Minimum amount before they can put a lien on my home?

I own a condo in a community, they sent a letter saying they will put a lien on my property in 10 days if I don't pay the $350 due.
For various odd reasons, I don't feel I should have to pay the $350 (or put it in an escrow account). Is it true they can't put a lien on the property until the fees reach $1200? They can't put a lien on my property for $350, right?
I'm in Arizona.
THANKS

Lisa,
RIGHT!! Your home can be liened for non payment of dues.

So why aren't you paying them? It is not up to you whether you feel that you should or should not. It is what is required of you for living within an association. Who do you think pays for all of the outside care and maintenances around your condo? I could go on with this list for some time but I won't. It is your responsibility to pay. If you have a gripe with the HOA, then you take care of it thru the proper channels but you still keep up to date with your assessments. Sorry!

I didn't want to explain it all, but I guess I will have to-

A couple purchased an apartment complex (borrowing $2.5 million dollars to do so) and renovated it and sold off the units individually. We purchased one of those condos. We were given clear title, and have been paying our mortgage on time, every month. Free HOA dues for one year were included. The one year just ended in Jan.

The problem is, besides the original sellers being jerks to our tenants and everyone else's tenants, there are 2 reasons we do not want to pay the HOA dues:
1. They do not use the HOA money for what they are supposed to. They don't pay the trash service, so dumpsters don't get collected. They don't pay their gas bill, so no one in the entire complex has hot water for 2 weeks straight. They don't pay any landscaping service, so the grass goes weeks without getting cut, becoming severely overgrown and ugly. Ants overtake the sidewalks and pool area. Trash bins around the complex are overflowing. And the pool, in the middle of the complex, was condemned by the city because they didn't maintain it- it became green and smelly and was growing things.

2. The people we bought the condo from didn't pay back their original investors (2 separate groups). We were given clear title, put apparently there was some sort of forgery or photocopying of documents, and now both sets of original investors are trying to foreclose on US as well as every other homeowner in the complex. There are about 30 of us. We all have been paying our mortgages on time, and now none of us can sell or refi or anything. The Title Company is fighting the foreclosures in court, they don't want to pay. It's a huge mess.

This place has been a NIGHTMARE. The HOA president is the 21 year old daughter of the couple we purchased the condo from. They don't use the HOA money for what it's for, they're shady crooks and I don't want to give them a CENT.

LisaW2 - Reasons for your not paying are not compelling enough to warrant your holding back your fare share. If you don't pay than there's no chance the services will be ever be accomplished. Regardless as to your belief they are "shady crooks", and that you "don't want to give them a CENT". My suggestion is for you to pay the $350.00, and continue to pay what you owe. Consider working on getting new Board members (including yourself) to turn things around for the positive. Now, you can always take up the more important matter which is holding the existing Board in breach of it's fiduciary duty, and requirement to maintain the elements. For that you are going to need proof, and may even need an attorney. You should consider, as a first step before suit, to send a certified letter return receipt requested seeking an alternative dispute resolution meeting to privately discuss your grievances of the Board's activities.

Lisa

As painful and boring as this might be, you need to sit down and read the declaration and bylaws of your condo association as the very first step.

You need to understand who has what obligation(s) to do what.

Lisa - If it is indeed valid dues or assessment, there is already an automatic lien on your unit until paid under Arizona statutes. Here's what it says about foreclosure - "(delinquent)...for a period of one year or in the amount of one thousand two hundred dollars or more, whichever occurs first." So yes, after being delinquent for one year they can foreclose on the $350. Look up Arizona Revised Statutes 33-1807 for the complete details. Harold

HaroldS - According to Lisa she had the first year waived, I wonder if that is in writing. If that is the case she can't get a lien until the amount due equals $1,200. If that's the case could you imagine what would occur if everyone in Lisa's condo didn't pay the $175.00 per month until the $1,200 past due amount is reached? Maybe that's what has occurred, maybe the owners were lied to being told they don't have to pay the first year, maybe that explains why the services aren't being fulfilled. Or maybe not. : )

The first year was waived for us, we have received two assessments, Jan 08 and Feb 08, so they're deliquent 1-2 months at most.
We do all have legal counsel, it is a very crazy situation! I found in the AZ laws where it says it has to reach $1200 first.

HaroldS - My "paying attention" yes, my "Not understanding" yes. Now I understand, thank you for your clarification, a more friendly way to phrase it and offer information.