Henry County HOA ousted after residents get $29K bill to fix dam

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - A massive bill from a homeowners association has led to a bitter neighborhood feud in Henry County.

On Tuesday night, the Lake Dow Estates HOA was unseated by residents furious that they'd have to fork over up to $30,000 each to fix a dam.

"It's awful," Lake Dow Estates resident Charlotte Burton said. "It's just terrible."

A lot of residents are outraged over the massive bill and are worried they won't be able to come up with the money.

"We've always had a wonderful neighborhood, loved being here, and it's completely changed," Burton told FOX 5. "It's like there's two groups of … two different groups of people anymore."

One group feels that sooner or later, the Lake Dow Estates community will have to come up with the money.

The dam sits on the lake, which is on the homeowners association's property. A few years ago, Georgia officials reclassified the dam and mandated that they had to lower the water level or make serious improvements to it. 

The cost of those improvements now stands at $8.9 million.

"People aren't happy with that," resident Blake Turner said.

Turner was against ousting the board and for the dam improvements. He claims everyone agreed to the rules when they moved in.

"Our covenants very clearly state that everybody pays equal, whether you're on the lake or off the lake, whether you use the lake or you don't use the lake," he said,

But other residents say they're afraid of losing their homes if they don't come up with their share of the multi-million dollar price tag - $29,000 an acre.

Those who don't live near the lake don't see why the repairs are their responsibility.

"I think the board members were very emotional," former HOA board member Demetria Bolar said, She was one of the members of the board who stepped aside as they were being voted out and replaced at this week's meeting.

She says the lower water level has left a muddy mess and lowered nearby property values.

"People just have an empty hole of mud with trees and what it's doing to the value of our homes," she said, "Not being able to come out and enjoy your backyard is sad."

What may be sadder is a community that can't get along.

"We can't even be friendly anymore in this community because now it's the lake owners versus the non-lake owners," Bolar said,

At this point, it's up to the newly elected board to decide what they want to do - whether they want to continue pursuing this project or find an alternative.