Establishing an HOA...

I have a very bizarre problem that I cannot seem to find an answer to. I live in a community where the developer completed the majority of the work and the Master Declaration provides for the formation of an HOA, but none was ever formed. Instead, many of the powers of the HOA were transferred to the Community Development District...which I know is legally dubious. I know that we can take steps to establish an HOA to remedy that problem, but can we then amend the Master Declaration to transfer the powers to the HOA? Do we need court action to do so? Can we include the CDD in a Master Association? We are happy with the way the community runs, but want to be able to enforce the restrictive covenants, knowing that the CDD cannot do so in most cases.