When we bought our home in Lanier Acres, we were so proud and excited. The community felt peaceful and welcoming, and our documents clearly stated that the roads are public and county-maintained. That meant residents and guests could legally park along the street — just like in any other public neighborhood.
Right now, Pasco County is still in the process of formally accepting road maintenance, so the developer remains temporarily responsible. Because of that transition, there are no parking restrictions at this time — and every homeowner agreed to that when they signed their deed.
But when the HOA board took over from the developer, things began to change. Even though the roads are public, some board members have acted as if they control them. Instead of focusing on maintaining the community, they’ve been focused on who parks where — even when those cars are parked completely legally.
It started with small complaints, but it’s turned into something much more stressful. Board members have taken photos of our guests’ cars and license plates, and on October 25th, one was even recorded doing just that while the HOA president stood nearby. Now, every time someone visits, I feel uneasy, wondering if they’ll be watched or harassed next. No homeowner should feel that kind of anxiety just for having guests over.
I’ve always believed in transparency and fairness, so when questions came up about the roads, I shared factual information on my resident-run Facebook page — directly from our recorded documents and the county’s responses. But instead of being appreciated for trying to clear up confusion, I was told, “It’s not your job to be transparent — it’s the board’s job.”
That was frustrating, because the same board that said transparency was “their job” hasn’t exactly been transparent. They told me, “Everyone knows the roads are public and we don’t plan on making them private,” but just recently they admitted they’re trying to have ‘No Parking’ signs installed once the county takes over maintenance.
So, while they’ve been assuring everyone that nothing is changing, behind the scenes they’re quietly pushing to remove the public’s right to park on public roads — the very thing we were told when we bought our homes.
This isn’t about parking anymore. It’s about honesty, integrity, and respect. It’s about homeowners having the right to ask questions and share information without being dismissed or treated like a problem. It’s about board members remembering that their job is to represent the community, not to control it.
I love my home and my neighborhood. I want it to feel like the peaceful, friendly place it once was. But right now, every visit, every photo, and every dismissive comment makes it harder. I just want to enjoy my home, welcome guests, and live without fear of being harassed — all while staying within the law.
I’m sharing this because I know we’re not the only ones facing this kind of treatment from an HOA. Maybe if more of us speak out, we can remind people that real communities are built on respect, truth, and kindness — not control and intimidation.
We never planned to start a movement. We were just two homeowners who wanted peace in our own neighborhood, a fair place to live without fear, control, or retaliation. What began as a simple effort to protect our home turned into something far bigger: a fight to protect thousands of Floridians who are living the same nightmare.
When we bought our home, we had no idea that a homeowners association even existed. Years later, we discovered that not only did it exist, but it operated without transparency, without accountability, and often outside the law. When we asked questions, demanded records, and tried to hold the board accountable, we were met with hostility. They paved roads without permits, diverted stormwater onto our property, damaged our home, and then tried to silence us for speaking out.
It was isolating and frightening. But what we didn’t realize at first was how many others were going through the same thing, families across Florida and beyond, losing sleep, losing savings, even losing their homes because of HOA and COA abuse. We started listening to their stories, and we saw ourselves in every one of them.
That is when the HOA Reform League was born.
We built this organization to give homeowners a voice, to bring light to the corruption and selective enforcement that has gone unchecked for far too long. We have talked to hundreds of people who have been threatened, fined, or foreclosed on for the smallest things, and all because there is no true oversight or enforcement of existing laws.
Our mission is simple: to protect the rights of homeowners, to promote transparency, and to push for real reform that prevents anyone from ever losing their home to a community association again.
We are not politicians. We are not backed by corporations or special interests. We are just people who got tired of seeing injustice and decided to do something about it. Every late night, every dollar we have spent, every post, every meeting, it is all driven by the same belief: no homeowner should ever lose their home to a community association, HOA, or COA, ever.
This movement has grown far beyond us. It is about the people, the families, the seniors, the single parents, who are standing up and saying enough. Their courage is what keeps us going.
This is our story.
And this is why we are here.
This is the story of a 75-year-old widow who thought she was buying peace and security for her retirement years. Instead, she is now facing possible homelessness, not because of personal choices, but because of HOA mismanagement and the state’s failure to enforce its own laws. After selling her home, she purchased a modest two-bedroom, two-bath condo in a 55+ community. She believed the HOA fees would cover at least some amenities that would make retirement living comfortable. With limited time and options, she paid cash, hoping for stability.
The moment she moved in, she realized things were not as they seemed. The property was not well kept. The buildings were aged and deteriorating, the awnings were torn, and the grounds looked neglected. There were no amenities, no community activities, and no sense of connection among neighbors. What she thought would be a peaceful, affordable place to live turned out to be a deteriorating complex with little care or accountability.
That peace didn’t last long.
Shortly after moving in, the community switched to a new property management company without warning or explanation. No meetings, no introduction, no transparency. Within weeks, residents began receiving special assessments, thousands of dollars in surprise bills with no documentation or accounting to justify them.
When this homeowner questioned where the money was going, the answer was blunt:
“Your community is broke.”
She paid the $3,000 they demanded, but soon after, her monthly dues nearly doubled, from $569 to $997, more than half of her fixed income. For someone living on $1,800 a month, this was devastating. She tried to sell her unit, but the market had turned. Her once $210,000 condo dropped below $170,000, and still, no one wanted to buy into a building with skyrocketing fees and no transparency. Meanwhile, her savings were disappearing just to keep up.
In desperation, she and a neighbor started a petition asking the board to allow renting units, a fair solution to help struggling owners cover costs. But the HOA shut it down immediately,threatening cease and desist letters and forbidding owners from talking to neighbors. Ironically, some board members themselves were renting out their units, a clear case of selective enforcement.
When she formally requested financial records under Florida law, she received only partial documents. When she asked again, the management company replied, “That’s all we have.”
Years of missing records. Thousands of missing dollars. No accountability. No answers.
Now, this woman, who paid cash for her home, is preparing for the worst. With talk of another assessment coming, she is considering walking away, knowing she may lose everything. “It never occurred to me this could happen because of an HOA,” she said. “I thought I was buying safety.”
THIS is why enforcement matters.
Florida’s laws already exist to protect homeowners, but without oversight, they mean nothing.
Every day, seniors and families are being crushed by unaccountable boards and management companies who act as if the statutes don’t apply to them.
No one should lose their home because of HOA mismanagement.
No one should face eviction in their seventies for asking questions.
No one should have to call 211 for emergency housing because their HOA “lost the money.”
When I hear someone is facing homelessness and eviction as their only way out, this is simply unacceptable. No one in this state should ever be driven to that point because of an HOA.
It’s time to ENFORCE the laws that already exist.
It’s time to PROTECT our residents, not the corporations profiting from their pain.
It’s time for CHANGE!!
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