HOA liens climb 8.6% nationwide in 2025, with Sun Belt states feeling the most heat

Homeowners associations (HOAs) filed 284,933 liens against U.S. homeowners in 2025 — an 8.6% increase from the 262,446 filings in 2024 and the equivalent of roughly one lien recorded every 90 seconds — according to property records compiled by Benutech.

An HOA lien is a legal claim placed on a property when an owner falls behind on assessments, fees or fines. In many states, these liens can be enforced through foreclosure.

The increase in lien activity was not evenly spread across the year. Benutech’s data shows the steepest year-over-year gains in the summer and fall months, when many associations move from delinquency notices to legal enforcement tied to their annual budget and assessment cycles.

June lien filings rose 21% year over year, from 20,737 in 2024 to 25,092 in 2025. December showed a similarly large jump of 19.4%. July remained the busiest month for both years, climbing to 31,710 liens in 2025, up 12.6%.

Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Arizona together account for more than half of all HOA liens filed nationally, reflecting the dominance of HOA-governed communities in fast-growing Sun Belt markets.

Florida retains top spot for HOA lien volume

Florida continued to lead the nation in HOA lien activity with 49,447 filings in 2025, representing 17.4% of all U.S. HOA liens tracked. That total was up 9.9% from 45,012 in 2024. December 2025 was a particular outlier in Florida, with 34.4% more filings than in December 2024.

Louisiana recorded the most dramatic escalation in HOA lien activity. Statewide filings nearly tripled, rising 178.9% from 2,345 in 2024 to 6,541 in 2025, according to Benutech’s data.

The surge was concentrated in the second half of the year. November 2025 saw 2,062 liens, up 672% annually. October filings rose 295% year over year. The numbers suggest either a change in enforcement behavior or a structural shift in the market for HOA-governed housing in the state’s suburban parishes.

Benutech’s analysis notes that potential drivers include regulatory changes affecting association collections, rapid HOA formation in new subdivisions, and lingering financial pressure in communities hit by recent hurricanes. For lenders and servicers with exposure in Louisiana, the pattern points to a need for closer monitoring of HOA practices and borrower ability to keep up with non-mortgage housing obligations.

Colorado logged 7,679 HOA liens in 2025, up 74% from 4,413 in 2024. Unlike most states, where filings tend to follow predictable seasonal patterns, Colorado’s increases were broad-based and intensified through the back half of the year.

August lien filings in Colorado rose 146% year over year, while September’s figure was up 164% and October’s climbed 152%. With rapid population growth along the Front Range and a large pipeline of new HOA-governed communities, the state’s numbers suggest that rising dues, higher insurance and maintenance costs, and tighter association enforcement are converging.

Maryland’s HOA lien volume increased nearly 30% in 2025, from 12,432 to 16,123 filings. Unlike Louisiana’s spike pattern, Maryland saw consistent month-over-month growth throughout the year. February filings rose 56% over the same month in 2024, March’s figure increased 58%, July’s was up 50% and December’s climbed 56%.

Where HOA liens are falling

Ten states recorded fewer HOA liens in 2025 than in 2024, according to Benutech, offering a counterpoint to the national trend.

Missouri’s decline stands out because of its volume. The state posted 886 fewer liens, a 14.6% drop from a relatively high base. Activity was sharply lower in the first half of 2025 before reversing course later in the year.

New York also saw an 18% decline in HOA lien filings. That could be tied to the state’s governance structure and regulatory framework, including the prevalence of co-ops and stricter rules around common interest communities, which tend to reduce the use and frequency of liens compared with Sun Belt HOA models built around single-family subdivisions.

Benutech attributed the 8.6% national increase — nearly 23,000 additional liens in 2025 — to several overlapping factors. These include growth in HOA-governed communities following post-pandemic construction in Sun Belt states, rising non-mortgage housing costs that have driven up dues, and special assessments and limited exit options for financially strained homeowners locked into low-rate mortgages.

The data also shows filings tend to spike in the second half of the year, reflecting association collection cycles as delinquencies accumulate before advancing to legal action.

This article was generated using HousingWire Automation and reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication. The system helps convert company announcements and industry data into HousingWire-style news coverage.