Friday, February 18, 2005

S2016: proposed New Jersey "Common Interest Community and Homeowners' Association Act."


Here is a big fat bill that would make some significant changes in New Jersey law. Section 2, the legislative findings, are well worth reading.
Pahrump Valley Times - Gated community coming soon to Pahrump
Fred Pilot, a big Art Bell fan, sends this message along. Pahrump's most famous citizen is radio host Art Bell, the king of late-night radio, whose paranormal program emanates from his home. Now, it seems that the gated community menace is on the doorstep. Watch the skies...

The Pahrump Regional Planning Commission took its first steps last week in unanimously approving Pahrump's first private gated community. At the same time, the application processing for the development marked the initial amendment to the county's master plan, now just over a year old. Many more amendments are expected in months to come.
[more]
The Cranbury Press - 02/18/2005 - Bill could change the way Monroe's PRCs are governed
Big news from New Jersey. Looks like another banner year for CID reform:


A state Senate bill introduced in November could mean homeowners associations in Monroe's retirement communities would have to act more like municipal governing bodies.
According to the bill, introduced by Sen. Shirley K. Turner, D-15th, the changes would "require that democratic principles be followed by the governing board of a homeowners association in all association matters including, but not limited to, elections, access to records, open meetings, formation of rules and alternative dispute resolution."
The bill calls for enforcement by the Department of Community Affairs.
The bill says these changes are needed to provide for "transparent" government. It also establishes that a homeowners association is "subject to the political jurisdiction of a municipality, regardless of any bylaws to the contrary."
The bill, known as the Common Interest Community and Homeowner's Association Act, would be an amendment to the Condominium Act, which recognizes condo communities as corporate associations. Common interest communities include townhouses, cooperatives and planned unit developments in addition to condos.
[more]

Thursday, February 17, 2005

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=668503
Here you'll find a link to a paper by John Ryskamp entitled, "Brief Review of Topics Relating to Peaceful Resistance to Kelo Type Housing Dispossessions." When the county sheriff comes a-calling to move people out, what happens?