HOA to pay Georgia homeowner 40K settlement after she sued them for a lien on her home.

ANF Investigates

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🏚️ When HOA Power Goes Too Far: The Channing Cove Case

Imagine buying a home and still having to “fight” to own it nearly 20 years later. That’s the reality for Michelle Bernard, a business owner, wife, and mother in Conyers, Georgia — and the face of yet another HOA horror story.

Her community, Channing Cove, is a small 40-home subdivision where dues once cost $100 a year. Now they’re $200, but that’s not the issue. It’s what the HOA has done since — fines, liens, and policies that many residents believe are completely unreasonable.

🔍 A Pattern Too Many of Us Know

Michelle Bernard is currently suing her HOA, accusing them of:

• Fraudulent fines

• Changing covenants without member votes

• Threatening residents with liens for unverified charges

She’s not alone. At least five homes in the subdivision have liens ranging from $878 to $2,755. Two residents admitted they paid “just to avoid losing their homes.”

Sound familiar?

💰 “Pay Up or Lose Your House”

Here’s what’s happening:

• Residents are being fined for things like sending a group email or questioning the board.

• A new policy requires a $1,500 fine and a written apology if a homeowner makes a "slanderous" comment about a board member.

• A $300 "pond maintenance" fee was imposed for a retention pond that residents say is barely the size of a small yard.

• The HOA allegedly provided only Excel spreadsheets as financial documentation — no receipts, no backup, no audit.

Even a former HOA president resigned after failing to get a financial audit. The current president? He told reporters: “What receipts?”

📌 Georgia Homeowners: Know Your Rights

This isn’t just about Channing Cove. It’s happening all over Georgia — including to me. Here’s what YOU need to know:

✅ Your Legal Rights Under Georgia Law

1. You have a right to see all financial documents and receipts — not just spreadsheets.

2. HOAs must provide itemized documentation upon request.

3. Fines must be “reasonable.” Charging $1,500 for an email? That’s likely outside legal scope.

4. Late fees cannot exceed 10% of the amount owed.

5. Any major changes (like raising assessments, or changing covenants or bylaws) must:

   • Be voted on by members

   • Be filed in court to be legally binding

6. An HOA can place a lien on your home in Georgia for any unpaid amount.

7. They can initiate foreclosure if that lien exceeds $2,000 — even if you’re still paying your mortgage.

   
   

✊🏽 This is Why Home Sweet Headache Exists

Michelle’s story is why I started this blog. We’re not just homeowners — we’re fighters. And we need better protections, more transparency, and real reform.

🧱 If you’ve been threatened, fined, or lied to by your HOA — you’re not alone.📬 Subscribe to the blog and join the growing movement of Georgia homeowners who are saying: Enough.

👉 homesweetheadache.com📢 And if you have a story like Michelle’s — I want to hear it.