A NEIGHBORHOOD in Maryland is in uproar as homeowners association fees have skyrocketed to a whopping $845.
Residents have blasted their HOA for imposing the massive hikes, but a little-known law means the fines are staying for good.
For 36 years, Dorthea Stierhoff has lived in the community, but now, with the new fees, it no longer feels like home.
During the last two years, her charges have increased by 30 percent. There was a 15 percent raise last year, and another rise of the same proportion is anticipated for this year.
“I never anticipated such a jump,” Stierhoff told ABC local affiliate WMAR.
LaWanda Edwards, a 25-year resident, saw her HOA fees jump 31 percent, and now she’s shelling out $845.
“I wasn’t surprised, just blindsided by how much it was going to be,” Edwards said.
She stressed that she loved her neighborhood, but the beauty comes at a steep cost.
“It’s a beautiful place, but it comes at a price,” Edwards said.
The HOA fee hikes are tied to House Bill 107, which was introduced after the deadly Surfside condo collapse in Florida.
More than three years after the deadly Surfside condo collapse, the impact is still being felt across Florida.
A report published in 2023 by federal investigators identified significant construction defects on the building’s pool deck as a crucial element in the incident that claimed the lives of 98 individuals. These conclusions highlighted the necessity for more rigorous supervision of condominium maintenance and structural soundness.
That report helped drive the strict new state laws now reshaping condo living in Florida.
Due to obligatory assessments and set-aside funds for maintenance work, many associations have had to dramatically boost HOA fees. This situation has left inhabitants facing difficulties in keeping up with the expenses related to ensuring safety.
To meet these rules, many associations have sharply increased fees to catch up.
These changes followed the 2021 Surfside condo collapse, which tragically claimed 98 lives.
Edwards and Stierhoff agree that reserve funds are important, but they think the increases are too high and too fast.
“A little more incrementally, so it doesn’t hurt people,” Stierhoff suggested.
“Maybe a little more staggered over time,” Edwards said, advocating for a more gradual approach.
Residents are now hoping a bill under review in the Maryland Senate will provide some relief.
The bill proposes spreading out these financial burdens over several years, easing the pain for homeowners.
The community is now in a waiting game, hoping for a solution that ensures future upkeep without leaving homeowners financially strained.
Coldspring community association didn’t immediately respond to the request for a comment by The U.S. Sun.
What is an HOA?
One in five Americans live in an area with a Homeowners’ Association – or HOA. But what exactly is it that they do?
- An HOA is a homeowner’s association – an organization that aims to maintain a clean and cohesive place to live for its residents.
- Entire neighborhoods, subdivisions, condominiums, family homes, or townhouses within “a planned development” will often make up an HOA.
- They also act as a governing body for tenants, who run and fund the HOA through monthly fees.
- Their principal aims are to keep the community functioning and visually appealing and to maintain property values.
- They primarily focus on common areas of a neighborhood, such as roads, parks, and pools – but may also stipulate what residents can do with their properties, such as yards and driveways.
- Often these restrictions enforce uniformity on properties, for example, ensuring most houses look the same and all driveways are clear of weeds.
- An HOA rulebook of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R) is distributed to all residents, and an elected volunteer board of directors enforces these regulations.
- Breaking these rules can result in penalties such as fines and even litigation – as most HOAs are incorporated and subject to state law.
- HOAs are often the subject of controversy, with some members feeling that the rules are too punitive and restricting, or that the leadership has too much power.
- But others like that HOAs give communities the power of self-governance, and can ensure a degree of harmony between residents.
