Photo via Fast Company
Nearly one in four Americans—roughly 78 million people—live under homeowners association governance, with the figure climbing as HOAs are incorporated into about 66% of new homes and 82% of recently sold properties. Yet this widespread governance structure has become a significant source of dissatisfaction for residents nationwide, according to recent industry surveys. In the Dallas area, where mixed-use developments and master-planned communities have proliferated, the issues plaguing HOAs elsewhere are likely resonating with local property owners facing rising fees and governance disputes.
Recent studies reveal the depth of homeowner frustration. According to a 2025 survey by 2–10 Home Buyers Warranty, 54% of HOA residents encountered challenges with their associations, with 70% stating they would not purchase in an HOA community again. Homeowners cited inconsistent rule enforcement, poor communication, and excessive fees as their primary complaints. The Platinum Home Builders & Design survey found that 51% of homeowners made financial sacrifices to afford HOA assessments, including 30% withdrawing from retirement savings and 19% cutting discretionary spending on travel and home improvements.
TrueHOA, founded by Philadelphia entrepreneurs Jonathan Gropper and Jonathan Waldman after their own frustrating board disputes, launches a digital governance platform designed to eliminate opacity in HOA elections and financial decisions. The system costs $6 annually per home and creates an auditable trail covering voter eligibility, ballot submission, and election tallying—processes Gropper describes as lacking even basic accountability. Beyond elections, the platform facilitates community voting on projects, tracks board decisions, and offers a free Verified Governance Specialist certification to help volunteer board members manage their responsibilities more effectively.
The need for such solutions underscores a broader challenge facing residential communities: volunteer board members often lack both the time and expertise to manage complex budgets and infrastructure. According to residential developer Howard Jacobson, who has worked with HOAs for two decades, the real problem isn't widespread corruption but rather insufficient training and low participation rates. As TrueHOA expands across multiple states, Dallas-area HOA boards may find the platform's combination of technological oversight and professional certification particularly valuable for communities seeking to rebuild resident trust and governance credibility.
