Where a Hollow State Casts No Shadow

Abstract

Outsourcing public service provision to the private and nonprofit sectors has been well-documented and studied for over two decades as manifestations of the hollow state, but there is a relatively new phenomenon at local levels of government that has until recently eluded the attention of researchers in public administration and policy: private governments. Increasingly, U.S. citizens are far more likely to reside in a development operated by a homeowner’s association, rather than (or in addition to) a city government. Services are provided by these private entities, funded by association dues, and governed by covenants, conditions and restrictions, drafted largely by developers. As administrative units, how do these developments interact with local governments? Using data from the first national survey of large homeowner associations, we present evidence that their perceptions of local government are significantly influenced by the degree to which they set themselves apart in private enclaves, and we offer some recommendations for further research of the implications that these perceptions pose.