{"id":369392,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:24","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/realestate\/owning-a-home\/history-of-homeowners-associations.html"},"modified":"2023-11-16T02:36:15","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T07:36:15","slug":"history-of-homeowners-associations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/owning-a-home\/history-of-homeowners-associations.html","title":{"rendered":"History of Homeowners Associations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n \n
\n

History of Homeowners Associations<\/h1>\n
\n
\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Aisha Success, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

In the 19th century, the United States began to transform, setting the stage for the emergence of homeowners associations. It went from a primarily agricultural society to an industrial culture. A growing number of people took jobs in cities. But most cities were overcrowded, dusty, and noisy. The advent of commuter rail lines allowed people to work in the city and live in the country. A series of railroad communities grew up along the rail stations.<\/p>\r\n

In the 20th century, people became even more mobile, thanks to the automobile. This led to a series of planned communities around the country. In some, single-family homes looked essentially the same. Others included several designs.<\/p>\r\n

Real estate developers fueled homebuying by constructing condominiums and cooperatives. These planned unit developments had no restrictions. But people in these communities generally shared common ideas of how streetscapes should look. Homeowners associations<\/a> (HOAs) as we know them today did not exist. Homeownership was not subject to HOA rules and HOA fees. But, residents cared about preserving property values and promoting healthy occupancy.<\/p>\r\n

A History of HOAs<\/h3>\r\n

The first modern planned development was in Levittown, New York. It was on the site of a Long Island potato field off the coast of New York. Builder William Levitt constructed a series of inexpensive but attractive homes. He wanted to make them affordable for veterans to purchase. Low-interest loans guaranteed by the federal government financed the purchases. The government did this through the Servicemen’s Readjustment Bill of 1944 (the GI Bill).<\/p>\r\n

Between 1947 and 1951, more than 17,000 houses were built in and around the original Long Island community. Levittown residents were subject to restrictive covenants<\/a> in their deeds. Similar to governing documents in HOA communities, deed restrictions set rules like:<\/p>\r\n