If you’re not familiar, HOAs are organizations that make and enforce rules and guidelines for people living in housing editions — certain condos and planned community centers also can have HOAs. They also care for the common spaces and ensure amenities are cared for. And these organizations always require some sort of fee, whether it be monthly, quarterly, or yearly.
If you live in a subdivision that has an HOA and you want to paint your fence a different color or put something like a shed in your backyard, your HOA would typically have to approve it beforehand. (You could incur fees for not following guidelines or be forced to remove something you planted if it isn’t approved by your HOA. Some are more strict than others.)
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/kristatorres/hoa-rules-reddit