HOA are just such a strange concept because they could be such a useful force that has been corrupted into an engine of uniformity and roadblocks.
You would think a local organized organization would be quick and nimble to meet the needs of it's small group of citizens who know each other. But they got bogged down in petty arguments and minor aesthetic changes. Local municipal governments got stuck in the same trap. Too much regulation of minor aesthetic issues.
I don't know the solution but interesting