Why are they impressive in that regard? You’re not forced to purchase a home that has legal obligations.

I’m about the same sense that I’m not forced to buy electricity from the local power utility

Large parts of the country have very little housing stock, especially newer housing, that isn’t HOA-encumbered.

This. We bought a house in an HOA and I definitely had a moment where I was like, "Wait a minute, some guy bought this land, subdivided it, and created this HOA out of thin air and now here we are, 40 years later, living under that HOA he made up. None of the original owners even live here anymore!"

That’s not really any different than municipalities who tax and impose restrictions.

Except it’s basically the creation of one man who bound everyone that he sold the subdivided lots to.