‘I am so invested’: Homeowner learns neighborhood’s HOA of 25 years is fake
Many homeowners have complaints about their HOAs. Over the years, Internet users have griped about their HOAs dramatically increasing costs, stalking them on social media, and charging them for services they do not fully provide. In all of these cases, the HOA appeared to be real—but what if it wasn’t?
That’s the issue with which TikTok user Alison (@notalisonthanks) is currently contending. According to the TikToker, she received a letter from a woman named Claire, who claimed to be the current HOA president, saying that she would be retiring after 25 years and that a replacement was being sought. The only problem? Alison isn’t part of an HOA.
“I call [my husband]—I'm like, ‘Babe, listen to this letter we got in the mail.’ He's like, ‘We don't have an HOA,’” the TikToker recalls. “I'm like, ‘OK, well, I have a piece of paper right here that says that we do have an HOA, legally, and that they want you to be their president.”
“He's like, ‘No. I've never paid an HOA fee since we moved here, and I'm not about to start now,’” she continues.
Curious, she begins getting in contact with others in the neighborhood. One claims that the HOA president has been collecting money for 25 years, and “she's never done anything for our neighborhood besides paint the sign green—and that doesn't cost $60 from each resident.” For context, it appears that residents were paying $60 annually to the HOA, though this was not mandatory and many residents did not pay the fee.
Eventually, an attorney is called, and it is verified that there is no HOA present in the neighborhood—and there has not legally been one since 2009. A post on the neighborhood’s private Facebook group encourages residents to “disregard solicitations for money.”
The TikToker concludes by noting that there will be a “neighborhood town hall meeting in Claire's driveway” on March 23 and that she will update viewers “as soon as it starts popping off.”
@notalisonthanks March 23 square up #neighbors #hoadrama #knuckifyoubuck ♬ original sound - NotAlisonThanks
In the comments section, users alleged that Alison's situation is surprisingly common.
“Omg we had something very similar happen to our neighborhood! When we bought we specifically asked if there was an HOA and the real estate lawyer said no. Then about 6 months after we bought we got a letter asking for money,” recounted a commenter. “Long story short our neighborhood voted to dissolve the HOA after the president stepped down.”
“Similar situation happened in my neighborhood. No HOA but they ‘dismantled’ and asked us to still send in final dues. What?” claimed another.
“My old neighborhood’s HOA was legally dissolved in 1983, but they’re still collecting fees to this day,” stated a third.
In a follow-up video, the TikToker shares her discussion with another neighborhood member about the HOA. The neighbor explained her confusion about the situation.
@notalisonthanks Replying to @Vanessa and Lawrence #greenscreen Play-date/interrogation this afternoon #teatok #hoadrama #neighborhoodwatch ♬ original sound - NotAlisonThanks
In a further video, Alison says that while she initially assumed Claire was elderly, she has since learned that Claire is in her 50s. This inspired many commenters to encourage the TikToker to take action against her and the fake HOA.
“I’d ask for a full accounting of said HOA funds,” said a commenter.
“Collecting funds under false pretenses is illegal, it’s fraud,” declared a second.
That said, some claimed their neighborhoods had similar HOA-style organizations, only for different purposes.
“We have a super unofficial optional one that just pays for patrols. I don’t pay,” explained a commenter.
“My neighborhood had an unofficial HOA. It’s optional and helps with maintenance on the signs, entrance etc,” shared a second.
The Daily Dot reached out to Alison via TikTok direct message.
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