Soldier in Iraq Loses Home Over $800 Debt

[kas125]

Michael Clauer is a captain in the Army Reserve who commanded over 100 soldiers in Iraq. But while he was fighting for his country, a different kind of battle was brewing on the home front. Last September, Michael returned to Frisco, Texas, to find that his homeowners' association had foreclosed on his $300,000 house—and sold it for $3,500. This is story illustrates the type of legal quagmire that can get out of hand while soldiers are serving abroad and their families are dealing with the stress of their deployment. And fixing the mess isn't easy.

Michael went on active duty in February 2008 and was sent to Iraq. After he shipped out, his wife May slipped into a deep depression, according to court documents. "A lot of people say that the deployment is more stressful on the spouse than the actual person who's being deployed," Michael, 37, says in an interview with Mother Jones. May Clauer had two kids to take care of—a ten-year-old and a one-year-old with a serious seizure-related disorder. In addition, she was worried sick about her husband. Michael's company was doing convoy security in Iraq—an extremely dangerous job. "It was a pretty tough year for the whole company," he says. "We had IEDs, rocket attacks and mortar attacks, and a few soldiers that were hurt pretty bad and had to be airlifted back to the States."

Seeking to avoid hearing about the situation in Iraq, May stopped watching the news. She rarely answered the door, and Michael says he couldn't tell her when he went "outside the wire"—off-base. May also stopped opening the mail. "I guess she was scared that she would hear bad news," says Michael. That was why she missed multiple notices from the Heritage Lakes Homeowners Association informing her that the family owed $800 in dues—and then subsequent notices stating that the HOA was preparing to foreclose on the debt and seize the home.

In Texas, homeowners' associations can foreclose on homes without a court order, no matter the size of the debt. In May 2008, the HOA sold the Clauers' home for a pittance—$3,500—although its appraisal value was $300,000, according to court documents. The buyer then resold the house to a third person. (Select Management Co., the company that manages Heritage Lakes, declined to comment for this story.)

more: http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/05/soldier-iraq-loses-home-homeowners-association-foreclose

[Robb]

1. "Got what he deserved" in 3, 2, 1.

...Shall it be that he bought more home than he could afford? Or perhaps that, as a trained killer, he doesn't deserve a home anyway? :eyes:

[atreides1]

3. Wrong

What he deserved was support by his unit and the US Army, failing that he should have at least had the support of his friends and neighbors.

But, just like it's always been, the reality is never the same as the spin.

[Lorien]

4. Authoritarianism does run rampant here these days

makes the ghost of Ronnie Raygun grin.

[readmoreoften]

5. Don't worry, the "personal responsibility" shock troops are on their way.

Nothing is a systemic problem. Everything is a personal failure. Kinda like Republican ideology, but with a "D" behind it.

[HillbillyBob]

2. i positively hate condo commandos

When we left Fl partner said choose..tx or nc..I had never been to tx and would be tempted to hunt down the former occupant of the WH..
So I said NC and glad I did. I know there are lots of nice folks there..but there are too many hateful bastards running loose for my taste.

We were looking at a condo in fl, they started off by telling us we could not have a car more than 4 or 5 yrs old, no pickups, no motor cycles etc. We had an antique hog, a 15yr old Datsun 280zx and a new Dakota.

This is so f in wrong.

[Pubslayer]

6. not a story

They sent her repeated notices, she chose not to read them and pay her bills. I am sorry he married such a damaged and irresponsible women. So you want the taxpayers to form a committee to babysit people's mailboxes? And maybe buy their property for them if the bills don't get paid?

[Mopar151]

7. How about the part WHERE THE HOUSE GOT STOLEN!

Would'nt you love to be so well connected, as to pay $3500 for a $300K property?

[givemebackmycountry]

9. You know what else isn't a story?

Your short lived stay here at DU you insensitive small minded person.
I dialed that WAY back.

See ya

[Stargazer09]

10. Damaged and irresponsible?

You obviously don't have much experience with the military way of life, do you?

Nor do you have any earthly idea of how difficult it is to deal with a small child with a serious medical problem. That alone is difficult for two parents, much less one who is more or less a single parent, and I don't blame her for wanting to lay low and not deal with the military side of things during her husband's deployment. She had her hands full as it was.

As a military spouse, I often traveled away from home during my husband's deployments. It was nice to see my parents and brothers while forgetting about the war for a while. Just because this HOA supposedly sent notices does not mean that they ensured receipt of those notices. Would you feel the same way if she had simply left the house for a few weeks and didn't have her mail forwarded?

After reading the story, it sounds to me that the HOA went out of their way to *not* notify the owners of the house of the debt. They were probably salivating at the prospect of stealing that house, especially since they probably knew it was free and clear and the husband was out of the country.

My husband is due to retire from the military next year. Even though he's from Texas, he is not too happy about moving back there after retirement. It sounds like the politics are pretty awful there.

[JohnWxy]

8. RECOMMENDED.