If you don't think the HOA is acting in your benefit do you not feel you can affect change by going to the meetings and building a coalition of your neighbors to take control?
Same as all politics: it's a shared cost, but somehow I benefit more than you do.
Also, they are often corrupted by corporate influence.
Why on earth would I willingly give up the rights to do what I wish with my own property as long as I follow city codes?
...and no, 'property values' don't cut it. I don't even consider my home when factoring my productive net worth.
Additionally, my statement was more generalized view of how it could be used, obviously if a homeowner finds themselves in this situation, the strategy would be to gather neighbors support and demand it to be changed or just do a hostile takeover of the HOA.
HOAs are too small to attract good people to run. (nations are too large and attract tyrants)