re: What are the pros and cons of HOA?

My neighborhood has 120-130 homes and I pay $159/month for the HOA. They maintain the pool, park/playground, the dog area, and the two gated entries. I've been lucky that in the 3 years we've lived here, we haven't had any power tripping HOA board members. The most common citation, the first offense of something being a warning, have been weeds in the front yard, cars blocking the sidewalks, and someone running a business out of there home. Our guidelines are very cut and dry, which helps reduce any power tripping on behalf of the HOA. I like our HOA because it maintains the upkeep of peoples yards and ensures the neighborhood doesn't turn trashy.