Wrong, Wrong, Wrong.
I lived in a Homeowner's Association for 4 years...I still own the townhome as rental property. They also tried to tell me that I could not have a garden flag outside my front door. I fought them and won by showing how ouotlandish their "by laws" were and how they were not enforced unilataterally. It did not even go to court since I threatened them with discrimination law-suits as well.
Homeowner's Associations are also not "dictatorships". This fellow needs to start a campaign with other homeowners and take over the association which can be done fairly easily since most associations do not have a large amount of participation. In most cases you can do it by getting only 20% of the residents to be active and support you.
One recommended link for more information is...
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/realestate/home_prob.htmlI am glad you have prevailed in your battle.
However, I could not find a single word in your post that was related to mine. Was it addressed to me in error?
I'm deed restricted in front of a home subdivision at a townhouse. This is Bucs Country. People hang American Flags all week and Bucs Flags on game day. Bucs fans also write B U C S in their upper windows. We are integrated. I love this place because we're left alone here as long as we pay the maintenance fee. I feed stray cats the days they show up at my door. People can have as many pets as they want as long as they behave.
There are only like 12 Rules.
The condo I lived at had 30 rules PLUS the BYLAWS. NEVER AGAIN. And, they thought our money grew on trees at the condo but you wouldn't know it by looking at the condition of the buildings at my old place.
So,my point is, you can find a nice townhouse hooked onto a deed restricted community (they don't want tons of rules to follow in the burbs) and you're better off than in a condo. I'm done now. Off my soapbox. lol