A small Georgia neighborhood fight over HOA dues and paperwork ended with a judge-approved settlement that residents say still doesn’t answer the biggest question: where the money went. The dispute, centered in the roughly 40-home Channing Cove subdivision in Conyers, shows how quickly fines can snowball into liens—and how hard it can be for homeowners to force transparency.
According to the original post, homeowner Michelle Bernard sued her homeowners association after her property was hit with a lien tied to unpaid fines and fees. Bernard alleged the HOA made fraudulent charges and changed covenants and bylaws without proper meetings and votes for years. The HOA denied wrongdoing, but the case still ended with a settlement motion a judge approved in May.
How a low-dues HOA turned into liens on five homes
Channing Cove’s HOA was created by a builder in 2007 with annual dues of $100, residents told Atlanta News First Investigates. Those dues are now $200, and homeowners said they wanted documentation—especially when extra assessments and fines appeared.
Bernard’s home became one of five properties in the neighborhood with liens for unpaid fines ranging from $878 to $2,755. Some residents interviewed said they refused to pay certain assessments and fees without proof of where their money was going, claiming the only financial documentation the HOA shared were typed Excel spreadsheets rather than itemized receipts…