I've also been very active in my local metro district and HOA meetings. Unfortunately, even at that level the company that began developing the neighborhood wil

I've also been very active in my local metro district and HOA meetings. Unfortunately, even at that level the company that began developing the neighborhood will hold majority power of the board for, at their current rate of development, the next 40 years. They have attorney's that advise them not to speak with us, and we pay for those attorneys. Currently a large chunk of my property tax is paying interest on the developer's debt. Those meetings go about as well as you think. I've been to town council meetings and informal meet-the-mayor and meet-the-city-councilperson coffee events, and was referred to email their attorney. The only time I've seen my town council get anything done, it was either (a) due to a massive showing by a think-of-the-children type group, or (b) a company with massive pockets.