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A HOA member is seeing her monthly dues increase by $300 which could price her out of her home as attorneys warn of a huge crisis.
Rosalie Hayes from Arvada, Colorado, received a letter from her homeowner’s association increasing her dues by hundreds of dollars a month.
“It goes from $346 a month to $621.50,” Hayes told WGN-TV.
“That’s a lot,” she added.
A letter she received from the Sequoia Condominium Association blamed the majority of the due increase on the HOA’s insurance premium which had more than doubled.
The HOA’s insurance premium increased by $140,000 per year.
“When I opened this letter, it was just like you could have knocked me over with a feather. It was a shock.” Hayes said.
The change in her dues will start in April and could price her and others out of their homes.
“There’s a lot of people here…they’re younger and older and I don’t know how a lot of people are going to do it,” Hayes said.
“I’m not sure whether I can afford to stay in Colorado.
“Colorado is pricing a lot of people out.”
The increase in HOA dues is happening across the state due to insurance premium increases, according to the news outlet.
It adds that insurance companies are deterred from HOAs in the state due to losses over wildfires and other factors that make it unprofitable.
“It’s an affordability crisis. People can’t afford this.” Molly Foley-Healy an attorney who represents HOA boards told the outlet.
“In the last 17 years in colorado, I can say without hesitation, this is the biggest crisis to hit HOAs.”
She noted that numerous HOAs in the state are facing insurance increases of between $300,000 and $1 million forcing HOAs to increase their monthly dues.
Beck Blackett, the president of Brookside Town Homes in Wheat Ridge said the insurance premium for her HOA increased by over 220%.
“It’s been so rough,” she told the news outlet noting that she has no choice but to increase dues.
“I’m just not sure what to do because like I said we have to have an insurance policy,” she said.
“Folks just didn’t budget for that when they bought the places.”
Insurance companies in the state are working with lawmakers to address the issue via a study though this process may take too long for some homeowners.
The market will be studied and findings will be reported back to the State House on January 1, 2026,
“The owners are frustrated and angry, understandably so. But they’re blaming the boards and the management companies who have zero control over that,” Foley-Healy said.
In the comments, fellow homeowners expressed their frustrations at the situation which is happening in other states such as Florida.
“This will get worse,” one viewer warned.
“People are now finding out HOA communities are not the way to go,” another said.
“Florida residents found out when insurance companies started canceling homeowners policies.
“This will get worse when other states catch up.”
Another Floridian also highlighted the issue in their state.
“Same thing here in Florida. Two years ago was $347 in a 55-plus complex, now $522,” they said.
“I love my community but we are 90 % retirees, people that only live in [social security] and this is unbelievable!!!
“I don’t think I’ll be able to stay here if another increase happens.”
Meanwhile, others vowed never to move into a HOA community because of this issue.
“This is why you buy a home without an HOA!! I refused to buy in an HOA community,” one viewer said.