BATON ROUGE - Without much notice, D.R. Horton raised the HOA fee for Whispering Springs residents, leaving them in a bind to end 2023.

Because D.R. Horton is still building homes in the neighborhood, they still own the homes, therefore they still control HOA rules. They plan to keep raising fees until it becomes $700 a year.

In 2023, it was $300, but right before the new year, they raised that price an extra hundred dollars.

Residents of the neighborhood are upset because Horton is charging more money, but haven't kept up with its responsibilities.

Horton claims to pay thousands in pool security, but residents say they have never seen anyone watching the pool. They also said the pool is never open and the gate is always broken.

"You know, kids are trashing it," resident Jessica Mehl said. "Drugs are going on. Sex is going on the slides. It's just, the furniture and the pool... we're just not able to use it."

The neighborhood has over 400 people living there, yet it's poorly kept, with bad roads and potholes everywhere.

D.R. Horton claims to pay thousands of dollars on  landscaping and grass cutting as well, but all the grass in the neighborhood is dead

Residents have begun to question, with all the money they're asking for, what is it going towards and why is it so much? They believe the subdivision isn't even worth the $400 HOA fee they pay now.

Earlier in the week, the residents gathered together to hopefully come to an agreement with D.R. Horton, but no one from D.R. Horton's board showed up to the meeting.

They sent members of Legacy Management, the managing company responsible for supervising the area. But just as quick as the meeting started, people began walking out in an uproar.

"We came out of our homes today, rushing here after work, for nothing," resident Tiffany Williams said. "It's just spinning our wheels."

With Legacy not being able to help ease their minds, thoughts of taking legal actions have come up. Some have even suggested moving and putting an end to their situation.

Members of the community have tried to reach out to D.R. Horton personally, but board members tell them to speak with Legacy for all their concerns, just to get those concerns shut down once legacy relays the message.

Bellacosa Estates, another neighborhood owned by D.R. Horton, is claimed to be dealing with the same issues as Whispering Springs residents. They say their HOA fee is at $500 right now and is soon to be $700 as well.