To the editor:

Homeowners’ associations are becoming the norm in many new communities, and someone searching for a new home is hard-pressed to find one not controlled by an HOA.

The problem is that once you have bought a house in a community with an HOA, you essentially give up all rights and are at the mercy of the HOA.
In the Belleharbour Woods community where I live, we have seen our HOA dues nearly double since 2010 ($37 per month to $63 per month for 2013). During this period of time, there has been no increase in amenities. For our $63/mo we have access to play area with little or no grass, a picnic area and a nature path that is less than 200 yards long. 
A homeowner’s only recourse is to put his home up for sale. But with an economy on the brink of collapse and decreased home values, selling is not an option.

With HOA dues pushing the $1,000-a-year mark but offering no other amenities, informed homebuyers are discouraged from buying into such a community.

Many HOAs serve no purpose and are just another form of unjust taxation. They should be abolished.

Paul Collins

Suffolk