Renton, Washington

The HOA Messiah Complex.

The HOA Messiah Complex. It felt more like a fiefdom than a community, with the President treated like the Messiah because he anoints some of the OGs and seems to believe he’s the only one who can fix things. We lived next to some of the OGs, and they were easily some of the most unpleasant neighbors we’ve ever dealt with. The President is also the head of Design Review, which is ironic considering the apparent lack of taste. Their house alone is a pretty good example, especially when it comes to the holiday decor. Halloween consists of ghouls, killer clowns, and dead animals. Somehow, certain people seem to be allowed to do things that others would never get away with. The First Lady has a very distinctive hyena-like laugh and comes across as incredibly fake. A lot of people have moved out, and it’s not hard to understand why. The community was actually starting to build some momentum with events and people getting together, but the President’s behavior and personality seemed to kill that momentum. It’s a shame because there was potential for this to actually feel like a community.