Is it just me, or do you agree that life would be so much easier if we managed to remember to keep things simple? I hope Constant Contact is reading this because their “improvements” have made things much more complicated for me! But that’s not why you are reading this promo; my message has more to do with your life in your own homes and neighborhoods than my frustrations with getting my promo out.
Caroline George joins us in a brand new show today, On The Commons. One of the things I love most about my friend, Caroline, is her ability to clearly and succinctly see the big picture and how she manages to fit the insanity that seems so unique to residential associations into everything else going on around us. Caroline explains just how R.A.s fit into the big picture. We also talk about some of the problems we face and some ideas on handling them without going to court. I share some actual stories to support her thoughts. It is always good to learn from those who went before us and succeeded brilliantly. I have some stories that will make you cheer.
We have become a very transient society. I was quite surprised when I first came to the US that one of the first questions we ask someone we meet is, “where are you from?” Our roots have become spread across the globe, leaving behind our friends, families, neighbors, traditions, language, culture and all the other things that are part of who we are. It hasn’t always been that way. There was a time when families lived in the same community and were there for all the milestones. Family lore and history were well known, pride of our ancestors and their accomplishments and legacies were all part of our every day lives. We had a stronger sense of who we were and where we came from.
Sylvia Hoehns Wright joins us On The Commons. Sylvia is one of a handful of people who knows who she is and where she came from. She is the 5th generation to live on a family owned tract of land. There are 9 houses in her neighborhood all owned and inhabited by family who all share the same roots and values. There is no mandatory membership homeowner association so no abuses, horror stories or attempted land grabs that we talk about here. Right? Well, not so fast. A couple of parcels of land were sold and the new owners who don’t share Sylvia’s history, values or traditions would love to be able to get her off her land. She has written a book called Lawfare, American Property Rights versus Muslim Supremacy Tune in to hear Sylvia’s story.
There is a rumor out there that buying a condo or a home in an HOA not only protects but also enhances property values. I still haven’t figured just out how that supposedly works. But proponents of the regime insist it is so. For the sake of argument I’ll leave that alone for the time being. But how on earth do they explain the fact that homeowners are responsible for the actions or inactions of the people either elected or hired and paid good money to “protect and enhance” your property?
Jan Bergemann joins us On The Commons. Jan is a long time advocate and legislative activist for protecting the rights of home and condo owners in Florida. Jan is the founder and President of the Florida based Cyber Citizens for Justice . He keeps a close watch on all the news related to housing, rentals, litigation involving homeowners and pending legislation that would affect the owners. Many, if not all, of the stories end up on his web site. One recent story involves a $7.5 Million award to a condo owner who seriously hurt himself when he fell into a hot tub that had been partially emptied, ill lit and left unprotected while the necessary repairs were being done. We talk about the case and wonder just how much it will cost the owners in the condominium to cover any shortfall in the event that the insurance isn’t adequate to cover the entire $7.5 Million? How does the assertion that a condo protects and enhances property values work in a situation like this?
You follow a case as it winds its way through the court system. It seems so simple, so cut and dried that you wonder why so much time, money and hostility is invested in such a petty argument. Why should it cost hundreds of thousands of hard earned dollars to figure out whether a homeowner in an association can have white roses instead of red ones? Or whether or not a condo owner is allowed to have a small American flag on his or her front porch or if a family can have a swing set in the backyard for their children? Why should these even be an issue? And why would anyone in their right mind care? And finally, after months of discovery, nasty letters, fines, bullying, isolation and abusive language, dividing up the neighborhood, name calling and other nastiness, the opinion from the judges is handed down deciding the case once and for all. This is it, this is the end of this road. The wise men and women of the legal system have spoken and you are left with your mouth hanging open, wondering what on earth just happened.
Caroline Douglas joins us On The Commons. Caroline has a law degree although she is no longer a practicing attorney. She has seen the dark side of the legal profession and decided to blow the whistle on what happens “behind the scenes”. In an 800 page book called “The Dark Side: a law treatise on judging – with memoir” she explains it all and gives us clues to look for so we are not caught off guard. In a fascinating interview she walks us through what goes on behind the scenes and how and why some of these off the wall decisions are reached. Caroline has witnessed these irregularities both as a practicing attorney and a litigant caught in this legal “chamber of horrors”. You can reach Caroline at carolinegdouglas@gmail.com but you won’t want to miss this interview.
