Florida woman inherits house from late father. But now her 155 neighbors are being forced to give $1k each to legally boot her out

A Jacksonville social media influencer says she is being pushed out of the Oakleaf home her late father left her, after the homeowners association for the 55-and-older community sued to remove her. Bethany Michel, 28, told News4JAX she inherited the Arbor Mill house after her father, a disabled veteran, died in October 2023.

The HOA has also proposed a $155,000 special assessment, which would require each of the community’s roughly 155 homeowners to pay about $1,000, according to the outlet. The money would reportedly go toward legal costs tied to enforcing the neighborhood’s age restrictions.

The board was apparently expected to vote on the assessment during a meeting on Wednesday evening. The meeting notice shows the board considered a $1,000-per-lot assessment totaling $155,000, with $2,325 of that amount going to the community’s management company, The CAM Team, for handling the assessment.

Michel says she moved in to care for dying father during pandemic

Michel said she moved into the Arbor Mill home in 2020 to help care for her father, who was terminally ill, after COVID-19 restrictions at his assisted living facility made it hard to manage his dialysis care. She said the arrangement continued until his death in 2023. “I 100% am being forced out,” Michel told News4JAX. “They’re trying to rip my office away from me, too.”

Michel, who has built a large following by posting restaurant reviews online, said she used her platform to draw attention to the dispute before homeowners voted on the proposed assessment. “I realized I had 48 hours before a special assessment was voted on,” she said. “I just did what I know to do and I posted about it on social media.” Similar inheritance disputes over family property can arise when tenants refuse to vacate.

According to Arbor Mill’s governing documents, cited by News4JAX, every occupied home in the community must include at least one resident age 55 or older, and no one under 19 is allowed to live there. The documents reportedly allow the HOA board to grant hardship exceptions at its discretion, as long as the community stays compliant with federal fair housing rules. Homeowners are also required to notify the association of occupancy changes, such as a death or inheritance, per the report.

The community’s declaration reportedly states that Arbor Mill is intended to comply with the federal Housing for Older Persons Act, which allows qualifying communities to restrict residency by age as long as at least one resident per home is 55 or older and other federal conditions are met.

Michel said the home’s builder knew her father planned to leave her the house and had assured the family she would be “grandfathered in” after his death. She said she has never seen documentation confirming that promise. “My dad’s biggest concern was something would happen to him,” she said. “His dying wish was that this house would be left to his daughter.”

Less than three months after her father died, Michel said she received a notice stating she no longer met the community’s age requirement and was asked to move. The dispute has since turned into a lawsuit, according to the outlet. “Every upgrade we made, [my dad] said, ‘This is going to be for you one day,'” Michel said. “It’s so sentimental. I sleep with the same pillow in the same bed that he did every day.”

Michel said she has lost access to neighborhood amenities, including the pool, gym and clubhouse, while the lawsuit continues. She also questioned whether homeowners on fixed incomes should have to help pay for the legal fight. Similar neighbor opposition has also forced families to travel an extra mile for hospital care in Seattle.

Although a home’s ownership can pass through inheritance, Arbor Mill’s governing documents reportedly state that ownership does not automatically grant the right to live there if the occupant doesn’t meet the age requirement. The declaration reportedly says owners under 55 may own property in the community but cannot live there unless occupancy rules are satisfied.

“Everyone here is one day, one breath, one year away from that question,” Michel said. “People need to think about what happens to their families.” Michel said several neighbors have told her they don’t want to pay for the legal fight. “I think people have a stronger desire not to pay $1,000 than they do for me to leave,” she said.

Her next-door neighbor, Bob Stadler, told News4JAX he agrees. “I don’t think we should have to pay,” Stadler said. “I can’t afford $1,000, and a lot of people around here are on a fixed income.” Stadler also said Michel has never caused problems in the neighborhood. “I never know she’s even there,” he said. “If she wants to stay, let her stay. If she wants to move, let her move. But don’t force her out.”

Under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act, at least 80% of occupied homes in a qualifying community must have one resident age 55 or older. The remaining 20% is meant to allow flexibility for situations involving younger spouses, caregivers or inherited homes, though individual HOAs may set stricter rules through their own governing documents.

Michel said she believes her situation reflects a broader issue that other families could eventually face. “For them to tell me to pick my life up and just get out because that’s what they want, that’s not right,” she said.