Arizona HOA Forecloses on Ailing Couple’s Home Over $977 in Unpaid Fees

A couple facing health challenges in Mesa, AZ, have lost their home to foreclosure after their homeowners association sued over an initial debt of less than $1,000.Toby Newton purchased the four-bedroom home in East Mesa for $475,000 in 2022. But in 2024, Newton lost his job and was diagnosed with diabetes. He struggled to pay his bills, including his HOA assessments, which came out to around $170 a quarter. All told, Newton owed $977 in HOA fees and interest.Newton says he knew he was falling behind and reached out to the HOA in 2024 to set up a payment plan, offering to pay $50 a month toward the principal. His offer was denied, so he countered first with an offer to pay $133.70 each month, and then with a $200-a-month payment plan.But again, he says, the HOA rejected the offer.By November 2024, the HOA, through its lawyer Augustus Shaw IV, had already initiated foreclosure proceedings. In July 2025, the foreclosure was made official in the Superior Court of Arizona. Court filings reported that Newton owed $1,311 for the missed HOA assessments, $1,042.09 in plaintiff's fees, and $3,345 in attorney's fees.The home was sold in a public auction in October 2025 to the Superstition Sp...