I just had an argument with a friend who is a Democrat. Lives in a house where she pays a homeowners association.
I pointed out why should she pay a HO when she is the one paying the bank thousands of dollars to own the home? Why should she hand over her rights to decide what to do on her own land? Once you hand over your rights to someone else you are at their whim as to what those rights are or become.
She never could see my point. Kept saying she’s happy with them. It keeps the neighborhood up to snuff. I pointed out I live in a neighborhood without a homeowners association and the block looks fine. That people have been doing that for a long time. That peer pressure somewhat and pride of ownership keep up the neighborhood. She pointed out some people don’t care, blah blah blah.
I still don’t think there should be a ‘homeowners association’, at all. You are the owner of the home. You should have the ability to decide what is going on on your own property.
Why have an argument if she is happy with it?
I retired to a gated/HOA community. My wife and I read EVERY word of the HOA CCRs and Standards before we signed on the dotted line. And we are OK with it.
The problems here are with people that do not know the rules of the HOA or think that the rules don't apply to them.
Nonetheless; it works pretty well and our HOA fee is worth the value.