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.

The vision of condo and homeowner association living is that all the members are equal, contribute equally and take an active interest in the overall management of the association.  Keeping an eye on our collective assets is also a responsibility.  It sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? But what happened along the way to muddy that vision of pure residential bliss?  Why can’t association living be as harmonious, carefree and wonderful as we are led to believe?   
 
On The Commons with Shu this week is Melvyn Hobbs, Melvyn and his wife escape the drab British winters by spending half the year in Florida where they own a condo in the sun.  Unfortuanly the state of affairs inside this private enclave have been anything but sunny.  The Hobbs’ have not only discovered for themselves that condo living is far from carefree but they have also spent an additional half a million dollars trying to protect their property values from the mismanagement of the association.  Please join us On The Commons.  We’ll spend a few minutes with Melvin before he catches his plane back to the UK to enjoy life in his non controlled neighborhood. 

Once a year, right around St. Patrick’s Day, one very special leprechaun comes into the WEBR studio to get caught up on what is happening in residential America.  This year is no exception.
 
On The Commons with Shu this week is Sir Francis of Short, chief leprechaun of Dublin and distant cousin of St Patrick.  Please join us On The Commons this Saturday, March 15, 2008.  We’ll get caught up on what new bills are waiting to be signed into law and what that really means for the homeowners. 

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.

The castle has been demolished, long live… what?  The unit?  Air space?  Temporary shelter?  Many housing consumers want to buy a “home”, a nest, a place that is completely and totally under their own dominion, just like home ownership used to be  However finding that dream home in many markets these days is a lot like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.  Savvy prospective buyers are demanding non HOA controlled housing.  But will limiting their search to non HOA communities and relying on title searches guarantee them that they will get what they want? 
 
On The Commons with Shu this week are Donna Carver, Sherry Terry and Ray Leach.  Donna and her family bought their Texas home in a community without an association only to have one imposed on them later.  Sherry and Ray both live in a development with no common areas and no sensible reason to live under the auspices of a corporation.  They would, quite understandably, like to dissolve their association.   Please join us On The Commons.  We’ll find out how a community with no association, can wake up one morning and find themselves facing fines, liens and a homeowner association.  We’ll also learn how, in a development with a homeowners association, the owners are forced to pay for a management company just to manage the residents.