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.
 
HOAs, once billed as mini democracies where residents have greater control over their immediate environment, gradually morphed into representative democracies where homeowners had one day and one day only to “take control” and let their wishes be known.  The only life line thrown to unhappy homeowners is to “throw the bums out”.  That, of course, would mean the owners would be allowed to vote, have their votes count, participate in the politics of the association.  But what happens when owners go to the work of getting signatures on a petition to recall a bad board?  Who stands to lose when the owners have a say in the direction the association take? 
 
The latest Zogby poll commissioned by CAI, not surprisingly, found that HOA owners are very happy with the association.  Zogby apparently missed talking to any of the over 260 owners who signed petition in the Ventura Homeowners Association in San Antonio Texas to recall the board.  On The Commons this week we are joined by Brenda Johnson.  Brenda, a disabled vet, had the unmitigated gall to attend a meeting in the association and attempt to ask a question.  Far from the idyllic, almost Rockwellian neighborhood paintings of yesteryear, Brenda’s HOA called law enforcement who cuffed her and kept her locked up in the back of the cruiser till the meeting was over.  Please join us On The Commons.  We’ll get the details of what happened in this hamlet of horror and maybe we’ll understand why Zogby never called anyone there.