Tenants Stripped Of Community Privileges As Rent Skimming Landlord Pockets Cash, Stiffs Condo Association Out Of $10K+ In Monthly Maintenance Fees

In West Palm Beach, Florida, WPBF-TV Channel 25 reports:

• The home has everything Xavier Melendez could want for his young family. "Really quiet, really peaceful," he said about the West Palm Beach community. He finds the rent fair and he said he paid it faithfully for two years. Then something strange happened. "I couldn't have a pizza. I can't use the facility. I can't go to the pool," Melendez said. No one, not even a relative, can visit them in the Terracina community. It's all because the owner, Micki O'Callaghan, is in foreclosure.

• WPBF 25 News first reported on O'Callaghan in June.(1) The Homeowner's Association Security Chairperson, Doug Prince, said she's more than $10,000 behind in dues. [...] "She's just putting the money in her back pocket and not paying her bills," said Prince, who said O'Callaghan is renting out five houses in the community which are in foreclosure.(2)

For the story, see Renters Of Homes In Foreclosure Lose Privileges (More Tenants Come Forward Against Landlord).

(1) For earlier WPBF-TV Channel 25 stories on Micki O'Callaghan, see:

• Renter Forced Out Same Week She Moved In,
• Renter Feels Duped As Eviction Looms.

(2) Rent skimming (referred to as equity skimming in Florida), as defined in Section 697.08, Florida Statutes, constitutes a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in Sections 775.082, 775.083, or 775.084, Florida Statutes. RentSigmaSkimming