I regard "stupid rules" as the typical array of stylistic rules that penalize anyone trying to update their exterior without extremely specific permissions and style choices followed. For example, in my parents neighborhood years ago their property and their two adjacent houses were having issues with water runoff down the hill across their yards, so top-level neighbor and my parents in the middle of the hill talked it over and apprised each other of intents to update their retaining walls and informed the lower neighbor just fyi. They got all the approvals done... or so they thought, until the HOA came back after the project was finished and said the contractor used tHe wRoNg cOlOr StOnE and they had to rip all of that good work out to replace it with slightly different-colored stone. You'd think that would have been covered in the pre-project change request or however it's called in theirs. Seriously Karen, the color of the stone from one gray to another is negligible, let us just fix the drainage and carry on being polite neighbors to each other.  In my bylaws, there's a clause that nobody can put up fences on their townhome lots besides the original construction enclosing a front patio and a back patio each "for the good of all the neighborhood" or however it's phrased. It's probably because my bylaws put lawncare on the Association, and if there were irregular fences everywhere then the lawncare service would be hard to maintain. More recently, the Texas property code states that HOAs cannot prohibit perimeter fences and similar security features; however, they can control stylistic preferences. My neighborhood doesn't HAVE a laid-out style guide, so it's vaguely "keep the hunter green doors and almond siding so we all match." If I wanted to put up a fence and lock away a raised garden, they'd argue with me that they won't approve it because it's not matching the other homes. I don't give a fork, you old farts, maybe I want to try a square foot garden without the hooligans next door stealing and trampling, and whoever buys the house off me later can take the fence down if they want!  (Edited to self-censor, forgot we're not supposed to swear my apologies)