Do I have to join the Association?

Do I have to join the Association?

It depends on whether it is “voluntary” or “mandatory.”  Membership in an association is typically mandatory if the restrictive covenants are recorded in a property's chain of title.  But some neighborhoods (very few) have less formal voluntary associations, generally with less power than mandatory associations.  Regardless of whether it is mandatory or voluntary, if you are a member of the association, typically you will have a voice in its operation.