Friday, August 22, 2008

Condos must accommodate wheelchairs - Top Stories - (HometownAnnapolis.com)

Condos must accommodate wheelchairs - Top Stories - (HometownAnnapolis.com)The Maryland Human Relations Commission has directed 30 condominium owners in a Heritage Harbour complex to spend thousands of dollars to renovate their private homes to accommodate wheelchairs. The commission said when the developer constructed the units in 1997 they were not built to accommodate wheelchairs as required by the Federal Housing Act. The 1991 housing law forbids discrimination against tenants or residents who are wheelchair-users...The complaint said Broad Creek's developer, U.S. Homes Corp., failed to comply with the Federal Housing Act. The unit owner who filed the complaint no longer lives in the building and the residents said they are livid they have to hire contractors to move walls, lower doorjamb thresholds, and rewire and expand doorways within their own units.
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Tom Skiba sent me this. The strange part is that the owners have to make their own units comply with the law.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to buy condos.

Anonymous said...

Since when did/does someone connected with CAI have a sentiment for the disabled? I thought all this group did was target the disabled, elderly, and other vulnerable populations to force them into fictitious lawsuits, aimed at stealing their homes. My experience is that they have become good at it too! I believe their motto should be "We aim to educate and employ the most incompetent, dishonest evil, and unethical to carry out our mission of destroying lives, careers and families."
Gee, maybe Mr. Skiba is really feeling sorry for the homeowners who will have to pay for the compliance. Can't CAI find a way to make money off this one? I may be wrong, but I thought I read somewhere they have a BANK. They could give the homeowners needing to comply loans!
Of course, with little hidden clauses that they own the borrower and their property for life, and may foreclose for no reason at all!
The devil would really be in the details, would it not?

Anonymous said...

This ruling is weird. I could sort of see the logic for apartments, or even for common areas (though both would be a stretch), but for privately owned condos? It almost makes me wonder if this is an anti-ADA guerilla action.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous above said: "I may be wrong"

Well yes, yes you are, in almost every single sentence of your comment.

Cheers
Tom Skiba

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Skiba,
Well, gee, what I have written is exactly what has happened to some innocent people I know! You can read the advocacy sites, like anyone else. Are these all wrong?
What has your group done to protect vulnerable homeowners, and/or, rectify what has been done to them because of those who appear to be associated with your group. I am skeptical and never would have believed any "neighbor," and their "credentialed professional associates," could be capable of one of these "attacks." Then...
Have this happen to those you know, read about what has happened to countless innocent others and you may become a believer!
If you would care to elaborate and prove to me what I am wrong about, I will be happy to listen