Homeowner fees 'like extortion,' homeowner says

Two days before closing on a house, Eugene Vrooman got bad news: If he didn't come up with $14,000, the homeowners association wouldn't allow his deal to go through.
(Newer Lennar development sold to investors; houses went vacant, and HOA assessed residents and new buyers high fees to cover clean up and repairs. In the end, the buyer was able to--and did--just walk away from the deal and found another house without such HOA problems.)

Full article, Sep. 5, 2010: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/sep/05/na-homeowner-fees-like-extortion/