“Simple, common sense regulations at the local level will keep most of the scumbags at bay. “
The HOA is at the lowest ‘local level’.
Yeah, right.
I grew up in the first condo to be built in King County (Seattle).
We regularly had potluck parties by our community pool, the neighbors knew each other, and the rules were common sense. Kids were a regular feature, playing putt-putt golf, swimming in the pool, etc.
Over many years Nazis moved in and took over. Everything had to be THEIR way. One, with buds on the board, got a 100 foot madrona tree cut down, because “she didn’t like all the leaves”. Never mind that the tree was there before the condo was even built, and long before her lazy ass moved in.
It culminated with the Nazis allowing NO CHILDREN, and mandating that no residents could be under 55 ! As you might imagine,, this had a major effect on my mother selling her condo. The community potlucks had devolved to the point where they were very sparsely attended affairs put on by “The Board”, and featured food from the “Board Approved” vendor, Costco.
The nature of HOAs is to run from reasonable at first to “You vill comply !” as people with nothing to do except rule over the neighbors take over. They have all the time in the world and will use it to your detriment.
I purposefully bought in an UNRESTRICTED neighborhood in Houston, close to downtown. It’s becoming grossly yuppified, with TWO $400,000 condos occupying the 50’ wide lot where ONE house stood. Time to move before they vote in an HOA. Thank God it takes 75% to get it in.
Buy in a HOA area and you’ve invited poisonous snakes to move in with you. They suck.