PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A small group of protesters gathered at the Florida State Capitol on Tuesday, demanding the abolishment of homeowners associations statewide.
The rally comes just one week after a deadly shooting in Port St. Lucie that left three people dead, including the neighborhood's HOA treasurer and the husband of the HOA secretary.
WATCH: HOA resident thinks associations can be managed better
The 62-year-old shooter took his own life after killing two neighbors in what authorities say was connected to HOA disputes.
For months, residents across Florida have raised concerns about the rising costs and restrictive rules tied to homeowners associations. With thousands of HOAs across the state and hundreds in Palm Beach County alone, some residents are actively pushing for their complete elimination.
Dave Hyland, who has lived in an HOA community for 20 years, understands both sides of the debate. He appreciates the amenities his association provides.
"I like the standard of living and the safety it brings," Hyland said. "There's two pools, there's a gym. We have guard gates."
But the steep and rising costs have him questioning the value.
"You question, what am I really getting for the money that I'm contributing," Hyland said.
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While Hyland understands the frustration driving the protests, he believes HOAs can be managed better rather than eliminated entirely.
"I do think they can be controlled," Hyland said.
State Rep. Juan Carlos Porras, R-Miami, is working on new legislation that would allow communities to abolish their HOAs, giving the power directly to residents.
"In my personal opinion, I think HOA is our failed experiment, and there needs to be some sort of guidelines in place on how to get rid of them," Porras said.
However, Hyland isn't entirely comfortable with that approach, worried about majority rule overriding individual preferences.
"If we leave it up to the majority sometimes the majority doesn't see eye to eye with you," Hyland said.
WATCH: Frustrated homeowners attend HOA rally at Capitol
Instead, he believes dissatisfied homeowners should simply move rather than try to change entire communities.
"Buyer beware kind of thing. If it bothered me too much, I would leave rather than change the whole community's perspective," Hyland said.
An update to Porras' legislation is expected to be released sometime this week.
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