Article Courtesy of The Tampa Bay Times
By D’Ann Lawrence White
Published February 13, 2017
RIVERVIEW — Tina and Luis Lopez have owned their Rivercrest home for 12 years, raised two children there, even taken part in community events including the holiday decorating contest.
Now, they’re just one step away from eviction — not for failing to keep up the payments like so many homeowners during the Great Recession but for missing one annual homeowners association fee that amounted to no more than $150.
Worse yet, they even have a canceled check showing they made the payment.
Still, late fees, lawyers costs and liens that have accrued in the seven years since then — combined with a notification system that favors the homeowners association over the homeowners — landed their property on the auction block. Read more: