant, they fine you until you comply. You don’t pay, they foreclose you.
Some folks choose to buy houses subject to those conditions. I have no sympathy when they complain. You don’t want to play by those rules? Don’t buy in those neighborhoods.
Buy without reading the covenants at your own risk.
I also have little sympathy for those who want to deprive misguided folks who wish to live there.
For specifics for Louisiana as to creation, see the Louisiana Homeowners Association Act, R.S. 9:1141.1 et seq.
http://www.legis.state.la.us/lss/search.asp?RS=RS&SearchString=9%3A1141
For specific restrictions, one would need to refer to the covenants for that association.
Nowadays, HOA’s go to court and take people’s houses over fees or fines they impose of $1000 or less.
They can and do ruin many people’s lives and livelihood.