There is no doubt that Homeowner Associations do a lot of good for communities, especially in protecting everyone’s investment in their properties.

No one wants to fight with their neighbors because one or two people refuse to maintain their yards or are engaging in something that will drive down property values.

But no one enjoys having a group of power-hungry folks bossing them around, either.

It’s a fine line that people who serve on HOAs must walk, protecting everyone’s investment while trying not to appear too heavy-handed.

The Arizona Republic reported this month that HOAs are foreclosing on a record number of homeowners because of missed maintenance payments. Some people are losing their homes for as little as $1,200.

The state of Arizona allows HOAs to foreclose on a property if they miss payments for a year and the debt is $1,200 or more. What’s worse, is that homeowners desperately fighting to save their homes are finding it nearly impossible to determine how much they owe so they can pay it and keep the house, because HOAs are adding legal fees and interest on the late payments.

Lawyers are getting rich as HOAs take the homes of people who are struggling.  Read more: