We have all heard horror stories coming out of mandatory membership housing associations. Anything from citations for totally idiotic issues like having dust on the roof — what idiot would think of something like that? But believe it or not, that is an actual “violation.” Of course, the worst ones are when the association fines a member for insane alleged violations and eventually forecloses to take a member’s home away from them. Who will ever forget Wenonah Blevins? Wenonah, the 80-year old widow who, along with her cat, was evicted out of her mortgage-free house and left homeless. The stories are real–they shock and horrify us and grab headlines across the world. “Does that happen in America? I thought you were supposed to be a civilized nation?” Again, an actual conversation I had overseas. But there is a lot more to this. How does this affect us physically, and how about our health?.
Dr. Gary Solomon, a retired psychology professor, joins us On The Commons. Dr. Solomon has studied the effects HOAs have on the homeowners subjected to them and wrote some incredible books and articles about the emotional and physical impact HOA abuses and horrors can have. To better understand what is happening to us, read HOA Syndrome and HOA Crisis. In the meantime, please tune in and listen to him.
Listen to Dr. Solomon
To add some clarification: In my case the sign I placed in the window said BUYER BEWARE. My townhouse was mortgage free. The HOA foreclosed because I refused to pay the HOA dues because the HOA breached their contract and did not maintain the exterior which caused massive damage to the interior of my home multiple times. Many potential buyers called me and I explained why the HOA was not an area where anyone should want to purchase real estate. The investment group that bought the townhouse on the court house steps removed the sign after they took possession of the property. Prior to that a neighbor came over and spray painted over the window where the sign was so I moved it to another window, The sign was on the interior of the townhouse. After I submitted photos of the damage to my attorney, the investor’s attorney (which happened to also be a part of the investment group that bought the townhouse on the court house steps) decided to drop he demand for payment from me to cover the damages. He never filed a lawsuit against me he simply piggybacked onto the lawsuit the HOA had against me.
I’m now living HOA free and so thankful to be out of there! Never again!