Have you ever wondered how some of the worst bills imaginable get passed into law? Sponsoring a horrible bill for a special interest who happens to be a major campaign contributor requires extra care and finesse, especially when the bill has a snowball’s chance of passing as a stand alone bill. To get the bills voted into law, they are often rolled into a bill everyone favors. Arizona, however, has a single issue requirement. In other words, if the bill cannot stand on its own, you can’t roll it into another one to get it passed. A great idea but apparently the very people who write the laws don’t think those laws apply to them. An omnibus bill, including the fantasying provision of banning municipal HOA mandates, was enacted last year but a couple of citizens sued the state, alleging the law was in violation of the State single issue requirement, and they WON!
Guess what? Some Arizona legislators, who should know better, apparently did not learn that lesson because they have not one but two omnibus bills in the works right now. And just like HOAs there is no adult supervision anywhere in sight because the task of enforcing the laws, in this case, falls on the citizens.
David Russell joins us On The Commons this week. Dave in a community manager in Mesa, Arizona. As an owner in a formerly mismanaged association, he fully understands the frustrations and problems encountered by the home and condo owners. He is also very aware of the desperate need for homeowner friendly legislation but not at the cost of violating other laws. So he is on a mission to ensure that NO ONE is above the law, including, and perhaps especially, those who write and sponsor them. Join us, we’ll talk about how he got into management, some of the “red flags” in kontrolled kommunities and why he is suing the State of Arizona.
This interview with Dave Russell, of Arizona is a “Godsend.”. This is a factual, truthful and insightful interview that every American should hear and especially ALL of or legislators and state and federal criminal investigative agencies. One, of countless facts and truths Dave had to offer in this interview, “Special assessment should be a red flag for all homeowners in HOAs (CICs).”
In far too many instances it appears, even questioning an inappropriate, non voted, undue, or apparently fraudulent special assessment, the knowingly unauthorized, unlawful demand for monies by a HOA board, or board member, is enough to cost an innocent homeowner their home. These outrageous homeowner abuses seem to always occur due to “something” to do with the money, or an impropriety by an HOA board (and sometimes their associates too) they are trying to cover up. These homeowner abuses, the criminality, and ultimately the homelessness of the most decent, law abiding, bill paying unsuspecting homeowners who are stripped of their rights, due process, finances and homes has to be exposed for exactly what it is, no mater who the perpetrators are, or who they know. I have sent this interview to hundreds, including the press, legislators, law enforcement, HOA homeowner advocates, health and public policy professionals and researchers. I trust they are listening!
When it comes to passing HOA state-level legislation, we often end up with the good the bad and the ugly.
Omnibus bills are the grab bag of statutory legislation.