Strawberry Fields Hoa

This is by far the worst HOA I’ve ever come into contact with; if this is part of your consideration in looking for a place to buy or rent, stay away!
When I returned from Afghanistan and was looking to buy a place before I headed back to Iraq, I came up with a list of several properties in the Colorado Springs area that were all very nice and about equal in terms of what I wanted. Strawberry Fields won because it was a nice looking community near Fort Carson, and had the lowest HOA dues of the places on my list.
In hindsight, I wish I had asked others who lived there instead of just going on looks and paper. The lowest HOA dues on my list became the highest in a few short years, as the Strawberry Fields HOA doesn’t add any new value or services, but increases their rates substantially every year.
Even though they are the only nice condo community within a 10-​minute drive to Fort Carson, the HOA board is dominated by old retirees that seem to have a vendetta against active-​duty military or anyone too young to join AARP, and seem to do everything they can to make the young move out as quickly as possible.
I had never really been familiar with the term «covenant community» before I bought my condo at Strawberry Fields, but now know that it is a red flag to STAY AWAY unless you are into the wheelchair mafia that dominate the boards of these HOA’s because they have no other purpose in life.
If you get a warning letter for anything they feel is a violation of the covenant rules (and they interpret the Strawberry Fields rules VERY loosely, to whatever benefits their monetary needs) you will be immediately assessed with a fine which will continue to gather interest whether your’e in the wrong, the HOA has any actual evidence against you (it seems their MOI is to fine first, ask for proof later), or you’re a landlord trying to determine who’s telling the truth between your tenant and the HOA.
Again, I don’t know why so many retirees (and not military retirees, which would make sense, but civilian retirees who seem to have a hatred of soldiers) would choose to spend their last days so close to a major military base, but if you’re a young military family looking to find a nice community close to work for anyone on Fort Carson, this is not the place for you.
Only go to Strawberry Fields if you’re retired, hate any noise, don’t have any pets outside of cats (having 2 dogs is against the rules but 20 cats is fine with the wheelchair mafia), don’t like kids or families, and feel that your life would be complete if only you could serve on the board of a small condo community HOA where you can wield your tiny bit of power and purpose in life with an Iron Fist.
Seriously, it’s a little insane, and the property managers Z&R are about as useless as the HOA.