It all sounds so, so, well let’s just say Utopian, doesn’t it?  You see, there is a neighborhood, with neighborhood amenities, where all the neighbors contribute for those amenities.  And some of the neighbors oversee those amenities, collect the dues, make any business decisions that need to be made and everyone lives happily ever after.  And let’s call those neighborhoods associations, whether condo, homeowner or cooperative.  And let’s say that this set up provides for “carefree living” where the residents have a say in how their neighborhood is run.  It’s enough to give us the warm and fuzzies, isn’t it?  So why then, are there so many problems in Privatopia?  And just what do those problems really mean?
 
On The Commons this week we are joined by Jan Bergemann.  Jan is the plain speaking, energetic president of the Florida based Cyber Citizens for Justice www.ccfj.net and www.ccfjedu.net.  Please join us On The Commons.  We’ll talk about how well these associations are doing in Florida, what is happening to the amenities and what happens when there are not enough people left to make the common contributions to the association coffers.  And as always, I wonder if association living in a viable and sustainable housing model.