re: What are the pros and cons of HOA?

Mine is $250 a year and all they do is mow the grass in common areas.
The management company will ride around and nitpick nonsense and send fines. As a group we would rather abolish the management group but they handle everything for us. We just want to amend the rules against street parking, backyard pools, landscaping, etc.
Someone actually got a fine for putting up christmas lights 2 days too early.