HOA Drains Bank Account of Cancer Patient Due to Unpaid Dues

In the quiet community of Lester Point in Fairburn, Georgia, Ayanna Fuller, a hardworking woman diagnosed with stage three multiple myeloma, finds herself in a difficult financial predicament.

Ayanna, who works as a bus driver for Atlanta Public Schools and a Delta Airlines employee, purchased her home in Lester Point in 2007, a property overseen by Sentry Management. However, due to her unexpected cancer diagnosis in 2022, Ayanna found it challenging to keep up with her financial obligations, including her annual HOA dues of $350.

Sentry Management refused to defer Ayanna's dues, instead, they handed her case over to the Dunlap Gardiner law firm. In a turn of events, the law firm took $828.54 from Ayanna's bank account, including a $125 legal fee, which overdrew her account by $855.

Ayanna's doctor advised her to cut back to one job to preserve her health, but she chose to continue working to make ends meet. Despite her efforts, the overdrawn account left her vulnerable to additional fees and potential penalties.

Cedar Management Group, another HOA management company, stated that foreclosures are often triggered by a homeowner's failure to pay assessments and fees. In Ayanna's case, Sentry Management could have foreclosed on her home due to unpaid dues.

However, Ayanna's loan providers deferred her payments when she provided proof of her cancer diagnosis. This relief came as a much-needed respite, but the looming HOA fees still posed a significant threat.

Ayanna has started a GoFundMe to help pay her HOA dues and cover other expenses. In a statement, she said, "I don't know what I'm going to do. I did sign the contract, but people can't help stuff that happens in life. We just can't."

The HOA management company involved in the dispute with Ayanna Fuller, who is battling cancer, is Heritage Property Management. The community is now left to grapple with the question of whether it is fair to hold a cancer patient accountable for unpaid dues during such a challenging time.