California condo owners erupt as HOA hits them with sudden $5M charges, threats

California condo owners are revolting after their homeowners association slapped them with more than $5 million in emergency charges for new roofs, with some residents fearing they could lose their homes if they can’t cough up the cash.Each homeowner at the 198-unit Villa Moura condominium complex in Orange County neighborhood San Clemente was hit with an assessment of more than $26,000 to cover the roofing project, according to ABC7.Residents are now challenging the hefty bill, arguing the work does not qualify as an emergency and questioning whether the HOA board legally imposed the assessment.For 81-year-old resident Beverly Albright, the unexpected expense could mean giving up the home she worked hard to keep.“I will have to move.And this was my… I’ve worked very hard to make it so that I could be here,” Albright told the outlet.Other homeowners fear Albright will not be the only one struggling to come up with the money.“They’re not going to be able to afford this, and the board’s response is to take out a loan, or take out equity of your house, or dip into your retirement, and I feel like that’s just unacceptable,” homeowner Megan Blanda added.Residents are seeking to recall members of the HOA board and have filed a claim alleging that the HOA violated the law by imposing the assessment.Homeowner Noah Martin said the roof work does not meet the requirements for an emergency under California regulations and argued residents should instead have been given a say in how the project was handled.“It didn’t fit under the California Code of Regulations, 5610.

Clearly, it was not an emergency; it’s a deferred maintenance.And so, then we as members should have a vote on how we want to take care of the roofs,” Martin explained to ABC7.Residents also claim the HOA has threatened to place liens on the properties of owners who fail to pay.

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