Hardworking homeowners say unauthorized groups are taking over their community pools – and that the HOAs they pay a fortune to aren’t doing a thing to stop them
Homeowners in residential communities near Raleigh, North Carolina, say unauthorised individuals and groups have been using their private community swimming pools without permission, despite residents paying substantial homeowners' association (HOA) fees that are meant to fund upkeep and enforcement. They claim their HOAs have failed to intervene or enforce access rules, leaving paying residents frustrated that shared amenities are being used by people who have not contributed to their cost or upkeep.
The dispute centres on communities in the Raleigh and Garner areas, where residents feel that HOA boards are not adequately policing pool access despite the fees homeowners are required to pay. Details of the specific enforcement measures, if any, taken by the HOAs involved were not fully available in the source material.
- North Carolina homeowners say outsiders are using private community pools
- Residents blame HOAs for not enforcing access despite high fees
- Dispute centres on communities near Raleigh and Garner
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Homeowners who steelman the case for stricter enforcement point out that they pay significant monthly or annual dues specifically so that shared amenities are maintained, safe and reserved for residents and their guests. They argue that when unauthorized groups of dozens of people repeatedly use a pool, it creates genuine safety and liability risks, given that there may be no lifeguard, no verified swimming ability, and no accountability if an accident occurs. From this view, an HOA's core job is to enforce the rules it collects fees for, and consistent inaction erodes trust, discourages families from using the pool themselves, and can even affect property values and insurance costs for the whole community.
The case against
A sympathetic reading of the HOA's caution recognises that enforcement is rarely as simple as it sounds: confronting large groups of teenagers can escalate quickly, expose volunteer board members or contracted staff to confrontation or legal risk, and raise thorny questions about how to verify residency without alienating genuine residents' guests. Some in the community may also worry that aggressive policing of young people gathering socially risks being heavy-handed or selectively applied, and that limited HOA budgets are better spent on structural fixes, such as improved access controls or lighting, rather than confrontations. On this view, the absence of a quick fix reflects a genuine trade-off between security and proportionate, fair treatment of young people who may simply be looking for somewhere to spend time.