HOMEOWNERS fear for their safety after being constantly harassed by the president of their Homeowners Association.
Residents said they’ve started putting security cameras around their homes to ensure the HOA president, Melanie Downing, isn’t trespassing on their property.
Homeowners in the Greighfield community in Loganville, east of Atlanta, Georgia, claim that Downing is taunting those who said she is mishandling HOA funds, Atlanta News First reported.
“Over the last three years, she has been terrorizing every homeowner here,” resident Frank Bosah told the outlet.
Downing inexplicably sent Bosah a debt collection bill of $137,768.
“I have no idea,” Bosah said. “My attorney also said there’s no indication of any violation.”
Bosah fears that Downing wants his home–which is entirely possible under Georgia law.
Under state law, an HOA is allowed to foreclose on a home if unpaid fines exceed $2,000 and the homeowner has been given a 30-day notice.
Bosah, who lives in his six-bedroom home with his kids, said he will “fight for [his] home.”
“It is a dream for me and my family,” the homeowner said.
Downing’s actions haven’t just affected Bosah; her own neighbors said she’s terrorized their lives.
“Me and my wife … wish we had never moved in and just asked our parents to do something else,” Downing’s neighbor John Coleman said.
“Our property is at risk.”
Coleman filed a police report against Downing, alleging that she had kicked him during a property line argument.
After filing the report, Coleman received a $10,150 fine without any explanation.
“As a result of what’s been going on, my mom has been hospitalized, as well as my dad and even myself,” he said.
Since Downing took over as president, fees were raised from $500 in 2019 to $1,316 in 2025.
Downing elected her own two-man board and shared proposed budgets for 2024 and 2025 but withheld the receipts.
What is an HOA?
One in five Americans live in an area with a Homeowners' Association - or HOA. But what exactly is it that they do?
An HOA is a homeowner’s association – an organization that aims to maintain a clean and cohesive place to live for its residents. Entire neighborhoods, subdivisions, condominiums, family homes, or townhouses within “a planned development” will often make up an HOA. They also act as a governing body for tenants, who run and fund the HOA through monthly fees. Their principal aims are to keep the community functioning and visually appealing and to maintain property values. They primarily focus on common areas of a neighborhood, such as roads, parks, and pools – but may also stipulate what residents can do with their properties, such as yards and driveways. Often these restrictions enforce uniformity on properties, for example, ensuring most houses look the same and all driveways are clear of weeds. An HOA rulebook of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R) is distributed to all residents, and an elected volunteer board of directors enforces these regulations. Breaking these rules can result in penalties such as fines and even litigation – as most HOAs are incorporated and subject to state law. HOAs are often the subject of controversy, with some members feeling that the rules are too punitive and restricting, or that the leadership has too much power. But others like that HOAs give communities the power of self-governance, and can ensure a degree of harmony between residents.The HOA president also astronomically raised grounds and maintenance costs from $4,000 in 2021 to $18,000 in 2025.
“I feel like there could be something bad behind the scenes,” homeowner Billy Fan told Atlanta News First.
Downing revved up her game this year by hiring a management company and law firm to collect debts totaling $17,000.
SMGmanagement told ANF that the company ended its contract with the HOA after “serious conflict among homeowners.”
“SMGmanagement no longer provides management services for this HOA. Our company was hired in January 2025 to provide property management services for the HOA. At the direction of the Board, correspondence was sent to homeowners as part of the management agreement,” the company wrote.
“However, after receiving information about a serious conflict among the homeowners, SMG felt it could not continue to provide management services, and the Board of Directors was notified that the management contract was terminated.”
In a video shared of Downing during an HOA meeting, she can be heard telling homeowners they only have 10 days to fix issues they’re notified of or they’ll be fined $3,500.
Downing claimed that she’s “grandfathered in” for certain rules, so she’s exempt from having to fix them.
When talking about rocks that she has on her property, she said: “That is when we started, coming up a little bit off of the covenants and what the restrictions were and we grandfathered some people in at that time which would be like myself, because you cannot see the side of my home.”
There are no mentions of homeowners who are grandfathered in for certain rules, per the Greighfield Homeowners Association covenants and bylaws.
ANFResidents have come together to vote out Downing[/caption] ANFSome residents are going to court claiming that Downing harassed them[/caption]TAKING OVER THE BOARD
In an effort to try and overthrow Downing, residents opted to hold an election for a new HOA president on February 1, 2025.
Downing allegedly required the group to pay a $200 special assessment fee as well as a $50 late fee for voting.
The election resulted in Takesha Allen becoming the new legal HOA president along with completely new board members.
“We held the election, we got the majority vote and here we are,” Allen said.
Downing has yet to acknowledge the change and began sending mysterious fines to homeowners who voted for Allen.
Community member Billy Fan was fined for having a “unicorn” in his garden, which is actually a gnome he’s had in his garden for two years.
“I received a notice saying you have a unicorn in your garden, and that I should remove it,” Fan said.
“I don’t have a unicorn. I have a garden gnome.”
Other members received fines for having religious decorations on their homes.
“It is unjustified,” resident Jacques Boyd said. “It is unlawful, and this community is tired of it.”
GETTING BACK
Residents are officially taking Downing to court to settle their issues.
Atlanta News First reported that one family filed a lawsuit accusing the president of harassment and the incoming HOA board requested that a judge assist with transferring HOA dues.
“I have worked so hard to achieve what I have,” Bosah said.
“It’s not by a crooked way; it’s not by stealing; it’s not by fraud. It’s by hard work.”
While the Georgia Property Owner’s Association gives homeowners the right to view HOA financial records, the law is hardly ever enforced.
The state attorney general’s office advises homeowners to hire a private attorney to petition for an audit.
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