HOA Control in Florida

Over half of Florida residents live in communities with homeowners associations that restrict movement and housing choices.

Coretta's Experience

A Black mother of three in a mostly Hispanic Florida community says HOAs push out residents who don't fit their economic expectations.

“I don’t think [the community developers] intended for it to be a heavily Hispanic population. … They were expecting a certain economic class to come here. I think they were trying to push out the ones that they felt didn’t belong. I think they’re doing that and have done that.”

HOA Power Structure

HOAs act as private governments with elected boards that enforce rules on home decor, events, and even voting participation.

Exclusionary Practices

HOAs charge median $230 monthly dues in Florida, creating barriers for low-income residents and maintaining racial segregation.

Voting Restrictions

HOAs require in-person voting on Tuesdays, bar renters and multigenerational families from voting, and deny proxy voting.

“I’m not allowed to vote. You’re not allowed to vote with a proxy. My son, [who is listed as the homeowner], works crazy hours. He gets up at 3 in the morning to work, he comes home, has dinner and goes straight to bed … he never makes it. They should have that on the weekends.”

Racialized Impact

Black homeownership rates at 45% remain lower than white homeownership at 73%, despite rising housing prices.

Historical Context

Historical redlining practices have long inhibited Black and Latino homeownership, creating persistent racial wealth gaps.

HOA Expansion

HOAs affect over 78 million Americans in the U.S., with 80% of new single-family homes governed by these private groups.

Future Challenges

As racialized minorities increasingly live within HOAs, homeownership loses its meaning as a symbol of the American Dream.

American Dream Under Threat

HOAs fence out minority participation and culture, limiting homeownership value for racialized residents.