[Luna]

Would Home Owners Associations qualify as tyrannical entities? Based upon the horror stories I've heard, I would say YES.

"You can't have cheesey lawn ornaments. I don't care that you own the property and pay the taxes on it. You do what the HOA tells you to do."

"You can't paint your house a gaudy color, even though you do own it."

Scary.

[RobRoy]

I used to hate 'em. I've learned to like and respect them. The key is that anyone in a covenant neighborhood could have bought somewhere where there was no covenant. And you cannot attach your home to a covenant neighborhood unless you, and you alone, choose to encumber your property in such a way.

In other words, you ALWAYS voluntarily attach yourself to a HOA. Many like knowing the neighbor will never paint his house yellow or park one of those lame RV's in plain sight.

[FreeTally]

Would Home Owners Associations qualify as tyrannical entities? Based upon the horror stories I've heard, I would say YES.

A person chooses to live in a subdivision with a HOA, and always knows that the property they are purchasing has deed restrictions. This is a choice. On the other hand, I can not choose to not live somewhere and declare zoning regulations to be null and void. That is tyrany, HOA's are not.