It's not so much HOAs that are the problem as the priorities of those who actively participate in framing and enforcing their aesthetic conformity rules. The p

It's not so much HOAs that are the problem as the priorities of those who actively participate in framing and enforcing their aesthetic conformity rules. The perfectly manicured lawn, in many places in the US, is a strong signal associated with middle to upper middle class status. It's a signal that you have the expendable income and time to spend on something non-essential. Many HOAs are used to enforce that signaling, rather than limiting themselves to ensuring physical safety through proper maintenance of homes. You can see this in HOAs that disallow front yard vegetable gardens (though that was recently banned in FL[1]). HOAs are actually necessary when homes occupy a shared parcel of land, like with townhouses or condominiums. In those arrangements, the landscaping is commonly owned. The aesthetic enforcement of things like lawns vs native grasses happens more in HOAs that govern large areas of suburban tract housing, where the HOA enforces rules on property that isn't actually held in common. 1. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article228219329.html https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-p...