Woman says HOA is demanding she leave 55-year-old plus community after inheriting house from dad
A homeowners association in Jacksonville, Florida has approved a $155,000 assessment fee, split among residents, specifically to fund legal efforts to remove a woman from the home she inherited from her late father.
The vote, reported by News4JAX, means each of the roughly 155 households in the Arbor Mill community will be charged around $1,000 to help cover the cost of the ongoing legal battle against 28-year-old Bethenny Michelle.
Michelle took ownership of the house after her father passed away, having served as his caretaker while he lived there.
The issue stems from the fact the property sits inside a 55-and-older community, and since Michelle is under 55, the HOA maintains she is not permitted to live there.
Why is the HOA trying to remove her from the house?
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According to News4JAX, Michelle said her father had arranged for her to inherit the home specifically so she would have a place to live, and that she was told at the time she would be allowed to stay there long-term, despite the community's age restrictions.
She pointed to the broader housing crisis facing young adults, saying it is 'nearly impossible' for people in their twenties and thirties to become homeowners under normal circumstances.
Michelle and her supporters were not permitted inside the HOA meeting where the fee was voted on, but they gathered outside and said they could hear parts of the discussion.
Some residents inside reportedly spoke in favor of letting Michelle keep the home, while others argued in favor of preserving the community's 55-and-up status and approving the assessment to fund her removal.
Neighbor William Buck, who has children living nearby, said he disagreed with the board's decision to push the costs onto the wider community.
"I don't believe that this is the right thing to do," he said.
He added that the financial burden was falling on 'the majority of the people' despite what he described as only 'a few people' driving the push to remove Michelle.
What has the woman at the center of the dispute said?
Despite the mounting legal pressure, Michelle indicated she has no plans to leave the home, which she says carries significant sentimental value tied to the time she spent caring for her father there.
"Love y'all, even though I didn't like me," she said, addressing her neighbors directly. "I would take care of you and you will live the rest of your life watching me thrive. Whether you're happy with it or not, I'm going nowhere."
The report noted that only five board members effectively voted on behalf of the entire community in approving the six-figure legal fund, a point Michelle's supporters have raised as they continue to contest the decision.
UNILAD has contacted the Arbor Mill Homeowners Association for comment.
Thomas Bamford