Homeowner-advocate Shelly Marshall explains why many HOAs function like private governments—often stripping owners’ rights—and how to protect yourself (or avoid them entirely).

Shelly Marshall is a homeowner advocate and author of HOA Warrior. After battling abusive HOA boards in her own community, she’s spent 15+ years researching HOA law, advising homeowners, and pushing for reforms nationwide. She can be reached at info@hoawarrior.com and hoawarrior.com. She can be reached at info@hoawarrior.com and hoawarrior.com.

• How Shelly became an HOA advocate after a hostile board takeover
• Boards changing rules without homeowner votes; covenant enforcement gaps
• Liens, fines, special assessments, and foreclosure risk
• Why management companies and industry trade groups (e.g., CAI) shape incentives
• Legal exposure: joint liability, collateralization, and lack of transparency
• Horror stories: lawns, hoses, swing sets, condemned structures, and jail time
• Buying vs. renting; LLCs for limited protection; why “one election away from disaster”
• What due diligence (doesn’t) solve; legislative reform efforts and limits
• Practical survival tips if you’re already in an HOA

• Buying into an HOA is entering a business partnership with neighbors; your property can be leveraged, and you share liabilities.
• Boards often wield broad power, sometimes changing or selectively enforcing rules with limited transparency.
• Fines, fees, and special assessments can exceed mortgages and trigger foreclosures—even for minor “violations.”
• Industry actors (management companies, banks, attorneys) have financial incentives that can work against homeowners.
• Litigation is costly and asymmetric; few attorneys take homeowner cases.
• If you must buy, an LLC (cash purchase) offers better protection; otherwise, renting avoids systemic risks.
• If you’re already in an HOA: pay first, appeal later; avoid being labeled a “troublemaker”; document everything.
• Legislative fixes help only marginally; structural incentives remain misaligned.

• “You don’t buy a home in an HOA—you buy into a business with all your neighbors.”
• “They can change the rules after you’ve moved in, often without your vote.”
• “One election away from disaster—every single time.”
• “Your house can become collateral for loans you didn’t know existed.”
• “Pay the fine first, fight later—escalation is how homeowners lose homes.”
• “My advice? Don’t buy into an HOA. If you must live there, rent.”

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