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.
 
Remember the bully in the school yard?  Remember the big kids who took your lunch money, called you names and threatened to really hurt you if you so much as breathed a word to anyone?  Remember the people who made fun of you and the way you dressed, spoke, walked and pretty much did anything?  How about the chronologically older folks who spread lies about you and made up stories of things you allegedly were or did?  Whatever happened to these people?  Did they grow up and become honest, productive citizens or did they find a more permanent niche in today’s 300,000 plus residential associations where they continue to bully, harass, threaten spread rumors and generally make life miserable for their neighbors? 
 
On The Commons this week we are joined by Barbara Billiot Stage. Barbara, an attorney who was admitted to the  Florida bar just 2 short years ago and who represents homeowners, has seem the bad, the worse and the really ugly of what the HOA boards and their mentors are capable of doing and how these overgrown bullies have made life a living hell for her clients.  Please join us On The Commons.  We’ll hear all about some of the bizarre cases that have found themselves on her desk and find out if there is anything that can be done to put a stop to the abuses and horrors that are rampant in residential America today.    

The US Constitution requires that a census be conducted every 10 years to count the population.  The first census was taken in 1790.  The census provides statistics – from the most basic, such as what is the population of the United States to some of the more specific.  The next census will occur in 2010 and virtually every household in America will receive a short census.  In the past, a few households got the “long form” which was considerably longer.  In 2005 the long form was eliminated, in its stead Congress introduced an ongoing survey called the American Community Survey.  This survey is sent out on a monthly basis to 250,000 households asking such questions as to educational levels, military service, health insurance, disabilities, number of languages spoken etc.  There is an almost 3 page section on housing.  Why are there no questions on the public policy shift that has sent 60 million Americans to association controlled developments?  Is Congress unaware of this demographic shift or are they intentionally overlooking it?  And just why is the government aping HOAs by threatening to fine people $5,000 for not answering the survey?
 
On The Commons this week we are joined by Ron Brown and Vellie Dietrich Hall.  They both work for the Census Bureau and are responsible for ensuring that everyone is counted and accounted for.  This is Ron’s second go around.  Vellie is responsible for reaching out to the minorities, making sure they understand the reasons for the census.   Please join us On The Commons  We’ll talk about the census in general and find out what it will take to try to bring about an awareness of the fastest growing segment in residential America. You can find out more about the census by going to www.census.gov  .