Family man purges corrupt HOA board by becoming president and creates ideal HOA, but now 3 years later his community won't let him pass the baton: ‘Will I be stuck… forever?'

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Oct 29, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

HOAs were created to help communities thrive. However, more times than not, the board becomes corrupt and ends up making the neighborhood a less than ideal place to live. Every now and then, though, you come across an HOA board that is actually honest and helpful. But how did it get to be so good? Usually, someone is there to make the board stays on track. 

 

Like this family man! He loves his home and he wants to provide a great community for his family. So, when he could no longer tolerate an unjust HOA board, he took matters into his own hands. He ran for president and won. While in office, he got rid of all of the corrupt members, fixed all of the damage they did, and, after several years, made it a fully functioning, helpful, and honest HOA board. Now the community is thriving and all of his neighbor are grateful. However, not grateful enough to follow in his footsteps… 

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  • Cheezburger Image 10569008640
    via Unsplash+ (and Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • LS: I live in a small HOA. We have 10 units, comprised of approximately 30 people.
    via Stow1836
  • We have a fair amount of divesity along race, ethnicity, gender, age, etc. We have singles.
    via Stow1836
  • We have families. We have seniors. We have renters. I moved in with my family around 2022 and was immediately drafted as HOA President by the then-current HOA President.
    via Stow1836
  • At the time, I didn't realize just how bad things were and by the time I learned, it was too late to back out.
    via Stow1836
  • (We did a non- contingent offer based on the initial disclosures. It was/is a competitive market.) The HOA had actually lost its official status years ago with the state due to failure to file required paperwork and tax documents.
    via Stow1836
  • There was no reserve fund. The infrastructure was failing. HOA dues had never been raised with inflation.
    via Stow1836
  • They were hemorrhaging money and operating at a deficit due in large part to an insane water bill, which mostly went to landscaping that had plants that are not sustainable and housing a bunch of nasty critters.
    via Stow1836
  • A prevous HOA president had even embezzled thousands of dollars from the HOA over nearly a decade.
    via Stow1836
  • Basically, it was a mess that had been hidden from everyone, even many of the residents.
    via Stow1836
  • So, I promised myself that I would be better than that and got to work. Convened a new board.
    via Stow1836
  • Got a property manager to help with the administrative tasks. Got our offical status renewed. Got all the documents squared away.
    via Stow1836
  • Established a reserve fund. Repaired our water, gas, and electric systems. Fixed HOA dues and special assessments to put us back in the black.
    via Stow1836
  • I even got the roofs repaired! I was doing something on an almost weekly basis -- fixing fences, trimming plants, checking our garbage dumpsters and fire safety systems, coordinating vendors, prepping for quaterly HOA meetings, reviewing financials, etc.
    via Stow1836
  • It was a lot, but had finally settled down to just basic oversight after a few years of hard work.
    via Stow1836
  • Now I'm approaching the planned end of my term in December after over 3 years. I've done my job and ready to let someone else take a turn.
    via Stow1836
  • Cheezburger Image 10569020416
    via Unsplash+ (and todd kent)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • He worked his behind off to make sure the HOA was where it was supposed to be. An unpaid job that took up much of his life. However, now that he fixed all the leaks, it is an easy job, with no more than a few hours a month of duties. However, his community was so happy with what he did, they do not want him to step down. He wants to just concentrate on being a family man, but nope. If he steps down, everything he did will come undone. What would you do?

  • Yet, here we are facing a massive cliff I can't get enough people to serve on the board!
    via Stow1836
  • We've had people move out, new people move in, and all of us have gone through the ups and downs of life.
    via Stow1836
  • We recently lost our VP and Secretary, so the remaining board is just me and the Treasurer.
    via Stow1836
  • With my term ending, that takes us down to 1 person and we only need 3 people.
    via Stow1836
  • I had 2 maybes but none of them will do it if they're President. Our CC&Rs require us to have at a minimum a President, VP, and Secretary/Treasurer.
    via Stow1836
  • Without that, we can be taken over by the state, have a court-appointed administrator installed, lose all control over the place, property values plummit, we get hit with huge fees/dues/special assessments, and we'd be unable to even sell our place.
    via Stow1836
  • I've explained at length the situation, the possible costs and consequences, as well as how low-effort the work will be with a full board, now that so much of the hard stuff is already done.
    via Stow1836
  • But nope! Everyone just shrugs their shoulders as if they expect it will somehow magically work out.
    via Stow1836
  • Or maybe they just don't care. Or maybe they're terrified and unable to say anything. I can't really tell because it's mostly just silence whenever the subject comes up.
    via Stow1836
  • The few times I tried directly asking people, I got polite but firm no's. It got so bad, one HOA meeting eventually devolved with two of the residents yelling at me and our property manager for daring to ask them (we ask everyone) to serve on the board.
    via Stow1836
  • I'm having our property manager start the elections process, but I don't know what to do if everyone just refuses to serve, especially as President.
    via Stow1836
  • Will I be stuck as HOA President forever? Will I have to literally sell my home and escape?
    via Stow1836
  • In this economy!? Anyways, that's my story, more or less, but would be interested in hearing from anyone with a similar situation.
    via Stow1836
  • Tl;dr: my term as HOA president is up and the HOA cannot get a full board together.
    via Stow1836
  • A majority of the owners are willing to risk state receivership that could cost tens of thousands of dollars rather than serve even a year on the board.
    via Stow1836

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