'This is war': $600/month HOA fees instigate rebellion when a new homeowner finds out his fees go to nothing but a ‘glorified neighborhood watch’

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Oct 18, 2024 5:00 PM EDT

This homeowner got fired up after lamenting about his HOA fee-paying app online, only to find out that his exorbitant fees were amounting to nothing, instigating an all-out rebellion against his HOA board. 

Some HOAs can be helpful–managing landscaping maintenance, communal pools, and barbecue areas–but more often than not, they're a power vacuum and a money dump for homeowners who don't actually get a say in how their money is spent. I live in a complex with an HOA fee and until recently, we only paid a couple hundred dollars a month, which seemed entirely fair as they paid for all of the plant care, the pool, and other facilities (like the gym and BBQs). So I understand the rage this guy felt when the homeowner in our next story, who was strapped to a $600/month payment to his HOA, discovered that his fees went to absolutely nothing. Naturally, he snapped and went full-anarchist. 

Keep scrolling for the rage-inducing tale that'll leave you questioning your own HOAs ethics. 

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  • 01
    "Start challenging authority"
    via Africa Images - via Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    I pay 600$ a month for HOA and this is what I get Is it just me or all the HOA apps are just straight-up horrible? One Time Payment Scheduled Payment Fixed Amount $ $592.00 Payment Amount must be between $0.01 to $null Specify the dollar amount you authorize on the date selected. You acknowledge and agree that, your Association may update, however, is not required to update your payment amount when a new assessment fee is
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 03
    I have been trying to pay my monthly dues for the past week, and this is what I get from customer support. R Reception To You Oct 11 It really does work maybe not from icloud, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe try it without the onlinepayments part of the link
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 04
    DaFuckYuMean Try removing the $. But $600 monthly seems to not come with IT/tech support either. KitchenTest8603 Try removing the 600 instead.
    via DaFuckYuMean
  • 05
    Tricky-Cup-1914 $600 a month is a crime. I hate everyone in your HOA. paiyyajtakkar There is an area near where I live where every apartment building we saw had about 1200-1500 HOA fee. Monthly.
    via Tricky-Cup-1914
  • 06
    annieisawesome $600 HOA fee?!? Maybe I'm just a filthy poor but that is legitimately 75% of my entire mortgage payment. They had better do ALLLL the things for you.
    via annieisawesome
  • 07
    A few days later...
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 08

    OP (u/neo_the_rabbit) was outraged and decided to rise up against injustice

    Ready to overthrow my $600 per month HOA After receiving an overwhelming response on my last post, and having fellow Redditors almost throw up at the amount of money I pay every month to my HOA.
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 09
    I have decided that I will dedicate every waking day of my life to overthrowing this evil HOA. I was wondering:
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 10
    Why don't people living in a HOA use a voting system for decision-making in their community? Everyone should have a direct say in the decisions (atleast on a micro- scale like that of a HOA).
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 11
    To pull this off, here's what I'm gonna do: • Form a secret society (I'm serious) of trusted neighbors who also see the BS and are down to push for a real voting system.
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 12
    • Start challenging authority at every HOA meeting- monthly, bi-weekly. • Lawyer up. • Establish equal voting on all HOA decisions, based on actual representation. The dictatorship ends here.
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 13
    I have decided that I will dedicate every waking day of my life to overthrowing this evil HOA. I was wondering: Why don't people living in a HOA use a voting system for
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 14
    decision-making in their community? Everyone should have a direct say in the decisions (atleast on a micro- scale like that of a HOA). To pull this off, here's what I'm gonna do:
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 15
    • Form a secret society (I'm serious) of trusted neighbors who also see the BS and are down to push for a real voting system. • Start challenging authority at every HOA meeting- monthly, bi-weekly.
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 16
    • Lawyer up. • Establish equal voting on all HOA decisions, based on actual representation. The dictatorship ends here. This is war. I'll keep everyone updated on how the carnage goes.
    via neo_the_rabbit
  • 17
    Suspicious-Cat9026 The sad reality is HOAs only have as much power as the residents let them have. They aren't an individual with right, they aren't a corporation... Basically all the regulations apply and they have little protections other than to
    via Suspicious-Cat9026
  • 18
    enforce city code and safety regulations. Everything else is easy to block. But most people are complacent in the corruption and don't have the time or
    via Suspicious-Cat9026
  • 19
    energy to monitor what the HOA is doing with funds and how it is negatively affecting the community. Good luck on the overthrowing, hopefully you can actually get supporters.
    via Suspicious-Cat9026
  • 20
    HeroldOfLevi yes! Please come back with updates. It would be great to make a "how to destroy an HOA" manual
    via HeroldOfLevi

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anarchy hoa neighbors deserves justice drama house neighborhood homeowner pay Reddit home fees neighbor
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