Mayor Takes Government 'Into the Neighborhood' With New Outreach Team

Nancy Levy sent this "wonderful day in the neighborhood," Mr. Rogers-esque piece from Louisville, Kentucky. I guess condos and hoas aren't just for Florida and California anymore...



LOUISVILLE) -- Mayor Jerry Abramson has announced that citizens can be more connected to government through a new team created within the Louisville Metro Department of Neighborhoods. Called Neighborhood Outreach Liaisons, the five-person team will empower neighborhoods with an array of community-building tools...The Neighborhood Liaisons’ primary purpose is to connect the community with government and make government more accessible. Outreach programs include:

Assisting residents to start or rejuvenate neighborhood, homeowner or condominium associations

Heading for DC
I'm off to DC tomorrow (Thursday) for two events. I'm on a panel at The Urban Institute where we will be discussing Bob Nelson's book Private Neighborhoods, along with Bob himself, Tom Skiba from CAI, and others. Saturday Bob and I and Lee Fennell and others are on a panel at the meeting of the Association for Public Policy and Management. I think the focus of both will be Bob's controversial proposal to replace existing neighborhoods with HOAs, and let them replace municipalities.

Click2Houston.com - News - Condo Complex Sues To Evict Dying Dog
Nancy Levy sent along this story about a condo association with a heart of lead.

HOUSTON -- Most pet owners would do just about anything to protect their four-legged friend. A Houston-area man is taking his condo complex to court in an effort to keep his dying dog at home, the KPRC Troubleshooters reported Monday. 12-year-old Monty is a golden retriever with a good life. "His main job is sleeping. He sleeps a whole lot and then I take him for a walk three times a day," owner John McKiski said. But the council at Monty's Clear Lake condominium complex wants him gone. "No dogs over 30 pounds (are allowed)," McKiski said.

Becker & Poliakoff Urges South Florida Cities to Follow New FEMA Debris Removal Guidelines for Gated Communities

Fred Pilot sent this link to a press release from big HOA law firm...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., a diversified commercial law firm based in Ft. Lauderdale and a leader in community association law statewide, has urged more than 200 municipal officials throughout ten South Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Wilma to follow new guidelines of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and remove debris from gated communities in their cities.

Tiny Vegas home sits at center of housing craze--
His property in demand, former waiter raises asking price to $1.2 million
...and no HOA, either!