Like other reasonable comments are saying, you have to look at what you're paying for. If that $500 is just for landscaping & trash, then you may have issues.

I was in an HOA where our fee covered gates & guards, snow removal - right to our door & driveway, lawns, trees, gardens, cable & internet, alarm service, community pool w/ maintenance & lifeguards, community center, tennis courts, basketball courts, riverfront walkway, trash & recycling, repair/maintenance fund for community areas, and we had surpluses allowing us to buy and build things like guest parking and the walkway.

Nearly everyone in the community participated in the HOA, so there were no power mad Karens. People came to the meetings before there was a crisis. We asked about budget changes before the budget vote. When people wanted to install satellite dishes, we amended the bylaws to allow it within reason - but we did still fine the yahoos that insisted on mounting a dish on their handrail or on a pallet in their driveway.

Our HOA payments were something like $117 back in 1998, and went up to $390 by 2014.