Soldier in Iraq Loses Home Over $800 Debt

[Modbert]

Soldier in Iraq Loses Home Over $800 Debt | Mother Jones

Michael Clauer is a captain in the Army Reserve who commanded over 100 soldiers in Iraq. But while he was fighting for his country, a different kind of battle was brewing on the home front. Last September, Michael returned to Frisco, Texas, to find that his homeowners' association had foreclosed on his $300,000 house—and sold it for $3,500. This story illustrates the type of legal quagmire that can get out of hand while soldiers are serving abroad and their families are dealing with the stress of their deployment. And fixing the mess isn't easy.

Michael went on active duty in February 2008 and was sent to Iraq. After he shipped out, his wife May slipped into a deep depression, according to court documents. "A lot of people say that the deployment is more stressful on the spouse than the actual person who's being deployed," Michael, 37, says in an interview with Mother Jones. May Clauer had two kids to take care of—a ten-year-old and a one-year-old with a serious seizure-related disorder. In addition, she was worried sick about her husband. Michael's company was doing convoy security in Iraq—an extremely dangerous job. "It was a pretty tough year for the whole company," he says. "We had IEDs, rocket attacks and mortar attacks, and a few soldiers that were hurt pretty bad and had to be airlifted back to the States."

Seeking to avoid hearing about the situation in Iraq, May stopped watching the news. She rarely answered the door, and Michael says he couldn't tell her when he went "outside the wire"—off-base. May also stopped opening the mail. "I guess she was scared that she would hear bad news," says Michael. That was why she missed multiple notices from the Heritage Lakes Homeowners Association informing her that the family owed $800 in dues—and then subsequent notices stating that the HOA was preparing to foreclose on the debt and seize the home.

In Texas, homeowners' associations can foreclose on homes without a court order, no matter the size of the debt. In May 2008, the HOA sold the Clauers' home for a pittance—$3,500—although its appraisal value was $300,000, according to court documents. The buyer then resold the house to a third person. (Select Management Co., the company that manages Heritage Lakes, declined to comment for this story.)

It wasn't until June 2009 that May realized what had happened. Around that time, the new owner started demanding rent from the Clauers.

At no point did anyone from the HOA—which is, after all, composed of the Clauers' neighbors—appear to have tried to visit May Clauer's house to talk to her about the problem. "The HOA board members...don't live very far from me at all," Michael Clauer says. There were "neighbors owing much more than us [who] were notified in person of pending foreclosures, but my wife only received a few letters."

The fact things have even gotten this far is simply insane.

 

[strollingbones]

Mother Jones, i am impressed.

 

[Screaming Eagle]

I have the 'kickback" alarm going off in my head. Who sells a house for $3500? Only someone who's getting a kickback from the people they are selling it to.

 

[Avatar4321]

$800? They foreclosed over $800???

Holy crap that's insane. Yeah, someone is getting a kickback there.

 

[CurveLight]

Mother Jones, i am impressed.

Instead of trying to hide behind partisan blinders why don't you admit you don't give a fuck if the article is accurate or not?

 

[dilloduck]

I'm always suspicious of stories that paint people as pitiful victims. I'll reserve judgement until I hear the rest of the story.

 

[CurveLight]

The numbers don't make sense but I don't doubt he lost his home. Many soldiers activated to full duty lose their homes, jobs, and custody over their children while deployed. These crimes happen because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops.

 

[dilloduck]

The numbers don't make sense but I don't doubt he lost his home. Many soldiers activated to full duty lose their homes, jobs, and custody over their children while deployed. These crimes happen because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops.

Bullshit---you might wanna look into the effort Red Cross makes to assist our troops in more ways than you can think of.

 

[goldcatt]

The numbers don't make sense but I don't doubt he lost his home. Many soldiers activated to full duty lose their homes, jobs, and custody over their children while deployed. These crimes happen because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops.

It does happen, especially when we're relying so heavily on Guardsmen and Reservists who are called away from jobs that often pay a lot more than they get on active duty. But it's a little more complicated than "We as a nation don't give a flying fuck". There are special rules for things like foreclosures on homes belonging to deployed servicemen and their families, for one thing. Private entities with help available are another. The problem is getting the families involved aware of what's out there and willing to take the help. It's also getting drooling idiots (like the people running this HOA apparently are) to have a little understanding and work with these people. And for goodness' sake, open your mail!

 

[dilloduck]

SAF Services

I think that qualifies as "giving a flying fuck".

 

[CurveLight]

SAF Services

I think that qualifies as "giving a flying fuck".

What part of "As a nation" was mind confuzzling?

 

[CurveLight]

The numbers don't make sense but I don't doubt he lost his home. Many soldiers activated to full duty lose their homes, jobs, and custody over their children while deployed. These crimes happen because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops.

It does happen, especially when we're relying so heavily on Guardsmen and Reservists who are called away from jobs that often pay a lot more than they get on active duty. But it's a little more complicated than "We as a nation don't give a flying fuck". There are special rules for things like foreclosures on homes belonging to deployed servicemen and their families, for one thing. Private entities with help available are another. The problem is getting the families involved aware of what's out there and willing to take the help. It's also getting drooling idiots (like the people running this HOA apparently are) to have a little understanding and work with these people. And for goodness' sake, open your mail!

I'm fully aware of the "special" rules but they are moot due to lack of enforcement. This is because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops and this weekend is a perfect example. Instead of honoring Troops most of America will use Memorial Day as an excuse to have cook outs, get drunk, and get a paid holiday (for the lucky ones).

Bullshit ceremonies will give PC lip service but it doesn't do anything for the troops still trapped in occupying foreign nations. All it does is feed the illusion we care about our Troops because there was a........fucking ceremony.

 

[dilloduck]

SAF Services

I think that qualifies as "giving a flying fuck".

What part of "As a nation" was mind confuzzling?

The "nation" supports the Red Cross through thousands of hours of volunteerism and financial donations. I highly recommend that you high tail it outta this idiotic assertion.

 

[goldcatt]

The numbers don't make sense but I don't doubt he lost his home. Many soldiers activated to full duty lose their homes, jobs, and custody over their children while deployed. These crimes happen because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops.

It does happen, especially when we're relying so heavily on Guardsmen and Reservists who are called away from jobs that often pay a lot more than they get on active duty. But it's a little more complicated than "We as a nation don't give a flying fuck". There are special rules for things like foreclosures on homes belonging to deployed servicemen and their families, for one thing. Private entities with help available are another. The problem is getting the families involved aware of what's out there and willing to take the help. It's also getting drooling idiots (like the people running this HOA apparently are) to have a little understanding and work with these people. And for goodness' sake, open your mail!

I'm fully aware of the "special" rules but they are moot due to lack of enforcement. This is because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops and this weekend is a perfect example. Instead of honoring Troops most of America will use Memorial Day as an excuse to have cook outs, get drunk, and get a paid holiday (for the lucky ones).

Bullshit ceremonies will give PC lip service but it doesn't do anything for the troops still trapped in occupying foreign nations. All it does is feed the illusion we care about our Troops because there was a........fucking ceremony.

Problem with lack of enforcement, again, is getting the word out. How many military families - espcially of Guard and Reservists - actually know the provisions of the SSRA and their protections? You better believe Uncle Sam will enforce it, but they have to know about it to do so. The fault for that doesn't lie with the families, but the employer (in this case the military) needs to be more effective in letting these families know their rights.

 

[dilloduck]

Red Cross workers in hundreds of chapters and on military installations brief departing service members and their families regarding available support services and explain how the Red Cross may assist them during the deployment.

The American Red Cross provides the following services for the Armed Forces:

Emergency Communications: Keeping military personnel in touch with their families during family emergencies such as death, serious illness or the birth of a child. American Red Cross emergency messages provide military personnel and their commanders with fast, reliable information to help them make decisions about emergency leave, deferment, compassionate reassignment, and hardship discharge. The American Red Cross transmits more than 1.4 million emergency messages each year to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.
Financial Assistance: The American Red Cross verifies the need for financial assistance when an urgent personal or family crisis arises – that is, when you might need financial assistance for emergency travel, burial of a loved one, or urgent health and welfare needs such as food and shelter. Then the Red Cross acts as a disbursing agent for the Military Aid Society.
Counseling: Providing counseling, information, referrals and other social services to military families. This role is becoming increasingly important as more community based military, such as National Guard and Reserves are called to active duty.

http://www.redcrossneny.org/military_services/

 

[Gatekeeper]

Another demonstration if true, in my opinion, of how these vultures salivate at the thought of screwing others out of every penny they have, regardless of whether or not it's some defenseless elderly person or a military person serving their country that provides "THEM" with the freedom that allows them to take advantage of the rest of society.

I wonder who else is "In with this" getting kickbacks and other rewards for allowing these slime to 'steal' in this manner.

There is usually more to this story I am sure. $800, in so called back payments, does not justify 'stealing' someones home out from under them, it doesn't add up. Gotta run..........

 

[Madeline]

I begin with a caveat: this happened in California. Every kind of law is different out there, so I can't be certain.

But the Soldiers and Sailors Act (a federal law) more or less prohibits litigation against a person on active duty and sets VERY high notice standards, etc. for those stationed in the US who are enlisted in the military. Either the sale was illegal and can be unwound or the homeowners aren't telling you all that happened.

I really doubt this house was "stolen" from a US military family.

 

[Meister]

The numbers don't make sense but I don't doubt he lost his home. Many soldiers activated to full duty lose their homes, jobs, and custody over their children while deployed. These crimes happen because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops.

It does happen, especially when we're relying so heavily on Guardsmen and Reservists who are called away from jobs that often pay a lot more than they get on active duty. But it's a little more complicated than "We as a nation don't give a flying fuck". There are special rules for things like foreclosures on homes belonging to deployed servicemen and their families, for one thing. Private entities with help available are another. The problem is getting the families involved aware of what's out there and willing to take the help. It's also getting drooling idiots (like the people running this HOA apparently are) to have a little understanding and work with these people. And for goodness' sake, open your mail!

I'm fully aware of the "special" rules but they are moot due to lack of enforcement. This is because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops and this weekend is a perfect example. Instead of honoring Troops most of America will use Memorial Day as an excuse to have cook outs, get drunk, and get a paid holiday (for the lucky ones).

Bullshit ceremonies will give PC lip service but it doesn't do anything for the troops still trapped in occupying foreign nations. All it does is feed the illusion we care about our Troops because there was a........fucking ceremony.

I see this has come down to bashing the US because it is so evil. Where have I heard this before? Oh yeah, from our president. Looks like bent light is in lockstep

 

[Meister]

Mother Jones, i am impressed.

Instead of trying to hide behind partisan blinders why don't you admit you don't give a fuck if the article is accurate or not?

Bones....has partisan blinders?
I see you don't know what your talking about, but that doesn't surprise me at all, bent.

 

[Ringel05]

The numbers don't make sense but I don't doubt he lost his home. Many soldiers activated to full duty lose their homes, jobs, and custody over their children while deployed. These crimes happen because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops.

It does happen, especially when we're relying so heavily on Guardsmen and Reservists who are called away from jobs that often pay a lot more than they get on active duty. But it's a little more complicated than "We as a nation don't give a flying fuck". There are special rules for things like foreclosures on homes belonging to deployed servicemen and their families, for one thing. Private entities with help available are another. The problem is getting the families involved aware of what's out there and willing to take the help. It's also getting drooling idiots (like the people running this HOA apparently are) to have a little understanding and work with these people. And for goodness' sake, open your mail!

I'm fully aware of the "special" rules but they are moot due to lack of enforcement. This is because as a nation we don't give a flying fuck about our Troops and this weekend is a perfect example. Instead of honoring Troops most of America will use Memorial Day as an excuse to have cook outs, get drunk, and get a paid holiday (for the lucky ones).

Bullshit ceremonies will give PC lip service but it doesn't do anything for the troops still trapped in occupying foreign nations. All it does is feed the illusion we care about our Troops because there was a........fucking ceremony.

Why is it you almost always take the most extreme (patently undefendable and always emotive) position on just about everything?