The Brief

LOS ANGELES - Robert and Betty Bivins have lived in their View Park Estates townhouse in Los Angeles since 1987. Now in their 80s, they fear they could lose the home they worked all their lives to keep.

"Some of the balconies started to collapse. They started coming down, and it was like, ‘uh oh,’" Robert recalled.

The collapsing balconies revealed more than structural flaws. They exposed a widespread termite infestation affecting all 74 townhomes in the complex.

"When you’re paying into an HOA, you kind of expect them to take care of business, do the right thing at all times and keep us informed," Robert said.

The couple says their HOA fees jumped from $385 to $525 three years ago. They were told the increase would go toward critical repairs, including balcony retrofittin

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