I didn't pay my $800 HOA fees - I didn't know it could have drastic consequences

Aggressive homeowners associations are truthful notorious they person moreover recovered their measurement into classical TV play plots, specified arsenic Desperate Housewives. 

When caller residents Bob and Lee decided to instal a h2o sculpture extracurricular their location connected idyllic Wisteria Lane they had nary thought what pandemonium they had brought down connected their heads successful nan shape of nan section HOA.  

However, nan nightmare of foreclosures and fierce diktats from specified associations are acold from fabrication for galore successful Georgia.  

HOAs are meant to oversee wide attraction of nan vicinity utilizing a excavation of money made up of fees from residents successful nan area. 

For example, they whitethorn region a fallen down tree, cleanable nationalist accommodation specified arsenic pools aliases make judge nan vicinity is neat and tidy by monitoring yards.  

Jewel Inostroza was baffled erstwhile she discovered nan erstwhile owners of her recently bought location successful Newnan, Georgia had near tens of thousands of fees to nan section homeowners relation that were now her responsibility. 

Inostroza went to court, paid disconnected what she believed was owed but still ended up pinch a measure for tens of thousands of dollars, Realtor.com reported. 

Tricia Quigley told nan spot tract really her Cherokee County location successful Georgia was sold connected nan courthouse steps for conscionable $3.24 aft she refused to salary an $800 HOA interest erstwhile she became disappointment pinch nan billing process.

Quigley discovered that nan measure has soon risen to $10,000 owed to precocious and attorneys fees. 

When she could nary longer support up her location was sold. 

'They conscionable showed up and threw each my worldly connected nan lawn,' she said.  

HOAs are legally allowed to foreclose connected properties, garnish wages, and move disconnected nan h2o if owners that autumn into costs arrears. 

Another homeowner successful Georgia, James McAdoo of South Fulton, claims he has to record for bankruptcy to extremity his homeowners relation from taking his costs aft being warned astir weeds connected his lawn. 

Despite going done bankruptcy, McAdoo still owes nan association $36,000.  

Other person had issues pinch bureaucracy, including Karyn Gibbons who told Realtor.com she received a foreclosure announcement connected her location contempt ever paying her HOA fees connected time.

Gibbons said her section relation successful Gwinnett County often cashed her checks precocious aliases not astatine all, a disorder that near her owing $30,000 for precocious and attorneys fees. 

Georgia lawmakers are readying a fightback connected behalf of their constituents and their HOA scary stories. 

State Senator Donzella James is moving to reign successful nan powerfulness of homeowner associations successful Georgia. 

James told Realtor.com she began looking into nan rumor successful earnest aft proceeding from constituents who were being forced from their homes aft incurring fees and fines for section writer being supra 4 inches or a shed painted nan incorrect color.

'What would commencement arsenic a $200 punishment could quickly emergence to $5,000,' James, a Democrat, told nan publication. 

'And erstwhile [HOAs] get $4,000 successful penalties, they tin waste your location connected nan courthouse steps,' she explained. 

James has joined forces with Republican Matt Brass. Together they are proposing a measure that would extremity fines accruing erstwhile homeowners person paid disconnected what is owed to their HOA. 

The projected authorities would also force HOA boards to meet regularly, grounds minutes of their meeting, and person a transparent voting process. 

'It's tragic. We're talking astir group losing generational wealthiness complete personification not mowing their grass. It's jaw-dropping,' Brass said.