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There are important differences between a homeowner association (HOA) and a civic association.

General comparison

The following table compares HOAs and civic associations for a selection of topics.

Topic	Homeowner association	Civic association	Residents association	Neighborhood association	Property owners association	Community Development District
Membership requirements	Mandatory membership	Voluntary membership	Voluntary membership	Voluntary membership	Mandatory membership	Mandatory membership
Violations of regulations	Fines, disable access to amenities, liens, foreclosure	Removal from the association	Removal from the association	Removal from the association	Fines, liens, foreclosure	Bankruptcy, fees
Size of association	Membership remains constant	Membership fluctuates as members are free to leave or join without restitution	Membership fluctuates as members are free to leave or join without restitution	Membership fluctuates as members are free to leave or join without restitution	Membership remains constant	Can change as bond gets paid
Maintenance issues	Board of directors of management company handles hired services	Board of directors seeks volunteers to help, then hires services	Board of directors petition local government	Board of directors seeks volunteers to help, then hires services	Board of directors of management company handles hired services	Local gov't handles
Right to rule	Deed restricted	None	Majority voting block	None	Deed restricted	Municipality only
Entity owns property	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No
Can become defunct?	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No