An open question for our neighbors
Does Patriots Choice still need a homeowners' association?
We are 108 households on a quiet stretch of Adams County. Our Declaration includes a built-in mechanism for ending the Association any time 80 percent of us decide we'd rather govern ourselves directly. Twenty years in, with an expanding enforcement regime and a newly announced fines schedule, the question deserves an honest answer.
This site is run by owners and is not the Patriots Choice HOA. For dues, payments, or account questions, contact the Board at [email protected].
The Case
Three things our own governing documents tell us.
No. 01
We share almost nothing in common.
Our Common Elements consist of three small lots and the stormwater system that drains them. There is no pool, no clubhouse, no playground, no gated entry, no private road. The collective property we are paying to govern is, in practice, three patches of grass.
Source: Declaration, Article IV; PlatNo. 02
We are restricted by an extraordinary regime.
Architectural pre-approval for nearly any exterior change. Inspection rights on private property. Lien-and-foreclosure authority for unpaid assessments. And, as of recently, a fines rule of up to $25 per day with each continuing day a separate violation, imposed and appealed to the same Board that defines what counts as a violation.
Source: Declaration §§ 8.1.2, 8.2; Bylaws; new fines ruleNo. 03
An exit was written in from the beginning.
Article XVII of our Declaration contains a clear procedure for terminating the planned community by written agreement of 80 percent of unit owners. This is not a loophole or a novel theory. It is the rule the original developer wrote into the document we all signed.
Source: Declaration, Article XVII; 68 Pa.C.S. § 5220Read at your own pace
Pick the question you care about most.
The Money
The 56 percent dues increase, a $103,247 reserve fund still growing, and legal fees nearly tripled.
5 min readTwo Paths
Reform the Board's powers with 73 signatures, or end the Association with 87. What each changes.
2 min overview, details optionalHome Values
What the research says about HOAs and property values, including the industry's own studies.
4 min readCommon Areas
Who maintains the three common lots and the stormwater system if the Association changes.
6 min readQuestions
Mortgages, covenants, the Board's role, cost, and timeline. Short answers to common concerns.
7 min readDocuments
Every recorded governing document, the 2026 budget, and the fines rule, with full-text search.
2 min readAlready convinced something should change?
Share what has happened to you, send the site to one neighbor, or add your name privately to the effort.