Dues go up. Special assessments appear. Services don’t seem to improve at the same pace. Homeowners tell me they pay more every year for the same pool hours, the same landscaping, the same newsletter. Unlike taxes, there’s no independent auditor knocking, no public budget hearing at city hall. Miss a payment and the consequences can look the same: escalating fees, legal letters, even the threat of foreclosure. Call it a fee if you want. When there’s no opting out, it behaves like a tax. #House #HOA