HOA’s are very well-known for attracting control freaks exhibiting nazi-like behavior, you have been well advised to avoid them. I’ve got numerous old friends who live in an historic district on the edge of a state university campus here in NC, it was so fun going house to house for birthday parties and such, I thought I wanted to live there. Great looking old neighborhood too, from late 19th c through Craftsman style and on into Cape Cods that were built on the few remaining vacant lots after WWII. Started looking around then the stories about the “hysterical commission” started to seep out from my friends, many of whom are somewhat leftist so it surprised me that they hated them so. Seems one particular control freak lesbian would sneak around in people’s backyards with a camera, even climbing fences to trespass, taking photos of “infractions” such as incorrect paint color, incorrect outdoor furniture, banned things such as inoperable motor vehicles (under a tarp behind a privacy fence, mind you, so not visible to anyone outside the backyard, even incorrect exterior paint color scheme that was just off slightly by a shade. Needless to say, I didn’t buy a house there. I’ve since found out that they have tree police who will fine you if you trim your crepe myrtles “incorrectly” and will force you to replace a tree cut down even if it was dead. Nazis, as I said.
My wife’s ex-residence has a real nit-picky HOA Some of the stuff it “cites” are laughable . . . It’s like they never had anything better to do, so as in the First Principle of Bureaucracies, it tries to justify its own existence with silly citations
We decided some time ago to ignore the first one and force them to send a “reminder” At least that gives the busybodies something to do rather than hassle the next one