Libertarians:

What is the home owners association and why does it still exist?

It's a Communist gang to oppress individual communities

Buy in an unincorporated area outside city limits and stay away from developments.

We should abolish it

( USA) A homeowner's association (HOA) is an organization in a subdivision, planned community, or condominium building that makes and enforces rules for the properties and residents.

HOAs make rules on, among other things, what color you can and cannot paint your house, how long you can let your grass go before mowing it, If you have a boat or RV where you can keep your boat or RV, type of fence you can have around your house, flag poles, TV antennas, satellite dishes, and other such rules that affect the visual appearance of the neighborhood (real estate development). They also collect dues for the maintenance of common areas such as retention ponds, community swimming pools, playgrounds, etc. if they are part of the development. This is in the interest of preserving general curb appeal of homes in the development which means home owners maintaining the property value of their home. Why is this important? because if "you" are going to get a 30 year mortgage on a home for, say $150,000 (at whatever interest rate) and put $30,000 of your own cash into it as down payment, you don't want to owe more on the house than it's worth (be upside down on a loan) should you have to sell your house anytime in the near future.

Sounds like 1 more reason to live in the country lol

They have their pros and cons, it depends on who's running them. They get a lot of bad press, but they keep slobs from having junk cars up on blocks in the driveway, grass growing 2 feet tall, and trash like broken appliances and tires out in the front yard, and bright purple paint on the exterior when the rest of the street has "normal" looking colors. People buying homes in a development want their house to look a certain way because that's the way the neighborhood's image. If the neighborhood looks "ghetto" then it will turn "ghetto" and then people start letting their houses appearance go, and the property values start to slide.

They should be voluntary

I don't think they are really necessary. City ordinances and code should deal with nuisances and eye-sore problems. HOAs can be so extra especially you get a bunch of anal retentive retirees who have nothing better to do with their time.

That's fair I suppose

this is middle/upper class American suburbia.

Till they put a lien on you property for unpaid fines. Sell, brah, go unincorporated and away from developments,.

I know that well