Senior attorney weighs in on Charlotte homeowners’ dispute with HOA over fine

(January 13, 2025) A couple in Northeast Charlotte is at risk of losing their home after the HOA repeated fined them $100 for having a vehicle parked in front of their house. The HOA claimed that this violated neighborhood rules. The couple said because the HOA never notified them of the charge, it accumulated and continued to be fined $100 every few months for the same violation.

The couple hopes they can prove to in court that the initial $100 fee was added improperly to his account, since the vehicle is not for commercial use, as violation states. This led to the possibility of foreclosure, which the couple says has ruined their credit. Jason Pikler, Senior Attorney and Deputy Director of the Housing, Consumer & Energy Project, spoke to the Charlotte Observer about the case.

“That seems unfair. You can’t cause someone to default and then say, ‘oh, the person defaulted,’ so I think he has a pretty good claim,” Jason Pikler said.

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