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.
 
 We have been told repeatedly that homeowner associations protect property values.  With that in mind, many Americans have been willing to trade control over their homes for the promise of enhanced values.  Given the current economic situation, the fallacy of the values argument has been exposed.  With unprecedented foreclosures, values have plummeted and associations are struggling with trying to pay the common expenses and make ends meet on a greatly reduced budget.  Raising assessments thus making it financially tougher for the remaining residents who are stretched to the financial limit does little to foster a sense of community or enhance property values.  Common sense would dictate that associations would do their utmost to keep as many members in the association as possible.  But then, as my husband keeps reminding me, there is nothing common about sense.  And the current situations bear that out.
 
On The Commons this week we are joined by Melvyn Hobbs.  In our first ever transcontinental interview, Mel will explain why, after owning his dream vacation condo in Florida for 16 years, spending 10 years and $500,000 fighting in court to protect his rights, he just walked away from his condo and vows not to return to Florida.   Please join us On The Commons. We’ll find out what went wrong and what he intends to do now.