ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WTVF) — Homeowners at Lenox Creekside in Antioch said their monthly dues have skyrocketed 96% in four years, now paying $255 per month, often with added assessments. The condo community fired property management company Gasser Property Management years ago, but residents said dues continue rising while financial documents remain hidden from view.
A group of homeowners, including an engineer, a licensed CPA, a retired businessman and a former park ranger, took their homeowners association to court hoping to force the board to provide access to community financial records. However, the lawsuit lasted longer than they could afford while simultaneously paying dues that funded the board's attorney fees.
"You have no idea what the true financial picture of a community is, you have no clue," Michael McLendon said.
The residents said they never received the full financial transparency they sought through the legal process.
"It should not be this hard to get financials," McLendon said when asked if litigation should be necessary to obtain basic financial information.
The homeowners say their experience revealed significant weaknesses in Tennessee's laws protecting residents from HOA disputes.
"We have a banana republic HOA," one resident said.
"There are maybe thousands of HOAs in the state of Tennessee alone. Are we the only one experiencing this?" another homeowner asked.
The group believes the current system leaves homeowners vulnerable and calls for legislative action.
"Someone's gonna get hurt and our legislators need to realize it's not just us complaining. It's not over regulating. There's a difference between over regulating and turning your back on a problem and that's what they're doing," a homeowner said.
I reached out to the Lenox Creekside board and visited the neighborhood, where a board liaison said they would be interested in speaking at a later date. They have not yet responded to calls or emails. The liaison said dues are higher because of insurance costs.
What's your HOA horror story? Email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com - your experience could help other homeowners.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
