Longwood residents face steep HOA fee hike over drain pipe dispute

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Published  November 15, 2024 7:55pm EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Residents see HOA fee hike over drain pipe dispute

Homeowners in the Shadow Bay neighborhood are bracing for an 86% increase in HOA fees next year after a neighbor poured concrete into a drain pipe, causing extensive flooding and damage.

LONGWOOD, Fla. - Homeowners in the Shadow Bay neighborhood are bracing for an 86% increase in HOA fees next year after a neighbor poured concrete into a drain pipe, causing extensive flooding and damage.

Annual fees are set to rise from $2,000 to more than $4,000 to cover litigation and repair costs, sparking frustration among residents.  

The neighbor at the center of the controversy, Diane Goglas, recently addressed the issue during a hearing. Goglas, who is legally obligated to replace the pipe, estimated repairs at $44,000 and has taken out a second mortgage to cover the costs. 

Despite her financial strain, she has refused to apologize, claiming she is addressing the issue and suggesting her neighbors owe her an apology instead.  

Flooding from the blocked pipe has trapped residents in their homes, damaged vehicles and streets, and killed trees. Residents expressed anger at the financial burden they are now shouldering.

"I mean, a number of us are now scared and really looking at our checkbooks and saying, I this something we can do? How long are we going to be able to keep doing this? And at what point does this end?'" said Janelle Taylor, a Shadow Bay resident.  

Taylor said she and her neighbors have been stressed and worried.

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"We don't want our lives to revolve around a pipe. And I'm real sorry that she feels it's inconvenient for her to fix the problem that she has caused," Taylor said of Goglas.

Goglas told the court she filled the pipe with concrete in response to washouts on her property, believing the drainage system was her responsibility. She admitted to warning neighbors in March that her actions might cause flooding but hoped the concrete would solve the issue. 

Shadow Bay HOA Treasurer Robin Rodriguez called her mitigation efforts, including installing a pump, "the bare minimum."  

"It's unreal," she added.

Goglas’ court-ordered compliance deadline for replacing the pipe is January 8, with another hearing scheduled for January 9. Residents, meanwhile, remain frustrated by the ongoing ordeal. 

"We are basically footing the bill for this fight just to protect our homes from a neighbor," Taylor said. "It shouldn’t be this way."

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