California Condo Owners Face Shock $26,000 HOA Fee for Emergency Roof Repair

A group of homeowners in San Clemente, CA, is scrambling for answers after their homeowners association hit each of them with a $26,000 emergency assessment to replace their roofs.The Vilamoura condo complex, a luxury condo community located south of Los Angeles in Orange County, has nearly 200 units.Residents there say the Vilamoura HOA Board and the condo's management company told them they would need to either pay the amount up front or sign up for an installment payment plan, requiring them to pay $12,000 over the next six months and the remaining amount after.The HOA board urged condo owners take out a loan, borrow against home equity, or dip into retirement savings to cover the sudden expense, residents say.That doesn't seem feasible to many residents, though, many of whom are retired or living on a fixed income. Vilamoura condo Megan Blanda called the suggestions "unacceptable.""They're not going to be able to afford this, and the board's response is to take out a loan, or take out equity of your house, or dip into your retirement, and I feel like that's just unacceptable," she told ABC7. One resident, 81-year-old Beverly Albright, told the outlet the charge would force her ...