The Impact of Homeowners Associations on Residential Water Demand Management in Phoenix, Arizona

Abstract

In regulating residential landscaping and maintenance practices, homeowner associations (HOAs) are potentially important institutional actors in urban climate adaptation and water demand management. One view posits that HOAs will use outdoor landscaping and scarce water resources to maintain the aesthetic appearance and hence property values of homes in their domain. An alternative view from commons theory suggests that they will behave in a variety of ways and have diverse environmental resource management outcomes. This research compares water consumption in single-family residential communities with and without HOAs in Phoenix, Arizona. Findings reveal there is not a significant correlation between water consumption and presence or absence of HOAs, after accounting for other relevant variables. HOAs did not co-opt a disproportionate share of urban water use, lending credence to the claims of commons theory that similar institutional types may result in diverse resource outcomes, depending upon geographical and social context. Results suggest the potential to utilize HOAs as an entree-point for water demand reduction strategies.