Category Archives: HOA Syndrome

HOA Syndrome

Dr. Gary Solomon

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Dr. Gary Solomon

We have all heard horror stories coming out of mandatory membership housing associations. Anything from citations for totally idiotic issues like having dust on the roof — what idiot would think of something like that? But believe it or not, that is an actual “violation.” Of course, the worst ones are when the association fines a member for insane alleged violations and eventually forecloses to take a member’s home away from them. Who will ever forget Wenonah Blevins? Wenonah, the 80-year old widow who, along with her cat, was evicted out of her mortgage-free house and left homeless. The stories are real–they shock and horrify us and grab headlines across the world. “Does that happen in America? I thought you were supposed to be a civilized nation?” Again, an actual conversation I had overseas. But there is a lot more to this. How does this affect us physically, and how about our health?.

Dr. Gary Solomon, a retired psychology professor, joins us On The Commons. Dr. Solomon has studied the effects HOAs have on the homeowners subjected to them and wrote some incredible books and articles about the emotional and physical impact HOA abuses and horrors can have. To better understand what is happening to us, read HOA Syndrome and HOA Crisis. In the meantime, please tune in and listen to him.

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HOA Syndrome

Gary Solomon

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Gary Solomon
Over the years much has been written about controlled housing in America.  There have been scholarly books, legal books and Law Review articles, regular newspaper and magazine articles, blog posts, websites dedicated to exploring HOAs, personal accounts of life in an HOA, satire, lots and lots of horror stories,  There have even been “how to” live in an HOA, articles trying to convince you that “you agreed” to the rules and abuses and if you don’t like it, move. There have even been books and rosy accounts of all the joys of HOA living but never has there ever been a book quite like HOA: Crisis in America.  

Quite apart from the fact that the book is the most creative, innovative and fun way to read, watch and hear a book, it is the first time that anyone has ever brought science into the HOA discussion.  And there is one more unique thing about HOA: Crisis in America, it is FREE.  I am very excited about the book and so greatly honored that Dr. Gary Solomon is launching his book through On The Commons.  This book takes the discussion and the research to a whole new level.  It gives us all the tools to get beyond the legal twists and turns, the emotional discussion, the misrepresentations of what HOAS are and are not, the fear associated with this form of housing and leaves us having to ask – and answer – the question of whether this is a viable form of housing and whether or not it can be reformed and made into a kinder gentler monster. 

Dr. Gary Solomon joins us On The Commons this week to introduce his new book, HOA: Crisis in America.  Dr. Solomon is a Psychologist, a retired professor of psychology in Nevada who noticed something a little strange in his new development and when neighbors asked him if he was having problems with the HOA, he put two and two together and started studying the effects of HOAs on humans.  What he discovered was quite alarming which led to two papers, The HOA Syndrome and Elder Abuse.  He studied the psychology behind giving people unfettered power and described the type of personality that gravitates to these positions.  The most exciting part of this book is the science behind the physical affects on the residents in HOAs.  The physiological changes to our bodies is explained in very clear, easy to understand language that even our legislators should be able to grasp.
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HOA Syndrome

Karin Huffer

Karin Huffer

In memory of Karin HufferOctober 18, 1941 – October 24, 2018

When your life veers off the normal, the safe, the known and the routine and gets derailed into a hostile, unknown land where you are fighting for your life, stress tends to become part and parcel of who you are. And stress, as we have learned on this show,  adversely affects your health.  It is always a lot worse when you are facing the adversarial situation on your own.  Can having some friendly support mitigate some of the damage caused by the situation?

Dr. Karin Huffer joins us On The Commons.

A long time therapist, having watched what happens to victims of the justice system and the effects of stress they suffered, coined the term Legal Abuse Syndrome.  Her book, by the same name,  Legal Abuse Syndrome talks about the problem and possible remedies.  She found that the key to mitigating the harmful effects of being a victim is to help each other.  For the past several years she has trained volunteers to be that “support” to victims.  Her  new book is a revised and updated Kindle version of her first book. She has turned some of her attention to explaining, training and teaching Americans about the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Americans with disabilities don’t always know they have rights or what those rights are and businesses, managers and bosses are not always aware of them either.  Apparently neither are all the attorneys out there.  So Karin is hard at work training them all.  You can learn more and reach Dr. Huffer through her website,  Equal Access Advocates.com  but do tune in to listen to the amazing lady.

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Gag Orders, HOA Syndrome

Gary Solomon

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Our founding fathers felt strongly enough about protecting our right to express ourselves, share our thoughts and tell our stories that they included it in the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, also known as The Bill of Rights. The importance and the benefits of this right can’t be overstated.  

Dr. Gary Solomon joins us  On The Commons.  Dr Solomon, a professor of psychology has studied the effects of residential associations on the homeowners.  I asked him specifically about “gag orders” and how they affected families and especially the harm that is done to the children.  He had some interesting insights on how HOAs are “muting” their members.  We dig beneath the horror stories and try to understand what goes on underneath it all.  Dr Solomon has written extensively on this subject. To access all his work simply Google  HOA Syndrome. 

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HOA Syndrome, Stress

Gary Solomon

Early on, in what has become a national nightmare of epic proportions for American homeowners, the HOA horror stories really horrified the public.  People who had been victimized by their neighborhood association were too embarrassed to admit they were being abused.  All that has changed.  The abuses and the horror stories seem to have become so much a part of every day life that we simply shrug them off and continue on our way until we find ourselves in the center of this web.  Those fighting a seemingly unwindable battle are rightly consumed with saving their homes, their lives, their health and their sanity. In an effort to prevent more horrors and more abuses they have tried desperately, and failed miserably, to “fix” all that is wrong with the concept. 

Professor Gary Solomon joins us On The Commons.  Dr. Solomon has studied the HOA and condo blight on America and has written extensively on the effects residential associations have on the physical, mental, emotional health and welfare of Americans.   Professor Gary Solomon has a website where you can read his papers.  Dr. Solomon says it is time to stop focussing on the stories and to start working on the solutions.  He identifies one of the biggest issues that is at the heart of the abuses and shares some of his ideas on how to stop the bleeding.  

Tell us your stories  in your own words 

 

 

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Abuse, Elder Abuse, HOA Syndrome

Gary Solomon

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Most people aspire to have a nice home, one they are proud of as it reflects their personality and attests to their hard work and success in life.  A place they can be comfortable and surround themselves with the people and things they love.  But, the reality is that the most valuable thing we have is our health.  Without it, little else matters.  Without it you may not be able to take care of your property, or enjoy having the people you love around you.  Yet our homes today are built and forced into toxic environments – controlled mandatory, and often involuntary, membership residential associations.  

Dr. Gary Solomon joins us On The Commons.  Dr. Solomon is a retired professor who became aware of the ugly side of homeowner associations when he realized his neighbors were living in fear.  After a little digging he discovered that life really wasn’t rosy and all happy in these pristine environments, where the color and shape of the grass was more important than the health and happiness of the people living there.  With his many degrees and his background in psychology, he started studying the effects of living in an HOA.  One of the most alarming and damaging consequences created by associations, is the level of stress they create and the very damaging effects on our health.  He has since written extensively on what goes on in residential America today.  His most innovative and creative work is an e-book called HOA:Crisis in America.  The book is free and you the option of reading it, watching the videos or just listening to it.   But before he wrote his book, he wrote a couple of papers about HOAs, HOA Syndrome  and Elder Abuse.  We talk to Dr. Solomon about the health of HOAs and especially the health of the residents in HOAs.

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Abuse, HOA Syndrome

Gary Solomon

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As we mourn the deaths of Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, who died a day later, we are reminded of the effects a broken heart and stress can have on us.  It is reported that Debbie’s last words were, “I want to be with Carrie”. leaving little doubt as to how she must have been feeling.   While this is an extreme case, the stress and the heartbreak are every day occurrences for us, especially if HOAs are involved.  Imagine having your every move watched and documented, being endlessly harassed and isolated from neighbors and friends, being bombarded with nasty and  incessant demand letters and ultimatums and threatened with foreclosure.  These scenarios are very real in the every day lives of many of the HOA owners. What are the physical and psychological effects of this lifestyle?  Will this unnecessary form of housing make us an extremely unhealthy nation?  What will the health care costs be to deal with the aftermath of this self imposed house of horrors? 

Dr. Gary Solomon joins me On The Commons.  Dr. Solomon has dedicated the last several years of his life to educating the public about the health risks of living in an HOA.  He has written one of the most creative and comprehensive e-books called HOA:Crisis in America which he has made available online free to everyone.  You can read the book, listen to it or watch video clips.  It is book that everyone should read, whether in the hallowed halls of our State and Federal Capitols, academia and especially his colleagues in the medical world.  The medical practitioners who have the task of healing and curing their patients need to understand the root cause of the problems their patients are suffering.  Every time I talk to Dr. Solomon, I learn something new and I get to know the man a little better.  He is definitely a man well worth getting to know.  Enjoy a rebroadcast of this very informative show.

 

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HOA Syndrome, Powers of Association, Property Ownership, Property Rights, Property Values

Jill Schweitzer

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In memory ofJill Schweitzer, a valiant warrior in the property rights battle for transparency and honest.  Jill lost her life on October 25, 2016.   Here is a show from July 2014

“If it hurts, it must be good for you”. Remember that one? Fortunately we got smart and realized that if it hurt it really was not good for us. Along the same lines of thinking is the other oft repeated canard which is that homeowner associations protect property values. “If your HOA makes you miserable and physically ill, is abusive, is grossly mismanaged, is secretive, etc. etc. etc., it is OK because it protects your property values.” This makes about as much sense as “if it hurts, it’s good for you.” Despite the fact that the “protected property values” claim is totally unsubstantiated, we hear it over and over again.

Maybe it is time to get smart and to stop being so gullible. Next time you are told HOAs protect property values, insist on tangible proof. Preventing a neighbor from painting their front door red is not acceptable and it really doesn’t prove anything.

Jill Schweitzer joins us On The Commons. Jill is a Real Estate Broker in Scottsdale, Arizona where there are a lot of mandatory membership HOAs and condominiums. She is concerned about all the problems in these controlled properties and has taken it upon herself to try to understand what is going on. She actually put pen to paper and did the math. She tracked and analyzed property values in 10 condo projects in Scottsdale over a period of 10 years. Her findings are on her website hoasavers.com  It might come as no surprise that contrary to protecting property values, HOAs can actually devalue property. Tune in, we’ll talk to Jill about a myriad of problems that seem to be part and parcel of HOAs, find out why she decided to look into HOAs and what she is planning on doing to protect her clients’ property.

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Abuse, Fighting Back, HOA Syndrome, Violence

Jerry Berg

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Over the years I have spoken to so many people who have found themselves on the receiving end of the wrath and fury of their condo or homeowners associations. The fear, anger, frustration and terror are unmistakable in their voices.  They  feel trapped and don’t understand how “this can happen in America”.  They tell me they will never, ever buy another house in an association again if they are fortunate enough to get out of their current situation.  It often takes years to finally put an end to their fights.  

Jerry Berg joins us On The Commons.  Jerry, as some of you may remember, was hospitalized when the president of his condominium beat him up with a crowbar.  The president was a former judge who should have known better.  When I called Jerry recently I noticed lightness in his voice.  Was I imagining it or did he sound happier? Join us for a recap and an update on what he has been up to.  He settled his case, refused to sign a gag order so is able to talk about it and to disclose the terms of the agreement.  He has advice for others in similar situations.  His advice will surprise you.

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Abuse, Elder Abuse, HOA Syndrome

Gary Solomon

20160416solomon

A picture is worth a thousand words, or so we have heard.  As I watch the primaries unfold for the US presidential candidates and seeing the backlash against both political parties, the picture that comes to my mind is “The Awakening”.  The Awakening is an enormous sculpture, that is now housed at the National Harbor in Maryland, of a giant waking up after a long sleep.  When you look at the candidates in both parties what is of particular interest is that the front runners are not the party favorites.  Senator Sanders has amassed millions of dollars in contributions, a handful of dollars at a time which suggests a huge base.  Donald Trump is self-funded and therefor not beholden to any of the special interests that have traditionally manipulated the direction this country has taken.  Mr. Trump is, by far, the biggest vote getter.  Both of these candidates have enormous grass roots support.  Not party support but people support.  It seems a showdown may be on the horizon.  Will this dissatisfaction with the status quo manifest itself in the homeowner  association arena?  Are Americans fed up and are they really ready to do something about it?  I say, power to the people!

Dr. Gary Solomon joins us On The Commons.  Dr. Solomon is a retired college professor who took an interest in how the stress of living in HOAs affects homeowners, the very people who are supposed to benefit from homeownership.  He has authored several papers, including HOA Syndrome, Elder Abuse in HOAs, Child Abuse by Proxy and his brilliant and creative book, HOA Crisis in America which is a must read, watch and listen to book.  He explains how HOAs are a sick concept.  Many of the board members have psychological problems, problems that affect them. They, in turn, take it out on their neighbors.  The stress of living in the cross hairs of a mentally unsound board member triggers stress related diseases.  It is a fascinating idea and a scary thought when we consider not only the ill health of many homeowners but also the cost of medical care.  Perhaps it is time for preventive medicine instead of what we have.  Dr. Solomon is willing to consult with homeowners and their attorneys in lawsuits against their HOAs.  He is also ready and willing to assist medical doctors understand how their patients who live in HOAs may be living under constant stress.  Is an Awakening headed to the homeowners in mass produced HOAs nationwide?  Will homeowners reject the special interests and start really taking control of their own lives?

awakening

The Awakening, a statue in the DC area of a giant waking up after a long sleep.  It is now at the National Harbor in Maryland.

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