What is the point of HOA’s?

[Soubriquet]

I like reading a lot of crap that comes up on fb, and the amount I read on things like crazy HOA’s is astounding.

How is it that someone who has nothing to do with your home can force you to do something to it, to the point where they can fine you or even seize your house?

Is this an American only thing? Do we have these in the Uk? What’s the point?

Some blocks of flats have residents’ associations to manage the building and rules and there are also parish councils in some places but I don’t think the U.K. has HOAs covering neighbourhoods/ developments like the US does. I suppose the point is to manage the neighbourhood to make sure it looks nice and is a nice place to live (which presumably helps house prices) but as is often the case, committees attract controlling types and the power goes to their heads! I have a friend who lives in Arizona and her HOA doesn’t let them dry washing outside so she has to use a dryer. In Arizona. It’s nuts.