Lawns are really bad for the environment in many ways. A front yard that's all native plants both looks better and produces a healthier local ecosystem.
Hoa claims “we maximize the property value” which I don’t see how they say with a straight face.
At best they achieve a local maximum nowhere near the potential, while costing a mint in fees and preventing one from doing anything crazy like planting native plants in the front instead of grass or not painting your house the right shade of beige.
Many people don't understand the world of stupid they've joined when they buy an HOA property. Although I have to deal with the psychic trauma of a neighbor who doesn't mow often, living in a reasonable city on a normal block means that permitting nightmares and other bullshit don't really exist. :)