For many homeowners, the appeal of a homeowner's association is the legal recourse afforded to a group of like-minded homeowners in the event that a neighbor makes decisions with their property that could drive down the property values of their neighbors' homes.
For many entering into this arrangement, these sorts of cases are understood to be drastic, such as rusted out cars with no wheels littering the lawn or loud music playing overnight.
However, the reality that these homeowners face is that these HOAs can become legally empowered to control aspects of their lives that seem far less significant, such as the lengths of their lawns or the presence of Christmas decorations when neighbors apparently don't want to see them.
The biggest cause for concern is that HOAs can not only impose fines if their rules aren't met, but also liens or even foreclosures on a household that doesn't meet even modest fine payments when desired.
And in the case of one Arizona grandmother, certain HOAs can also prevent elders from providing support to family members going through the worst days of their lives.
