Angela and Garrett Holmes were taken aback when they received a letter from the Housing Association demanding the removal of Angela’s wheelchair ramp. They initially thought it was a mistake, but things took a more serious turn when the association put a lien on their house. The couple knew they had to take action to fight back against this unexpected demand.
For a decade, Angela, Garrett, and their young daughter Mary lived peacefully in their Matt Juliet residence with no issues from their community or housing association. However, on December 15th, 2017, a letter arrived that would rock their world.
Throughout their 10-year stay, not one complaint was made against the Holmes. Even the wheelchair ramp built by Angela went unnoticed by fellow tenants in the apartment complex, who were happy to offer assistance without prompting. Upon pondering her predicament, Angela realized that a new president had been appointed to the HOA board and had made comments regarding the wheelchair ramp. She began to suspect that this new leader might be behind the complaint.
Despite ignoring their frequent letters regarding her wheelchair ramp, Angela was shocked when an urgent threat arrived, demanding her appearance to explain her actions or suffer the consequences. Angela took matters into her own hands and confronted the Housing Association board to inquire about their demand for her to remove her wheelchair ramp. Despite the board’s discomfort with the question, the new president stated that it was unsightly, leaving Angela with no doubt where she stood.
In a show of determination, she refused to comply with the unreasonable request and left the office, standing up for her rights. The day after Angela refused to remove her wheelchair ramp, she received a notification from the Housing Association that a lien had been placed on her house. The only way to have it removed was to comply with the request to remove the ramp.
With a heavy heart, Angela asked Garrett if he could bring the ramp into the house. He refused at first, stating that they didn’t have to comply with such a ridiculous request. But once Angela informed him of the lien, his tone changed. They had effectively been blackmailed into accepting the request.
That night, Angela and Garrett sat down to discuss their options. Garrett wanted to fight back with full force, willing to go to court if necessary. However, Angela wasn’t too sure; she didn’t want any more problems than she already had, especially not in the place where they were living. In some places, an HOA could force the occupants to move out.
The couple was unsure of how to proceed. They wanted the ramp to be put back up, but they didn’t want to go through all the hassles with the Housing Association. Angela was convinced that they didn’t have a choice but to agree with what they were told. She was the only one affected by the ramp, so it was her decision, right?
She convinced her husband that it was the best way to go about things, even though she knew that she would suffer the consequences. Even though Angela worked from home and had gotten used to the environment, she was starting to feel trapped. In the past, she could go out if she wanted to, but now she had to wait for someone to come home before she could go anywhere. It was torture, and she desperately wanted it to come to an end.
Weeks had gone by, and the claustrophobic feeling she had was only getting worse. Angela tried complying by staying indoors, but roaming her halls presented a second problem that they didn’t appreciate. One morning, Angela got another email from the Housing Association. They hadn’t stopped harassing her, and now that she was moving up and down the halls, things were only getting worse. She received letters from them daily, stating that she was disrupting the peace.
After a month of endless complaints and being cooped up in her home, Angela broke down. She simply couldn’t take it anymore. She was done with the constant complaints, but mostly she was fed up with having her freedom revoked because someone thought it was an eyesore. All she wanted was to put her ramp back.
Needing to break away for a little while, Angela went to go visit her next-door neighbor. She had known June since they moved in, and she knew that a chat with the older woman would break the tension. Angela sat down and thanked her for letting her visit. She had a cup of tea, and they spoke about her recent troubles.
June’s face then turned serious; she had something to say. June informed Angela that the association had no foot to stand on. There was no way they could get through with their request, especially not if Angela decided to take them to court. She immediately called a lawyer to find out if there was any truth to June’s statement.
After getting home, her sullen expression had turned to a sinister smile. Maybe she was going to be the one harassing the HOA. All of her friends she contacted recommended this man above all others. She dialed the number and got him.
The lawyer picked up the phone, and Angela explained everything to him. The lawyer Angela spoke to told her that there was definitely some truth to her neighbor’s words. In the legal world, nothing worked without proof. If Angela really wanted to punish them for what they had done, she’d have to strike them where it hurt the most.
The lawyer, not knowing about everything that had happened, told Angela that he was willing to take on the case. But he also warned her that it would be a tough case. When Angela went to the lawyer’s office the next day, she presented him with every single letter she had received from the Housing Association since this incident began.
A brilliant idea came to the lawyer. The lawyer told Angela that their case was very strong. The letters alone proved that she was being discriminated against. The best part was that they weren’t even trying to hide it. Now that Angela had all the information she needed, she took the Housing Association to court.
The judge wasn’t happy with the situation at all. One of the most important acts that the Housing Association violated was the Americans with Disabilities Act. This act prohibits the discrimination of people with disabilities in everyday activities. The judge not only ordered the association to revoke the lien they placed on Angela’s property but also ordered them to compensate her for all the suffering they had put her through.
Angela would use that compensation to pull the ultimate act of revenge. She used it to buy the new president’s state-of-the-art apartment.
