I rent and have a dog in a reasonably quiet neighborhood. Maintenance, community pool, clubhouse, air filters and repairs are included in the rent, as is water, sewage & trash, all for less than $800month for a 3/1. I pay my younger next door neighbor $10 to mow when needed.
That seems like a good deal and as a renter, I would appreciate all those HOA-type services which handle interior & exterior changes/improvements to the property.
However, as an owner in a ‘senior, gated community’ I heard plenty of horror stories on prohibited flag flying, excessive planter pots etc. Generally, the people who flock to be ‘neighborhood representatives’ are dictator types who scour the streets looking for offenders.