I think the thing about the HOA (being underfunded as a general problem) is probably more of an issue with attached homes than detached.
In attached communities, there is generally much more common area that needs to be maintained that isn't simply "nice to have things". For example: roofs, some utilities, things like elevators, common parking (for true "condos" versus townhomes, are considerable part of the maintenance (aside from you nice to haves like common rec center, pools,landscaping, gates for gated communitie).
In a lot of detached communities, I would say the HOA is mainly there to maintain "nice to have things". Essential/critical things like roofs, plumbing, utilities, etc are usually the responsibility of the individual home owners, so an underfunded HOA isn't going to directly affect those critical aspects of the home. Underfunded HOA, most likely will just afect t those nice to have things in a detached community (maintanence on landscaping, security gates etc).
Plus the level of HOA "involvement" in a detached community varies. In my particular location, our HOA dues are like $25/month. But the HOA really doesn't do much (they don't even do a good job enforcing CCRs), aside from a yearly easter egg hunt they put together in a community park. Other communities (for example Palacio in Carmel Valley) have a nice bigger HOA dues to maintain the gated community AND the golf course (on top of that, I believe that HOA is underfunded).
