Later, after a neighborhood is settled, the term may describe a group of home owners which set rules for the neighborhood. The purpose of a home-owners association is to improve the neighborhood's image. The members of a home-owner's association hope that, by improving the image, the values of their homes will rise. If the rules are violated by home-owners, the home-owners association can force them to pay money. If they refuse, the home-owner's association can take away their houses.