request a meeting with the HOA to present your case. But whatever you do, don’t withhold your dues. This will weaken your case if you have to go to court.
Be prepared to remove board members: If you and your neighbors are fed up with board members who make your life difficult, ascertain the number of signatures required to remove them. Be prepared to replace them and secure proxy votes for those who won’t attend the next meeting.
Find out how your dues are being spent: In some developments, there have been complaints of mismanaged funds. Are the books audited annually by an outside firm? Is there an emergency fund? Also, HOA guardians should be bonded, says Greenwalt.
Seek mediation before litigation: HOAs have the right to place a lien on your home for nonpayment of assessments and to force the sale of your home to collect on the lien. Greenwalt says community associations should never foreclose on a home without notifying the owners and making a concerted effort to resolve the issue. If you must hire an attorney, hire one who specializes in cases relevant to homeowners and HOAs.