Beginning in the 1960s, homeowners’ associations have exploded in popularity across the United States. This is not to say that anyone would describe their own homeowners’ associations as popular. The nightmare stories of busybody neighbors enforcing ridiculously specific regulations are legendary. But despite their reputation for domestic tyranny, every year more and more people fight for the honor of purchasing homes inside HOAs. The reason is simple — the HOA has become the only way to artificially re-create something that we have lost: a high-trust society.

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