I wouldn’t live in a neighborhood without HOA’s! Yeah they can be a PIA, if you are the person not following the rules. Early in my homwowner days, I got harrassed for having grass growing out of my crack(in my driveway), but now that I have become a responisible adult, I like having them police some of the other idiotic inconsiderate people, and I would be really pissed if my neighbors painted their house purple and had weeds waist highin their front lawns.
Besides,our HOA fees have only gone up $25 in 15 years so I won’t be complaining anytime soon.