Woman Wins $32,000 After 3-Year Battle Against Her HOA
A Texas woman is holding her head high after winning a three-year fight against her homeowners association (HOA). She told KSAT about the process, explaining how the rental unit she owned at the Oaks Northwest community came to be at the center of a legal battle.
Elizabeth Luna told the outlet how she had purchased the property as a rental, which was allowed at the time she bought the home. However, all of that went away when Luna accused HOA President Terri Thomure of making a change to the rules, essentially banning short-term rentals within the community.
After that, Luna says she and her tenant were targeted by the HOA, claiming that Thomure became so aggressive in a conversation with the tenant that she cancelled her lease just days after the meeting.
Later, Luna said she tried to sell the property, but the HOA instead blocked the sale and filed a legal claim against the home. However, three years later, Luna says she’s finally won her battle. Now she wants to share her story with others who are going through the same thing.
The HOA Was Accused of Changing the Rental Rules
It sounds like the trouble began when the HOA amended a clause about rentals within the 11-property community, saying that short-term lease agreements were no longer allowed. However, those rules were amended as well, according to the outlet. In court documents viewed by KSAT, Luna alleged that Thomure didn’t follow the proper rules when banning the rentals, which was a violation of Texas law, rendering the changes null and void.
Wanting to follow the rules, Luna told KSAT that she began looking for long-term renters anyway, securing a 12-month contract with one tenant. A tenant that Luna claimed was a victim of harassment after Thomure approached her assistant, asking for personal information about themselves and their visit.
Luna says that the tenant cancelled her rental agreement just days after the confrontation.
The HOA Blocked the Sale of the Property
Wanting to offload the property, Luna told KSAT that she listed the house for sale, only to have the HOA file a legal claim against it. A claim that a judge threw out later, allowing the landlord to sell her property in May 2024. After the sale, Luna filed a lawsuit against the organization.
“What was going through my head when all of this was happening is the abuse of power of the homeowners association,” she told the outlet. “I’ve seen online and on the broadcast multiple stories about homeowners associations running amok—boards not following rules and harassing and making homeowners’ lives difficult.”
The HOA Was Forced to Pay Up
According to KSAT, Judge Monique Diaz ruled in Luna’s favor in 2026, putting an end to the years-long battle. The judge ordered the HOA to pay $10,743.39 in damages, as well as $10,000 in attorney’s fees. Thomure was also handed a judgment and ordered to pay $12,500 for interfering with the rental contract. Luna says both have paid up.
Now, Luna hopes that her story will serve as a beacon of hope for others going through the same thing. “If you find that your board members are not following the rules, hold them accountable,” she said. “Hold them to a higher standard. Because often they abuse that power.”
On a Reddit post about the story, many people shared their joy at the news. “This put a smile on my face this morning,” one person wrote.
“Glad the HOA was held personally liable,” another wrote.
However, the most striking response was from those who wondered whether they could sue their HOA now as well. One person explained how a non-mandatory HOA had formed in their neighborhood, and the board had bullied the town into creating new requirements even though they never agreed to join the association. “I wonder if I can sue them,” they wrote.
