> I will never understand why someone would volunteer to pay a monthly fee (basically a tax) to have a group of bozos tell you what you can and can't do with your own property.

Really? Are you being honest?? You really don't understand???

It's so you can tell your neighbors what they can and can't do with their own property. You give up your own freedom too, of course, but no one joins an HOA because they're worried how their own lawn might now.