Officials are taking a stand against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development over a foreclosure in The Villages.
The property in question is located at 1703 Sanderling St. in the Village of St. Charles. The home ran afoul of Community Standards in 2023 due to an inoperable mold-covered car in the driveway, overgrown bushes and weeds.
The property was brought back into compliance this past January, but has incurred $20,300 in fines and there have been about $1,900 in legal and administrative costs for the Community Development District 5 Board of Supervisors, which fought to bring the property back into compliance.
The CDD 5 board filed a lien against the property to try to recover the money it is owed.
The homeowner purchased the home in 2019 and financed the property through HUD. It went into foreclosure in 2024. During the foreclosure process, HUD negated the CDD 5 lien.
CDD 5 Board Chairman Gary Kadow, who worked for HUD in New York years ago, said HUD cannot use its federal authority to try to rid itself of the lien filed in state court. At Tuesday’s meeting at SeaBreeze Recreation Center, Kadow said the board couldn’t “just roll over” and accept HUD’s action.
“The precedent is what I am worried about. It may cost us some grief and some paperwork, but at least we can stand up to them,” Kadow said. “The government and everybody else will make out on this and we are left holding the bag.”
At the very least, the board hopes to recover the $1,900 it is owed for legal and administrative costs.
In addition, the board agreed to contact Congressman Daniel Webster and seek his assistance in this matter.