When Hoarders Abandon

Sometimes foreclosures come with bonus super surprise gifts – like years of accumulated trash. When hoarders abandon a unit (hey, they suffer financial hardship as well) to a foreclosure, by the condominium corporation or the bank, the nearby residents often get the bonus of smell and vermin as parting last words.

At some point the condominium will use by-laws (almost every condominium has these) regarding smells, health, and safety to enter the unit and have all the trash removed. If the property has a mortgage, or the bank has possession, in most cases the costs of cleanup will be paid by the bank. Because outstanding fees imposed by the condominium on the unit need to be paid before sale, there is a pocket to pull the cash from.

In the case of a foreclosure by the condominium on a mortgage less unit, the banks will usually award costs and allow the condominium to collect out of the proceeds of sale.

Bankruptcy Doesn’t Dismiss Outstanding HOA Fees

Housing represents the largest equity holding for most people in the world. Housing represents the majority of people’s working lives, and often is their security for retirement.

With that in mind, that’s why I fully support all legislation that prioritizes and guarantees that condominium corporations and HOAs have first standing to any monies recovered in foreclosure, bankruptcy or other sale. See, it’s important for government to protect people’s housing because it represents such a vast amount of equity. Government takes steps to protect people’s equity when it’s in a bank, and it does that when your money is “banked” in your house as well.

An owner failing to pay their fees harms not only their own property, but jeopardizes the housing of other, responsible, owners. Simply put, there’s no right for an owner to take a free ride on his neighbours shoulders by failing to pay their contribution, and having it shouldered by others.

Many states and provinces have very proactive laws that ensure HOAs and Condominiums have first standing in foreclosure. In Alberta, Canada, the condominium corporation – on the sale of a property – gets paid any outstanding fees before mortgages and even government taxes. Law makers realized that by ensuring that condominiums receive any money it is owed, it protects the other owners and has the highest return on economic stability.

In a similar vein, an owner in Odenton, Maryland, has found that bankruptcy doesn’t remover the requirement to pay their HOA fees. Indeed, and I congratulate the law makers, they have made those fees “nondischargeable” (a judge cannot dismiss the fees). By doing so, they have ensured the fiscal health of all the other owners. Even though Joan Sullivan no longer lives in the HOA, she is paying installments on the debt she owes.

And that’s a good thing.