MIDDLE SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP — Winona Lakes Property Owners Association, via its attorney Edward Hoffman Jr. of Montgomeryville, PA, filed a wave of collection lawsuits in Monroe County Court of Common Pleas just days before Christmas, targeting eight property owners who allegedly owe a combined $51,000 in unpaid assessments, late fees, and legal costs.

Case Details:

Wayne Planker — $11,822.66

2019 Big Winona Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302

Case 008230-CV-2025 | Filed December 23, 2025

Planker owes more than any other defendant — nearly $12,000 — on a property he purchased for just $411 at a Monroe County Tax Claim Bureau judicial sale in June 2018.

Unlike some tax sale buyers who start with a clean slate, Planker inherited a substantial existing debt. When his HOA account was created in June 2019, it already showed a $3,925.72 beginning balance from the previous owner — including $2,168 in back membership dues, $742 in 2018-2019 dues, $315 in late fees, and $581 in accrued interest.

The HOA waived $1,614.88 in fees and interest in September 2020, reducing the balance to about $4,200. But Planker never paid. Six years of additional dues have since been added.

In April 2024, the HOA board approved an adjustment adding a $730 transfer fee. Planker made a $2,000 payment in September 2025 — the only payment on record — but with 2025-2026 dues now posted, the balance climbed back above $11,800.

Keith K. Henry — $9,764.83

6129 Kansa Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302

Case 008187-CV-2025 | Filed December 22, 2025

Henry hasn’t made a single payment since his account was created in October 2019. Six years of unpaid dues have compounded into nearly $10,000.

The HOA sent the account to collections in February 2020, adding a $200 fee. That fee was waived in September 2020 along with $104.57 in interest and $35 in late fees — but Henry never paid the underlying balance.

The account shows seven consecutive years of membership dues (2019-2020 through 2025-2026) plus a $240 road assessment from 2020, all unpaid. Interest has been compounding monthly since late 2019.

Membership dues: $5,201.58 | Road assessment: $240.00 | Late fees: $280.00 | Interest: $1,783.25 | Legal fee: $260.00

Loretta Ferguson — $6,883.83

1002 Alpine Drive, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302 (Alpine Village)

Case 008191-CV-2025 | Filed December 22, 2025

Ferguson purchased the home in May 2018 for $139,000. The deed lists a Brooklyn, New York mailing address, indicating this may be an investment property.

According to the account history, Ferguson made her last payment in August 2021. Four years of unpaid dues — plus compounding interest, late fees, and a $260 legal collection fee — pushed the balance from under $1,000 to nearly $7,000.

Membership dues: $5,148.28 | Late fees: $175.00 | Interest: $1,300.55 | Legal fee: $260.00

Andrew Metchnek — $5,562.99

3504 Polar Court, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302 (North Village)

Case 008200-CV-2025 | Filed December 22, 2025

Metchnek purchased the home in August 2017 for $120,000.

This is not the HOA’s first collection action against him. The account history shows the association filed a prior lawsuit in July 2019, charging $126.75 in court fees and $200 in collection fees. Metchnek paid $800 cash the following month to clear that balance.

After catching up again with a $1,801 payment in April 2022, Metchnek stopped paying entirely. Three full years of unpaid assessments have since accumulated.

Membership dues: $4,213.28 | Late fees: $140.00 | Interest: $949.71 | Legal fee: $260.00

John Velasquez and Isabel Quiles — $5,486.89

114 Lincoln Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302 (Alpine Village)

Case 008194-CV-2025 | Filed December 22, 2025

Velasquez originally purchased the home in 1993 — making him one of the longest-tenured owners among the defendants. The account history shows a delinquency pattern stretching back to the 2019-2020 dues.

In April 2025, the HOA enrolled the account in an “Amnesty Program,” waiving $1,010.68 in accumulated late fees and interest. Velasquez and Quiles made two payments totaling $1,299.87 under the program.

But on October 22, 2025, the HOA reversed the amnesty — adding back $175 in late fees and $1,072 in interest. The account notation states the owners “got default into Amnesty Program.” A $260 legal fee was added one week later, and the lawsuit followed two months after that.

Membership dues: $3,925.08 | Late fees: $140.00 | Interest: $1,161.81 | Legal fee: $260.00

Richart S. Ferreira — $5,217.39

Big Winona Road (Lot 128), East Stroudsburg, PA 18302 (Section 1)

Case 008227-CV-2025 | Filed December 23, 2025

Ferreira owns an undeveloped lot he acquired through a Monroe County Tax Claim Bureau judicial sale — paying $919.20 in June 2023 for land assessed at $14,400.

The lot has a long history. Original developer Winona Lakes, Inc. sold it in 1970 for $4,000. It passed through several owners before Teresa Giammanco lost it to tax foreclosure after holding it for over 40 years.

When Ferreira bought the property, his account started fresh. But he never paid. The HOA added a $497.50 transfer fee and prorated dues in March 2024. The balance has grown to over $5,200 in just two years.

Membership dues: $2,567.10 | Transfer fee: $497.50 | Late fees: $70.00 | Interest: $1,822.79 | Legal fee: $260.00

Tylor Hendricks — $4,145.48

2212 Puddle Court, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302 (Mountain Vista Village)

Case 008193-CV-2025 | Filed December 22, 2025

Hendricks purchased the home in January 2020 for $117,000.

According to the account history, Hendricks fell behind on a $240 road assessment and $150 rental registration fee in 2020. He caught up with a $2,226 payment in September 2021 — but then stopped paying after the 2022-2023 dues came due.

The rental registration fee suggests the property may be used as an investment rental.

Membership dues: $3,218.28 | Late fees: $70.00 | Interest: $597.20 | Legal fee: $260.00

Dennis R. Hunsicker and Shannon T. Romain — $2,770.13

1119 Park Drive, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302 (Alpine Village)

Case 008199-CV-2025 | Filed December 22, 2025

Hunsicker and Romain purchased the home in October 2022 for $227,000 — the most recent buyers among the defendants.

The couple paid $2,178.33 at closing to clear the previous owner’s balance and cover a $935 transfer fee. But they never paid the 2023-2024 membership dues. They caught up with two payments totaling $1,145.48 in mid-2024, then missed the 2024-2025 dues entirely.

With the smallest confirmed balance, their case shows how quickly HOA debt can escalate even for buyers who started current.

Membership dues: $2,223.28 | Late fees: $70.00 | Interest: $216.85 | Legal fee: $260.00

Tax Sale Buyers Beware

Two defendants — Wayne Planker and Richart Ferreira — acquired their properties through Monroe County tax sales. Both now face lawsuits for balances exceeding what they paid for the land.

Planker paid $411 in 2018 and now owes nearly $12,000. Ferreira paid $919 in 2023 and owes over $5,200.

Tax sale properties in HOA communities can carry hidden obligations. While the sale may extinguish delinquent taxes, HOA assessments often survive — and new dues begin accruing immediately.

How HOA Debt Spirals

• Annual dues: $935 to $1,148 per year. The board can increase dues up to 8% annually without a member vote.
• Late fees: $35 per occurrence
• Interest: Compounds monthly at roughly 1.5% (about 18% annually). On a $3,000 balance, that’s $45/month.
• Attorney fees: Once sent to Hoffman Law, a $260 legal collection fee is added.
• Fines: Property violations range from $250 to $1,000 per offense.

What Happens If You Don’t Respond

If you’ve been sued and don’t respond within 20 days of service:

• Default judgment may be entered against you
• Lien placed on your property — blocks sales or refinancing
• Credit damage — judgments appear on credit reports
• Foreclosure — Under Pennsylvania law (68 Pa. C.S.A. §5101), HOAs can foreclose for unpaid assessments

The complaint directs defendants to the Monroe County Bar Association at 913 Main Street, Stroudsburg, or (570) 424-1340.

About Winona Lakes

Winona Lakes is a planned community in Middle Smithfield Township spanning Monroe and Pike counties. Sections include Alpine Village, Bushkill Creek Village, Mountain Vista Village, and North Village.

The HOA operates from 112 Ski Lodge Circle, East Stroudsburg, and can be reached at (570) 588-9309.

Total claimed: $51,654.20

Court records are public documents. Defendants are presumed to have valid defenses until judgment is entered.