COL Barfoot -Threads Merged

[Mad Man]

For a background on the rise of H.O.A.s, and the problems they have created, read this article (2,200 words) from seven years ago.

And then visit Evan McKenzie's blog. He used to be an H.O.A. lawyer.

The choice of whether or not to live in an H.O.A. is not a simple matter of consumer choice as H.O.A. proponents make it out to be.

How do cities mandate or require community associations?

Many cities require that all new construction must be in CIDs. They do this in several ways, but the most common takes advantage of PUD zoning. Cities have planned unit development zones where housing is exempt from setback and other density requirements. Developers want access to PUD zones to obtain higher density and thus higher profits. So, the City requires all development in PUD zones to have certain features (open spaces, landscape vegetation, perimeter walls). They, the City requires that there must be an entity to maintain features in perpetuity. HOAs are the recommended option.

Result: the City in effect mandates HOAs in all new construction within PUD zone.