Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly: Owners can't block costly condominium assessment: "Unit owners in a condominium complex could not bar the condo's board of trustees from levying an assessment for a major renovation project, even where the project is expected to cost $75 million, a Superior Court judge has ruled."
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3 comments:
I belong to a group of residents who have darkened the doorstep of the State House on several occasions to testify in support of homeowner friendly bills put before the legislature in Massachusetts. Like most States, Massachusetts does not have any oversight of Homeowners or Condominium Associations.
We are opposed in the legislature not by other homeowners, but by a collection of lawyers, property managers and vendors on the payroll of associations who have a very cozy relationship with the legislature. Every bill that would help prevent this kind of financially catastrophic affair has been sent to ‘study’ by the committee on housing.
Although the political system in Condominiums are invariably single party systems, with no free press and no independent judicial systems (read: banana republic style governance), judges continue to ascribe their workings as somehow meeting the ideals of American democracy.
And as far as the wisdom of the judiciary, a frustrated attorney once told me that the only qualification needed by a judicial candidate in MA is to be a friend of the Governor.
Mike,
Many of us sincerely DO feel your pain, especially when it comes to the judiciary.
Here in Illinois, being a Judge is somewhat of a "social service" program -- albeit, mostly for those lawyers who cannot earn a living "practicing law." (ie. Their legal brethren appoint them to the bench -- and their re-election is a given.)
Suffice it to say, the "sharpest tools" in the legal shed are NOT sitting on a bench anywhere in the State of Illinois...
On a lighter note, I'd like to share MY favorite riddle with you -- and Mr. Evan -- (as those of us who have literally spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, due in large part to PURE judicial incompetence, have learned that sometimes it really helps to laugh at ourselves and at them :-) --- So...
Q. What DO you call a lawyer with an I.Q. of "75"?
A. "Your Honor"
I rest my case... Best of luck in the Banana Republic of HOA Legal-Land!
That's a good one! What a mess this whole situation is. I wonder how these unethical folks sleep at night, I really do. We had a 92 year old persecuted by our HOA after the 'new' board decided to ignore an old board's decision regarding an architectual issue. The poor man finaly sold his house at a steep discount to what it was worth (the new owner was 'required'
to build an $150,000 dollar structure (an airplane hanger) onto the house.
Absolutely shameless. Because these persecutions are done in secret, nobody was even aware of what was happening.
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