On the Commons with Jan Bergmann
Posted by Shu Bartholomew at 2/15/2008 7:56 PM and is filed under uncategorized 
Hosted and produced by Shu Bartholomew, On The Commons is a weekly radio show dedicated to discussing the many issues surrounding mandatory homeowner associations, the fastest growing form of residential housing in the nation.
From the very early days of mass producing homeowner associations, the only "solution" that has been offered to the many problems has been "education". "Homeowners need to be educated on how to live in their homes." "Board members need to be educated." "Managers should be educated." And so, to educate everyone, the Community Associations Institute was formed and for over 30 years CAI has been the only source of "education" in the country. After 30 years of training, educating and credentialing everyone involved in the 40 year experiment, problems not only persist but have increased. Is education the answer? If so, is CAI the right organization to be doing all this educating or are their efforts an exercise in futility?
On The Commons with Shu this week is Jan Bergemann. Jan is president of the Florida based Cyber Citizens for Justice CCFJ www.ccfj.net and host of the most recent conference put on by homeowners for homeowners. Please join us On The Commons. We'll talk about why CCFJ put on the conference, what was involved in setting it up, lessons learned and any feedback they received. Find out what you should know if you are planning on hosting a similar event in your state.
From the very early days of mass producing homeowner associations, the only "solution" that has been offered to the many problems has been "education". "Homeowners need to be educated on how to live in their homes." "Board members need to be educated." "Managers should be educated." And so, to educate everyone, the Community Associations Institute was formed and for over 30 years CAI has been the only source of "education" in the country. After 30 years of training, educating and credentialing everyone involved in the 40 year experiment, problems not only persist but have increased. Is education the answer? If so, is CAI the right organization to be doing all this educating or are their efforts an exercise in futility?
On The Commons with Shu this week is Jan Bergemann. Jan is president of the Florida based Cyber Citizens for Justice CCFJ www.ccfj.net and host of the most recent conference put on by homeowners for homeowners. Please join us On The Commons. We'll talk about why CCFJ put on the conference, what was involved in setting it up, lessons learned and any feedback they received. Find out what you should know if you are planning on hosting a similar event in your state.
Download | Duration: 01:00:37
After listening the Jan Bergmann on your podcast, I learned that such a animal as a HO friendly attorney exist. There is such mismanagement from our Board and MC. Our Board has put us in such a state that HO's will be facing a large "Special Assessment" that they can't afford. Right now the responsibly HO's are carrying the load of of 22 delinquent HO's out of 77 to maintain our property.
Jan said he wouldn't call Board members stupid. I don't believe ours have ever read the State Statues or the CC&R's. Our President is on a power trip, all Board members have resigned because of her and she has now filled her Board w/only "yes" members. Jan, is right, they are not stupid because they know they can do whatever they want because the HO's have no place to go for help.
I resigned from the Board and am so sorry, had I stayed maybe I could have made a difference but one against four doesn't stand much of a chance....I have tried several times when we had a seat empty on the Board to volunteer, she will not let me do so, she even appointed a man who lives out of town(he is a owner)to keep me off.
I would have given anything to have been at the conference..I have kept up w/all files and records and am on the net at least 2/3 hours every day trying to learn all I can about the laws and Statues concerning running a HOA...I was considering running for the Board at the election meeting in March but Jan says wait petition a recall after. Shredding the proxies is something I believe they did and also filled the proxies them self. By whatever their means they will make sure I will NOT get on the Board
I will be emailing Jan for help and hopefully the name of a HO friendly attorney in the Pensacola area.
I thank you and Jan for all you are doing to help HO's placed on this Merry-Go-Round.
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Thank you for taking the time to write.
I am sorry you missed the conference because it was wonderful. I enjoyed coming down and I especially enjoyed meeting so many of the folks I had been in contact with via email, spoken to by phone and interviewed On The Commons. I enjoyed meeting people I had not been in touch with also. You folks in Florida seem to have the best legislator and lots of attorneys who are willing to represent homeowners and you have a strong advocacy group, with a phenomenal man at the helm. Jan is super and is doing an amazing job.
You have a very strong foundation, just keep building on what you already have.
Just like the rest of the population, some of the board members are stupid and some are not. I would personally focus more on the policy that puts the average homeowner in a position of handling millions of dollars of other people's money, gives them almost unlimited powers over their neighbors and puts the single largest investment most of us make in our lives at risk. Is this really how we want to live?
Thanks for listening to the show. I have a feeling there will be another conference and if there is, I hope you can make it. And if Jan will let me come back, I might get to meet you then.
Till then, keep listening and keep the faith.
Shu
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