[cajungirl]

Hmmm,,I thought a lien could be place on property and that meant when it was sold the lien was paid.

And I thought only a bank could foreclose.

my understanding of that kind of fine is that you take it to court, a judge orders payment and things follow from there.

[NathanR]

From the relevant part of the wikipedia article on Homeowner associations:
Homeowners associations collect fees, fines, and other assessments from homeowners, maintain the common areas of the development, and enforce the association's governing documents. These may include detailed rules regarding construction and maintenance of individual homes. The common areas maintained and governed may include landscaping, common buildings (e.g., clubhouses) and recreational facilities such as swimming pools), common walls in attached housing developments, and infrastructure such as streets, mailboxes, sidewalks, and parking lots.

Often, a homeowners association collects special assessments from all its members in addition to set fees. Assessments can be made to cover legal expenses for a judgement against the homeowners association, to repair damage from a natural disaster, or to make improvements.

In some U.S. states, California or Texas for instance, a homeowners association can foreclose a member's house without any judicial procedure in order to collect a fine. Other states, like Florida, require a judicial hearing.