Homeowner association

A homeowner association (HOA) is an American real estate term. It is a corporation formed by a real estate developer to market, manage, and sell homes and lots in a residential place. 
Later, after a neighborhood is settled, the term may describe a group of home owners which set rules for the neighborhood. The purpose of a home-owners association is to improve the neighborhood's image. The members of a home-owner's association hope that, by improving the image, the values of their homes will rise. If the rules are violated by home-owners, the home-owners association can force them to pay money. If they refuse, the home-owner's association can take away their houses.
The fastest growing form of housing in the United States today is "common-interest development" (CID), a category that includes various housing types. Since 1964, HOAs have become increasingly common in the United States. HOAs governed 24.8 million American homes and 62 million residents by 2010.