U.S. Soldier Evicted by Homeowners Association While Serving in Iraq

Katie McCaskey
Updated
military man's home sold by homeowner's association while he was deployed
military man's home sold by homeowner's association while he was deployed

Capt. Michael Clauer of Frisco, Texas was deployed and serving his country in Iraq when the Heritage Lakes Homeowners Association decided to sell his family's home.

The story is an especially surprising one considering that the HOA foreclosed on the home owned by Capt. Clauer, who serves in the Army Reserve, and his wife May because their monthly association dues of $800 were late, and that the company that manages the HOA proceeded to sell the house without notifying them.

Even more shockingly, Select Management, which oversees the Heritage Lakes housing development, sold the Clauers' home to a bidder for just $3,500. That purchaser, in turn, flipped it to another owner. And here's the clincher: The Clauers owned their $300,000 home free and clear.

May Clauer told HousingWatch, "We think our case demonstrates how much power HOAs have in Texas. HOAs can take away your home without a court order, which is more power than our local government has. We did not know HOAs could do that."

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