My father lived in an HOA community approximately once, and that community was in Florida. He gets very animated and upset whenever the topic of HOAs comes up b

My father lived in an HOA community approximately once, and that community was in Florida. He gets very animated and upset whenever the topic of HOAs comes up based on his experience with them...the word "Nazis" usually comes up somewhere in his rant. I've heard similar stories from other ex-Floridians. I've lived in both in my home states (mid-Atlantic area) and have found them to be a useful local governing group in most cases, minor annoyance in others, but nice to have when the local county can't be bothered. Is there something particularly toxic about Florida HOAs? Is it really the retirees with nothing to do?