The most irritating part for me is that it always comes down to one person having control over someone else and it's just their opinion in the end. The bigger towns are really strict about exactly what you're allowed to do. Have to keep your grass mowed to a certain level in city limits but the city lets weeds grow 3' tall in the parks and the city owned drainage ditches are full of trash. Code enforcement just drives around handing out tickets but they can't even police themselves.
Some of the smaller towns are hiring a code enforcement contractor that comes in, inspects the town, hands out fines, and leaves. That isn't right either, if you don't live there, you have no stake in what goes on.
The covid influx didn't help either. Very hard to find an affordable house that's not in a HOA or city limits now. 10-15 years ago it was easy. And those people moving in are bitching because their property taxes went way up. Well WTF did you think was gonna happen???