"No one wants to do this," Schlegel said. "It's only coming up when people are completely obstinate about it."

In fact, most people end up saving their homes. Homeowner association boards — particularly those that have lost many of their dues-paying members to the housing collapse and the slumping economy — often work with down-on-their-luck neighbors to come up with some sort of compromise. Gauging the number of foreclosures nationwide by homeowner association is difficult. But in Texas, foreclosure attempts initiated by homeowner associations in 19 counties are up 30 percent from two years ago, according to Dallas-based Foreclosure Listing Services.

More than 59 million people live in more than 300,000 association-governed communities nationwide, according to the Community Associations Institute, the nation's largest group for homeowners and condo boards.

If the house is foreclosed on, it is sold off, and the homeowner association takes what it is owed from the proceeds. Proceeds also go to the bank to pay off the mortgage.

The foreclosure actions have renewed long-standing complaints that homeowner associations are often made up of power-drunk residents who enjoy lording it over their neighbors and zealously enforce the rules regarding such things as the height of the grass, the color of the house, the flying of flags and the way the porch is furnished. Kelly g