‘I haven’t heard a word!’ fume neighbors forced to pay for repairs out of pocket due to HOA’s $5,000 debt | 6M7P5L2 | 2024-04-28 19:08:01
'I haven't heard a word!' fume neighbors forced to pay for repairs out of pocket due to HOA's $5,000 debt | 6M7P5L2 | 2024-04-28 19:08:01
IN A twist, residents in one community are vying to raise their homeowner's associate fees.
The Three Lakes community of Owasso, Oklahoma, located just 20 minutes outside of Tulsa, is hurting for money after many residents failed to pay their fees.
A park located in the HOA is facing disrepair as a broken bridge is just one feature that needs construction which the community cannot pay for reported local ABC news affiliate KTUL.
"We need new bridges on both ends," Three Lakes resident Jesse Werner said.
"We need new sidewalks, we need a new playground, we need additional lights in this park."
According to residents, the reason the park is in such a state is because of the HOA's finances.
A letter sent to residents explained that the HOA is $5,000 in debt, meaning they cannot finance more repairs and upkeep.
The community imposes a $50 annual fee to all residents, but despite the low cost, many people do not pay.
"About 50% of the homes in the neighborhood don't pay the fee," Werner said.
Rosemary Rowe, a Three Lakes resident, said that the HOA needs to be more actionable over missed payments.
"They have to hold the homeowners accountable," said Rowe.
Werner said that there is much miscommunication and many residents do not even know about the fee.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> "I think a lot of people don't even know there's an HOA fee," he explained.
"My mom has owned this house for 32 years and just found out last year there's an HOA fee."
FAILING OLD-SCHOOL SYSTEM
Rowe said that the issue is compounded by an antiquated communication system.
Three Lakes was established in the 1970s and has not upgraded its method of communication since.
"All I got is a P.O. box," Rowe said.
"I have tried reaching the HOA, the city of Owasso has given them my phone number, but I haven't heard a word."
Although many HOA residents across the country have complaints over hiked fees and retaliatory HOA practices, these residents of Three Lakes have a different perspective.
Werner is calling for higher fees.
"The biggest problem is the fee is too small," he said.
"The fee is $50 a year."
Because the fee is so small, the community does not have the funds to upkeep the property and now residents like Werner are trying to maintain it themselves.
"They just don't have the money to fix this stuff so as neighbors in the community, we have to come over, step up and do it," Werner explained.
He has spent hours and thousands of dollars trying to maintain the park himself, but now he wants to turn to more official pathways for a sustainable solution.
The $50 fee was set back in 1970, just like their P.O. Box communication system.
Adjusting for inflation, that $50 in today's money would be around $400.
"I'm going to try to get my hands more involved with it and see what kind of legal action we can take to increase those fees and make sure we pay them," Werner said.
KTUL was unable to reach Three Lakes for comment.
<p class="article__content--intro"> One in five Americans live in an area with a Homeowners' Association - or HOA. But what exactly is it that they do? </p> </div> </div></p><div class="hashtags">#havent #heard #word #fume #neighbors #forced #pay #repairs #pocket #due #hoas #5000 #debt #US #UK #NZ #PH #NY #LNDN #Manila #Politics </div></div> More >> https://ift.tt/NPJqGv7 Source: MAG NEWS
No comments: