For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would buy a house that comes with a homeowners association. I’d live 50 miles from where I work before I’d ever do that.
I rather live under an Interstate.
It’s all about maintaining your property values. I am one of three on a board for our subdivision and we must approve home building plans, maintaining division covenants etc.
We are in a battle right now with some imbecile who wants to put up a pole barn on his lot LOL. Average home here is close to a million so we have to protect our investment.
Nothing in the covenants against flying a flag though with the exception of displaying anything obscene.
It's simple. I like my house to increase in value. I've lived in two HOA communities and both homes have done exactly that. I like yards to look nice. I don't want to live next to flophouses with 20 non-related people living there. I don't want to live next to yards that have rusty vehicles on cinderblocks in the front yard and oily transmissions laying on the porch.
I like nice neighborhoods where people take care of their homes.
HOAs are ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS. If people don't like them, they have the total and complete freedom to not live under one. But if they freely choose instead to sign the agreements of the HOA, they need to abide by the rules.
I never undertand these stories, usually about a flag that's in violation, but really about a homeowner who says, "I'm more special than everyone else."