Hi Lorraine – I have to admit, I am new to this, as well. But what we heard from the experts was that Honeybees are not aggressive by nature, and won’t sting unless they are provoked or protecting their hive. There are many of them already around the town, and the beekeepers that I have met are extremely knowledgeable, and most have been through training. That’s a great question about being prohibited by HOA rules – I would suggest you take a look at your HOA covenants, to see if they are specifically called out. I will look through mine, as well. Hope that helps.