I was a security-police officer (shift commander/patrol sgt.) for a private gated community of 10,000 people in NW Indiana. (Lakes of The Four Seasons, Crown Point, In.)They have 1 golf course, 1 clubhouse and 1 pool. The poa dues are about what we pay in our amenity fees, but you had to pay a membership fee to p
lay golf (several hundred) pay a fee to use the pool, a fee to have use your golf cart, a fee to use your boat and a fee for a boat slip.
All maintenance on roads, clubhouse etc. is paid for by the homeowners. Also you would get pulled over for speeding and if you did not pay the ticket fines it could be charged against your home. After giving out several thousand tickets for traffic and ordinance violations I decided that when I retired it would be someplace like TV instead of a full gated community.
Like you, I am concerned about security and the fact that anyone can come in. This is another reason we like the Villas.....1 way in and 1 way out and the neighbors watch out for each other like family.