There is much confusion about the very nature of a residential association.  With all the municipal mandates effectively eliminating the choice of whether to live in an association or not, along with the new trend towards increasing density and building up rather than out, the existence of an association in any residential areas is a given.  Despite the lack of housing choice, owners are often surprised to find that”they agreed” to a whole host of restrictions and rules when they bought their homes. The other fact they didn’t bargain for is that they would be trading in the lawn mower for other “duties” and HOA living is not quite the “care free” living they thought they were getting. 
 
On The Commons this week we are joined by Tyler Berding. Tyler, a California attorney who specializes in common interest development law, is a  prolific writer about all things condo related.  His alarming, but candid articles can be read on his blog http://condoissues.blogspot.com/ and also on the firm’s web page http://www.berding-weil.net/.  His concerns cover condo conversions, unfunded reserves, lack of active participation by owners to the legal definition of the relationship between the owners and the association.  Please join us On The Commons this Saturday, August 15, 2009.  We’ll talk about “the contract” and the current HOA model.   Would a different model of common ownership that works well in other cultures work here?  Tune in and find out.