The actions of this particular HOA are totally out of line. We live under an HOA and I don’t mind it so much but we knew the rules before we bought. It is expensive, but it does keep the neighborhood nice looking. The restrictions are reasonable in our case. All the homes are custom, no two are alike, and you kind of need some rules to keep somebody from doing something weird.
What’s wrong with weird?
If my neighbor uses his old toilet for a planter in his front yard, it’s no skin off my nose.