In the grand scheme of mortgage payments and 1st and 2nd mortgage balances, annual or monthly Homeowner’s Association dues seem nominal and unimportant. But most folks don’t know that Homeowner/Condo Associations also have the ability to foreclose on a property for unpaid dues.
Many distressed property owners will stop paying HoA dues first when trying to stay afloat on the mortgage. Rather than skipping the payments altogether, it’s best to contact the Association, explain the situation and see if arrangements can be made for a delayed payment or partial payments. Dues will need to be brought current for refi’s and can be included on the HUD and paid in full in a short-sale situation.
As always, communication is key. Ignoring your Association payments will only exacerbate the problem.
Colleen Fischesser, Washington State Designated Broker & Owner of RE/MAX Select R.E; Member NWMLS, SKAR, WAR, Voted "Best in Client Satisfaction" Seattle Magazine 2006,2007 & 2008. Representing home Buyers & Sellers for nearly two decades. 
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Open communication is key to know whats happening within.
We usually pays for HoA Dues monthly and it goes with some of their projects that sometimes homeowners are not informed.
I would do more than call the Association, put everything in writing including phone conversations with names and employee numbers. Obtain copies of all registrations, do not trust that information is being relayed or properly filed. A NW community association failed to update my address when I called to notify them that I would be moving out and would be renting out my condo. They then allowed the tenant to list her personal contact information as my contact information in a Tenant Occupied Condo. The association conveniently no longer has record of a) my phone call requesting my contact information be changed nor b) my original registration when it was an owner occupied property.
The HOA moved into foreclosure proceedings on my property even though they regularly received payment from me (it was just for a lower amount as they had not communicated the increase in dues to me). They stated that they didn’t know how to contact me and so they had to engage legal proceedings to collect the discrepancy in dues. Be very cautious of communications with HOA’s.