&gt;the HOA doesn&#x27;t own my house.<p>The HOA doesn&#x27;t need ownership. They have a valid contractual claim to limit the use of the property based on the person who originally owned the property and elected to make it a part of the HOA. Any buyer accepts those limitations.<p>When you purchase a piece of property you are not always getting rights to everything you might think. You may not have mineral or water rights. The property may have an easement in place.<p>&gt;And I was never part of the HOA, yet am required (compelled) to join and abide by it.<p>You are never forced to join an HOA. A piece of property is part of an HOA or it is not. You choose whether you want that property or not. There is no force and no compulsion involved.<p>&gt;Contracts are irrelevant<p>On the contrary. It is all about contracts.