Need to deal with water needs crucial

Need to deal with water needs crucial: "Two parched years - punctuated by the driest spring in at least 150 years - could force districts across California to ration water this summer as policymakers and scientists grow increasingly concerned that the state is on the verge of a long-term drought. State water officials reported Thursday that the Sierra Nevada snowpack, the source of a huge portion of California's water supply, was only 67 percent of normal, due in part to historically low rainfall in March and April. With many reservoirs at well-below-average levels from the previous winter and a federal ruling limiting water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the new data added a dimension to a crisis already complicated by crumbling infrastructure, surging population and environmental concerns."
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Much of the recent residential construction in California has been in these bizarre CIDs in the desert--Palmdale, Lancaster, and points east that are even more arid. These places are too far from employment for any rational human to commute from, but people have been buying them anyway and driving four hours per day. The theory apparently was that they were going to get rich on housing appreciation. Now the housing market is in the tank. Gas prices are going through the roof. And on top of that, the water supply is vanishing. At what point to people get the basic point that it isn't wise to build, much less buy, housing in such remote and desolate locations?

wcbstv.com - New Jersey Lawmakers Consider Tax On Fast Food

wcbstv.com - New Jersey Lawmakers Consider Tax On Fast Food: "WINDSOR, N.J. (CBS) ― The sputtering economy has caused an increase in prices of many staples including gasoline, rice, ice cream, even beer. Now some lawmakers in New Jersey are considering taking food taxes a step further and install a proverbial 'sin' tax on fast food."
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That would hit lower income people pretty hard, because they spend a higher percentage of their income on food generally and fast food in particular. Add that to the taxes on cigarettes and alcohol and the state lottery (of course New Jersey has one: "Give Your Dreams a Chance!"), and you have some pretty regressive taxes that liberals like, I guess.

L.A. Land : Los Angeles Times : Disappearing now: $6 trillion in housing wealth

L.A. Land : Los Angeles Times : Disappearing now: $6 trillion in housing wealth: "A Washington think tank is warning that housing prices are falling at an accelerating level,destroying wealth at a pace that will cost the average homeowner $85,000 in lost wealth this year alone."
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You know, if you lose $6 trillion here, and $6 trillion there, pretty soon it starts to add up.

Happy farewell to 'boom' times -- baltimoresun.com

Happy farewell to 'boom' times -- baltimoresun.com: "For more than two years, the thundering booms and the blinding flashes that lit up the sky over a Baltimore County parking lot at all hours of the night mystified and infuriated the bleary-eyed residents of a high-end condominium tower next door, who could not figure out what the devil was making such a racket, or why."
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The photo shows Galdalf casting out demons or something. But the problem was a condo resident shooting fireworks out his window for giggles.

Weekend America: Foreclosure Behind Las Vegas Gates

Weekend America: Foreclosure Behind Las Vegas Gates: "Just recently in Las Vegas, there was a perfect storm of booming home construction, some unscrupulous lending practices and lots of housing speculation by first-time investors. That's added up to some of the nation's highest foreclosure rates. It's easy to find those neighborhoods hit the hardest by the real estate crisis -- just look for the nicest communities surrounded by brick walls and elegant wrought-iron gates."
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Fred Pilot sent this link. The ripples keep on spreading.

San Mateo Daily News

Smoldering Dispute: San Mateo Daily News: "Susie Parano, 55, and Jane Clusin, her friend and fellow Brittan Heights condominium complex resident, took their smoking complaints to their homeowners' association last week by submitting a petition against allowing residents to smoke inside their units and on their balconies and patios. The two women said the petition forwarded to the homeowners' association board on Wednesday was signed by about half of the residents in the more than 400-unit complex. However, the board did not take any action. Parano lost a small claims case against the homeowners' association last November in which she sought $7,500 in damages that she said was caused by her downstairs neighbor Oleg Gitin's smoking. The small claims judge did not give a reason for her ruling. The San Carlos City Council has also been reluctant to intervene with a Belmont-style smoking ban."
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Thanks to Kimberley Cane for this item. Smoking is a huge issue in condos these days. These owners seem to have tried everything.

Real Estate | New state law requires condo associations to report money set aside for long-term maintenance | Seattle Times Newspaper

Real Estate | New state law requires condo associations to report money set aside for long-term maintenance | Seattle Times Newspaper: "Attention, condominium shoppers: Washington soon will become one of a half-dozen states requiring condo associations to provide a financial-wellness check that can predict whether the place is a potential money pit.

The check, called a reserve study, estimates how much money an association must set aside to pay for expensive long-term maintenance, such as repaving a parking lot, replacing a roof or rebuilding rotting decks."
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It is astounding to contemplate that over 40 states don't require reserve studies to be done. Imagine it--nearly all associations have no specific data to support their assessment levels. Too high? Too low? Nobody really knows.

cbs4.com - Condo Assessments Can Be A Scourge To A Homeowner: "FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ― A raging dispute over condo association fees boiled over into an armed standoff Thursday afternoon in Pompano Beach that ended when the Broward Sheriff's Office SWAT team opened fire on a man who had taken two office workers hostage."
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So now he can forget about paying that assessment. But it underscores how much stress these situations can create.

Daily Herald | Associations need to face troubled times square on: "If you own a home in a townhouse or condominium association, or an HOA, or serve on the board, and you fail to take into consideration what could possibly befall you without careful planning, you could be facing a financial crisis that could cause property values to crash, in your community."
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Hey, this guy sounds like me. But actually it is Jordan Shifrin, one of the top community association practitioners in Illinois, or the nation for that matter.

Food Crisis Starts Eclipsing Climate Change Worries | The New York Sun

Food Crisis Starts Eclipsing Climate Change Worries | The New York Sun: "With prices for rice, wheat, and corn soaring, food-related unrest has broken out in places such as Haiti, Indonesia, and Afghanistan. Several countries have blocked the export of grain. There is even talk that governments could fall if they cannot bring food costs down.

One factor being blamed for the price hikes is the use of government subsidies to promote the use of corn for ethanol production. An estimated 30% of America’s corn crop now goes to fuel, not food."
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I have learned over the years that there are few things more dangerous than a lot of people who are absolutely convinced that they are right and will brook no disagreement. As in "The debate is over" from Al Gore and the global warming mob. Here is what Al Gore said on his campaign web page back in 2000:
Vice President Al Gore maintains that “it’s well known that I’ve always supported ethanol. I have a consistent record of shoring up the farm safety net.” Gore, who as vice president cast a tie-breaking vote in 1994 against a proposal Senator Bill Bradley sponsored to cut tax incentives for ethanol fuel, adds that “I have not ducked when votes for ... agricultural interests were on the floor...Our administration’s goal is to triple the use of biomass technologies, ethanol, gasoline additives, plant-based textiles and other environmentally friendly products by 2010. This is just one of the exciting ways our efforts to protect the environment will begin to help America’s ailing farming economy.”

Now it turns out that burning food for fuel may be a bad idea. Where is Mr. Gore to explain why he was so wrong, and maybe to show a little humility about his other pronouncements on what we must do to stave off the disaster he predicts? I am concerned about the environment, too, but I also realize that there is a whole lot nobody knows and we had better not start adopting radical solutions until we are sure of the outcomes.

cbs2.com - Countrywide CEO Made $132M In 2007 Pay, Stock Sale

cbs2.com - Countrywide CEO Made $132M In 2007 Pay, Stock Sale: "CALABASAS, Calif. (AP) ― A securities filing shows Countrywide Financial Corp. CEO Angelo Mozilo earned some $10.8 million in total compensation and cashed out $121.5 million in stock options last year. The compensation disclosed in the Securities and Exchange Commission filing released Thursday represents an 80 percent cut from the 70-year-old's total pay in 2006 of about $51 million. The Calabasas-based company reported a yearly loss in 2007 of $704 million amid the nationwide mortgage market meltdown. It agreed in January to be acquired by Bank of America Corp. for $4.1 billion in stock. The SEC has been scrutinizing the timing of Mozilo's stock sales. Mozilo has said he's cooperating with the inquiry and has denied making any improper trades."
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I don't usually get on the evil corporate executive hobbyhorse, but it seems to me that when a company loses a bazillion dollars and gets bought out, the CEO may not deserve to get fabulously wealthy in the very same year. I keep hearing about how great a job the free market does of setting prices for goods, services and labor, but I don't see the relationship between results and rewards here.

4 Investigates: Floodwalls stuffed with newspaper? | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | Local News | WWLTV.com | News for New Orleans, Louisiana

We're from the federal government, and we're here to help you: New Orleans floodwalls stuffed with newspaper? : "“It's like putting a Band-Aid on the hole of a gas tank of an airplane,” the resident said.

Instead of an airplane, it's a floodwall, and instead of a Band-Aid, the witness says two years ago, he saw the contractor filling the expansion joint or opening between the floodwalls with newspaper.

“The whole length of the wall was stuffed with newspaper.”"
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This is how the feds show New Orleans that they really, really, care?

Humans lived in tiny, separate bands for 100,000 years

Humans lived in tiny, separate bands for 100,000 years: "Human beings for 100,000 years lived in tiny, separate groups, facing harsh conditions that brought them to the brink of extinction, before they reunited and populated the world, genetic researchers have said."
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Let's see...tiny, separate bands. Check. Facing harsh conditions. Check. So far it sounds like either a lot of HOAs or Chicago's sports teams.

Why the next mortgage crisis may be worse. - By Mark Gimein - Slate Magazine

Why the next mortgage crisis may be worse. - By Mark Gimein - Slate Magazine: "Unfortunately, the crisis in California is going to get much worse, and there is no bailout that will solve it. Why? Because if the first stage of the foreclosure crisis was about people who could not afford their mortgages, the next stage will be about people who have every reason not even to try to pay their mortgages."
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His argument is that prices are collapsing big time, and tens of thousands of people who had ARMs with little or nothing down will be upside down on their mortgages by far more than any government bailout can cure, and with no equity to protect anyway. The only rational option open to them is to walk away.

Dead actor Roy Scheider donates to Barack Obama campaign anyway : Top of the Ticket : Los Angeles Times

Dead actor Roy Scheider donates to Barack Obama campaign anyway : Top of the Ticket : Los Angeles Times
Now that's commitment.

Condominium controversy: Mundy Township couple sue their condo association over $30,000 lien involved in Web site debate - The Flint Journal Online News - Michigan Newspaper - MLive.com

Condominium controversy: Mundy Township couple sue their condo association over $30,000 lien involved in Web site debate - The Flint Journal Online News - Michigan Newspaper - MLive.com: "MUNDY TOWNSHIP, Michigan -- When a judge dismissed a condominium association's lawsuit against a condo-owning couple for starting a Web site related to the association, the pair hoped their trouble was over.

Instead, the Lake Park Village Condominium Association has slapped a $30,000 lien on James and Helen Cunningham's home -- including the attorney's fees the association paid to sue the couple.

The Cunninghams now face possible foreclosure on their condo."
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That will teach those homeowners to beat the association in court. Good grief.

The Orillia Packet & Times - Ontario, CA

The Orillia Packet & Times - Ontario, CA: Community association granted party status: "A group of homeowners objecting to the scale of a proposed high-rise condominium project at Orchard Point on Lake Simcoe has been granted full party status before the Ontario Municipal Board.

That means the Orchard Point Community Association, which represents 40 to 50 people, will be able to fully participate in the legal proceeding with the ability to cross-examine, call witnesses and make submissions."
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Interesting variation on local ordinances in Canada.

TorontoSun.com - Canada- Ban lifted on drying laundry outside

TorontoSun.com - Canada- Ban lifted on drying laundry outside: "It's time to get over any hang ups with clotheslines.

Ontario will outlaw clothesline bans by this summer to encourage citizens to use the environmentally friendly option when doing laundry.

'We want you to feel comfortable, wherever you happen to live in the province of Ontario, to put up a clothesline and to let mother nature, let the wind and the sun, dry your clothing,' Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday.

Homeowners would no longer be subject to municipal bylaws or homebuilder agreements that ban the lines."
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Ontario hangs HOAs out to dry.

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide: "April 21 (Bloomberg) -- Bank of America Corp., the second- largest U.S. bank, said profit dropped for a third straight quarter as the company set aside $6.01 billion for bad loans.

First-quarter net income declined 77 percent to $1.21 billion from $5.26 billion a year earlier, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank said today in a statement. The results fell short of analysts' estimates and sent the bank's stock down as much as 3 percent in New York trading."
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This bad news just keeps on coming. Where is the bottom?

New York Times Company Posts Loss - New York Times

New York Times Company Posts Loss - New York Times: "The New York Times Company, the parent of The New York Times, posted a $335,000 loss in the first quarter — one of the worst periods the company and the newspaper industry have seen — falling far short of both analysts’ expectations and its $23.9 million profit in the quarter a year earlier."
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Newspapers are in trouble. Competition from the internet is one reason. You can get tons of news, tailored to your interests and viewpoints, for free.

Foreclosed properties stiffing homeowner, condo associations

Foreclosed properties stiffing homeowner, condo associations: "An ironic twist on the foreclosure problem: What if the banks that repossess all those houses and condos for non-payment are none-too-strict about making their homeowner and condo association payments?

That seems to be a widespread problem in Florida, according to a survey of associations released this week. Here's a snippet:

Nearly two-thirds of survey participants said that banks and mortgage lenders now holding title to the foreclosed units or homes currently are not meeting their legal obligation to pay fees or other assessments owing to the association"
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So I guess the association has to foreclose on the bank that foreclosed on the owner?

globeandmail.com: Vancouver transit riders tasered for not paying fares

globeandmail.com: Vancouver transit riders tasered for not paying fares: "VANCOUVER — The country's only armed transit police have been tasering passengers who try to avoid paying fares.

According to documents provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, police patrolling public transit in the Metro Vancouver area have used tasers 10 times in the past 18 months, including five occasions when victims had been accosted for riding free."
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Ouch.

My Way News - 5.4 earthquake rocks Illinois; felt 450 miles away: "WEST SALEM, Ill. (AP) - A 5.4 magnitude earthquake that appeared to rival the strongest recorded in the region rocked people up to 450 miles away early Friday, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor.

The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered six miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. It was felt in such distant cities as Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and Des Moines, Iowa, 450 miles northwest of the epicenter, but there were no early reports of injuries or significant damage."
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This woke me up. At first I thought wind was rocking the house, but then I realized it must be an earthquake. I've been through quite a number of these in California so I just went back to sleep. None of the kids even woke up. But for the Chicago area, this is quite an event.

Senate OKs sweeping property insurance changes -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Senate OKs sweeping property insurance changes -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
I like this bill, but it looks like it won't pass in the House. Insurance coverage is very important to community associations and owners. If the coverage isn't there when you need it, a whole chain of horrible events ensues.

Huge state quake predicted within 30 years

Huge state quake predicted within 30 years: "(04-14) 11:32 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A strong and deadly earthquake is virtually certain to strike on one of California's major seismic faults within the next 30 years, scientists said Monday in the first official forecast of statewide earthquake probabilities. They calculated the probability at more than 99 percent that one or more of the major faults in the state will rupture and trigger a quake with a magnitude of at least 6.7. An even more damaging quake with a magnitude of 7.5 or larger, the earthquake scientists said, is at least 46 percent likely to hit on one of California's active fault systems within the next three decades. It probably would strike in the southern part of the state, the scientists warned."
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I guess anything that is left after the foreclosure epidemic passes will be cast into the sea by The Big One. The Ventura earthquake damaged a lot of CID units, especially condo buildings, and led to lawsuits among insurers, contractors, and associations. It is hard to envision what would happen if another major disaster hit CID housing in its weakened state, with numerous owners not paying assessments and property values falling.

Punditry | Professor Bainbridge

Punditry | Professor Bainbridge on Barack Obama: Is he a Marxist?
Law prof Stephen Bainbridge on how far to left is Obama?

As other staples soar, potatoes break new ground | Reuters

As other staples soar, potatoes break new ground | Reuters
I was thinking that if some of these rust belt cities like Youngstown (see below) decide to clear away the burned out houses maybe they could use the land to plant potatoes. Just a thought.

I suppose setting up a factory on that land is out of the question. After all, China has such an advantage, being so much closer to the US market. China is a mere 7,000 miles or so away. How can a distant province like Youngstown, Ohio, possibly compete for sales in the American heartland?

Meaning that maybe there is a better way to revive the local economy than knocking down houses, asking people to move out, and making more open space.

U.S. housing collapse spreads overseas - International Herald Tribune

U.S. housing collapse spreads overseas - International Herald Tribune: "The collapse of the housing bubble in the United States is mutating into a global phenomenon, with real estate prices down from the Irish countryside and the Spanish coast to Baltic seaports and even in parts of India."
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I wonder if common interest housing in other nations will have the same revenue issues that are now hitting many US CIDs. Here everything ultimately depends on the individual owners. Even though CIDs are quasi-public entities, the cost is entirely privatized. Elsewhere, maybe the state will step up to keep these things solvent.

The incredible shrinking city - Apr. 14, 2008: "YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (CNNMoney.com) -- Youngstown, Ohio, has seen its population shrink by more than half over the past 40 years, leaving behind huge swaths of empty homes, streets and neighborhoods. Now, in a radical move, the city - which has suffered since the steel industry left town and jobs dried up - is bulldozing abandoned buildings, tearing up blighted streets and converting entire blocks into open green spaces. More than 1,000 structures have been demolished so far. Under the initiative, dubbed Plan 2010, city officials are also monitoring thinly-populated blocks. When only one or two occupied homes remain, the city offers incentives - up to $50,000 in grants - for those home owners to move, so that the entire area can be razed. The city will save by cutting back on services like garbage pick-ups and street lighting in deserted areas."
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Kind of a strange twist on eminent domain...I have never heard of a city paying people to move out so they can plow the house under. It is a sad situation. The foreclosure tsunami was the last straw. Read down and you will see that other rust belt cities are sending delegations to learn the Path of Wisdom as laid down by the Elders of Youngstown.

Spindle could be yours for just $150,000 :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State

Spindle could be yours for just $150,000 :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-StateBerwyn's Spindle -- the west suburban skewer of cars made famous in the movie "Wayne's World" -- is for sale. Last summer, the company that operates the shopping plaza where the Spindle has stood since 1989 said the sculpture needed to be removed, in part to make room for a new Walgreens.
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This is totally bogus, dude. That spindle is one of the few cool things about the west side suburbs. I used to go to that mall all the time when we lived in Oak Park. Sigh.

Bloomberg.com: Exclusive

Bloomberg.com: Exclusive: Concerns about the big bank holding companies: "April 8 (Bloomberg) -- Bank holding companies including Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. have the thinnest safety cushion against losses in seven years. The margin may erode further in coming weeks. Credit ratings on $704 billion of bonds have been cut this year following the collapse of the U.S. housing market. Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., said last week that the downgrades may compromise bank capital ratios enough that some of the largest institutions will no longer be considered well capitalized. Falling below a regulatory benchmark that is intended to maintain a minimum level of capital to protect depositors against losses would subject banks to more scrutiny from regulators than they have ever experienced. ``This is a nightmare for the country,'' said William Isaac, who was chairman of the FDIC from 1981 to 1985. Banks will ``raise what capital they can, then they'll slow down their growth and stop lending, and what should be a mild recession becomes a much more serious one.'' The biggest danger to the economy is that to preserve their ratios, banks will cut off the flow of credit, causing a decline in loans to companies and consumers."
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Can we panic yet?

MM08-11.pdf (application/pdf Object)

California Law Revision Commission comments on pending legislation
Here you will find CLRC's comments on AB 1921 and also the CID Bureau bill.

Comment from Brian Hebert, Executive Director of CLRC
Scroll or click down to where I posted a link to California A.B. 1921and go the comments, and you will find a lengthy comment from Brian Hebert in which he responds to some of Donie Vanitzian's main points. I appreciate Brian taking the time to do this. I will follow his suggestion and post a link to the version of the bill he recommends.

The Daily Times - www.delmarvanow.com - Salisbury, Md.

The Daily Times - www.delmarvanow.com - Salisbury, Md: Property manager pleads guilty.
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City woman has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $19,000 from a homeowner's association she was hired to manage. Sixty-nine-year-old Marsha Renfrow was the manager and treasurer of the Sundowner Park Association from 1992-2006.
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Seems like the worse the economy gets the more property managers decide to rip off their clients.

Police: Woman Stabs Husband During Fight Over Hot Dogs For Dinner - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando

Police: Woman Stabs Husband During Fight Over Hot Dogs For Dinner - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando: "RANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A 28-year-old woman in Orange County stabbed her husband during a fight that sparked over having hot dogs for dinner, according to a sheriff's office report."
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I notice that this took place in Florida. Is there something in the water down there? Or maybe it's something in the hot dogs.

'Ruthlessness gene' discovered : Nature News

'Ruthlessness gene' discovered : Nature News: "Selfish dictators may owe their behaviour partly to their genes, according to a study that claims to have found a genetic link to ruthlessness. The study might help to explain the money-grabbing tendencies of those with a Machiavellian streak — from national dictators down to 'little Hitlers' found in workplaces the world over."
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I wonder what sorts of social roles these "little Hitlers" are attracted to? Probably positions where they can have power over people and can make their lives miserable, and where they have few if any checks on that power. Let's see...where might we find positions like that?

In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop - New York Times

In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop - New York Times: "A growing work force of home-office laborers and entrepreneurs, armed with computers and smartphones and wired to the hilt, are toiling under great physical and emotional stress created by the around-the-clock Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment."
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Blogging for pay--the new indentured servitude. Apparently they are getting fat or skinny, can't sleep, have no social life, and drop dead from heart attacks. Could it be that living on Red Bull and Doritos and staring at a computer screen 20 hours every day is bad for you?

Statement by the Family of Charlton Heston: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Statement by the Family of Charlton Heston: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: "BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., April 5, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary actor, civil rights leader and political activist Charlton Heston passed away today, at the age of 84. He died at his home with Lydia, his wife of 64 years, at his side. Mr. Heston was loved by his two children, Fraser Clarke Heston and Holly Heston Rochell, and his three grandchildren, Jack Alexander Heston, Ridley Rochell and Charlie Rochell."
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I'm sorry to hear this. He was a fine actor and a fascinating individual.

Bloomberg.com: Exclusive

Bloomberg.com: Banks delaying foreclosure on delinquent mortgages: "April 4 (Bloomberg) -- Banks are so overwhelmed by the U.S. housing crisis they've started to look the other way when homeowners stop paying their mortgages. The number of borrowers at least 90 days late on their home loans rose to 3.6 percent at the end of December, the highest in at least five years, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington. That figure, for the first time, is almost double the 2 percent who have been foreclosed on. Lenders who allow owners to stay in their homes are distorting the record foreclosure rate and delaying the worst of the housing decline, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com, a unit of New York-based Moody's Corp. These borrowers will eventually push the number of delinquencies even higher and send more homes onto an already glutted market."
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With 2% foreclosed on and another 3.6% having one foot in foreclosure and the other foot on a banana peel, I think it safe to say that there is no end in sight to the mortgage meltdown.

Leonardo DiCaprio Buys An Eco-Friendly NYC Condo - Starpulse Entertainment News Blog

Leonardo DiCaprio Buys An Eco-Friendly NYC Condo - Starpulse Entertainment News Blog: "NEW YORK (AP) - Every time he comes home, Leonardo DiCaprio is practicing what he preaches. The environmentally conscious actor has bought an apartment in Riverhouse, an eco-friendly building overlooking the Hudson River. The purchase was confirmed on Friday by Christopher Daly, president of Sheldrake Organization, the developer of the Battery Park City complex. Occupancy is slated for this summer. The 264-unit condominium glass tower overlooks the river and a park, and boasts low emission paints, a 24-hour fresh filtered air system, a water treatment facility and rotating solar panels. DiCaprio seemingly also will have everything at his fingertips. The David Rockwell-designed high-rise features an indoor 50-foot lap pool, media cafe, fitness center, landscaped terrace - and dog spa. The building also will house the City Bakery and a branch of the New York Public Library."
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I think there will be more of these "eco-friendly" developments in the years to come. But they will be expensive. It's nice that these stars have private jets, so they can fly around saving the planet from people like me who drive SUVs to the train station.

What goes on in a dog spa, anyway? All my dog wants to do is sleep, eat, bark, and play. I don't think he wants cucumber slices on his eyes, but I could be wrong.

Diaper-clad monkey gets out of home, chases people into street -- Wildlife, Orange County (Florida) -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Diaper-clad monkey gets out of home, chases people into street -- Wildlife, Orange County (Florida) -- OrlandoSentinel.com: "A diaper-wearing monkey named Prada chased after residents at a southwest Orlando condo complex Friday before animal-control workers tricked him into a cage with their secret weapon: a banana."
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With a name like Prada this monkey might make a good purse. Just a thought.

Good deed lands Boca couple in trouble with condo board -- Rentals, Broward County, Paul Ryan -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Good deed lands Boca couple in trouble with condo board -- Rentals, Broward County, Paul Ryan -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
He was a "gentle" Army veteran living quietly in his Boca Raton condo when his world came apart. Two years ago, former Postal Service worker Paul Ryan, 60, had a nervous breakdown and couldn't work, care for himself or pay his bills. He has no family to help him. With Foreclosure on his Boca Verde apartment imminent, Rhode Island real estate investors Carol and Sabatino Ranucci stepped in. The snowbirds have owned a unit in the same building as Ryan for more than 20 years. They saw he had no place to go and rushed to his aid. The Ranuccis paid his bills, took him to doctors, picked up his medicine and helped him get disability benefits. In March 2007, they bought the 1,043-square-foot apartment that he had purchased in 2003 and let him stay at no charge. Now, however, the Boca Verde condo board wants Ryan out. It has filed a lawsuit that could become a test of how much discretion directors have when it comes to enforcing rules.
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I'm always getting knocked for pointing to nasty, stupid things condo and HOA boards do. I would be happy to post links to stories about boards showing common sense and human decency and helping their members find solutions to their problems. Unfortunately, such things things either don't seem to happen very often, or if and when they do they don't make it into the local press. Maybe the people who are so convinced that these associations are terrific could start sending me all these good news stories they claim are so common.

Cryptic Clarity - » 10 Things You Might Not Know About the Peace Symbol

Cryptic Clarity - » 10 Things You Might Not Know About the Peace Symbol: "☮ In 2006, a suburban couple in Denver used it as a Christmas Wreath and was threatened by the homeowner’s association with a daily fine if they didn’t remove it. A member of the association told the newspaper that it was an anti-Christ sign."
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I didn't know it was invented in 1958.

Foreclosures force HOAs to cut corners on upkeep

Foreclosures force HOAs to cut corners on upkeep
Fred Pilot sent this along. I have been pointing out the fiscal fragility of HOA and condo associations for years. Major challenges such as earthquakes, floods, construction defects, tort suits, and other unforeseen events can push an association into insolvency. Along comes the foreclosure tsunami that cuts off anticipated assessment revenues, and now we have associations discovering that they are in financial trouble. If this new level of local government is to be funded entirely by homeowners, in addition to being run by homeowners, it is easy to see that as the owners to, so go the associations.

Woman Accused Of Burning Home On Eve Of Foreclosure - Greenville News Story - WYFF Greenville

Woman Accused Of Burning Home On Eve Of Foreclosure - Greenville News Story - WYFF Greenville: "EASLEY, S.C. -- An Upstate woman is accused of setting her house on fire the night before it was to be foreclosed."
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Hey, maybe she just accidentally spilled some gasoline on the carpet and then accidentally dropped a match in it.

Weightlifter fined for noisy exercise - Telegraph

Weightlifter fined for noisy exercise - Telegraph: "A weightlifter has been fined £70 for exercising too loudly. Giran Jobe, 36, was charged with 47 breaches of a noise abatement order after neighbours complained that his two-hour training sessions with dumbbells left them unable to sleep. A council team investigating complaints about noise from his top-floor flat in Margate, Kent, found that at times the level hit 100 decibels - as loud as a rock concert."
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This guy should marry that Russian tennis player who screams with every shot.

AB 1921 Assembly Bill - INTRODUCED

AB 1921 Assembly Bill - INTRODUCED
Here is the full text of A.B. 1921 (see below). This is going to its first hearing tomorrow. It has just been introduced.

Donie Vanitzian dissects California A.B. 1921

Villa Appalling co-author and L.A. Times columnist Donie Vanitzian has a lengthy and very critical analysis of the massive rewrite of the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act that was drafted mainly by the California Law Revision Commission.

In Plainfield, developer, preservationists in fight over fate of two old homes -- Road Transportation, Windham County -- chicagotribune.com

In Plainfield, developer, preservationists in fight over fate of two old homes -- Road Transportation, Windham County -- chicagotribune.com: "Main Street Plainfield remained frozen in time for more than a century. These days, though, with suburban sprawl engulfing the village, only a few Greek revival homes survive alongside chain stores and offices.

A Walgreens built where an 1837 cobbler shop once stood is a bitter reminder for some old-timers of just how much the historic corridor has changed. A new threat of losing two more pioneer homes has galvanized residents who fear the village may lose its special allure if demolitions continue."
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From Mystery Reader comes this story of a clash between historic preservation and the need to accommodate growth in a fast-growing area southwest of Chicago.

Ananova - Mayor wants to ban death

Ananova - Mayor wants to ban death: "The mayor of a Brazilian town is trying to bring in a law making it illegal for residents to die.

Mayor Roberto Pereira da Silva, of Biritiba-Mirim, came up with the idea because the town's only cemetery is full.

He wants to bring in a law that would see relatives of people who die before their time face fines or even jail.

The law would make it an offence for the town's 28,000 citizens to not look after their health properly."
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Hey, it's about time somebody outlawed death. Let's all move to Brazil and live forever.

Spy drones in demand by U.S. police departments, but approval pending - International Herald Tribune: "MIAMI: The Miami police could soon use cutting-edge flying drones to help fight crime. A small pilotless vehicle manufactured by Honeywell International, capable of hovering and 'staring' using electro-optic or infrared sensors, is expected to be introduced soon in the skies over the Florida Everglades. If use of the drone wins U.S. Federal Aviation Administration approval after tests, the Miami-Dade Police Department will start flying the 14 pound, or 6.35 kilogram, drone over urban areas with an eye toward full-fledged employment in crime fighting."
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Sometimes I wonder if the US is becoming one big gated community. I am a big advocate of police protection and aggressive crime fighting, but I prefer to see policing efforts focused on crooks rather than everybody who happens to be walking or driving down the street. You know, kind of like the 4th Amendment says? Probable cause, reasonable suspicion, and all that antiquated 18th century stuff about being innocent until proven guilty? Now the argument seems to be that if you object to being searched or spied on you must have something to hide. Of course, in a sense a flying drone is somewhat like a strolling police officer who walks around surveying the public realm, which in principle isn't anything new or bad at all. But the potential for abuse using electronic surveillance from above--where you can see into places no police officer on the beat ever could--is pretty substantial.

For Sale: 36 Acres Of Land, Buried Bodies - News - NBC 17

For Sale: 36 Acres Of Land, Buried Bodies - News - NBC 17
CHATHAM COUNTY, N.C. -- Just off U.S. Highway 64 in Chatham County is a sign advertising 36 acres of land for sale. The land is undeveloped and zoned residential and agricultural. Land owner and realtor, Colin MacNair said its closeness to Highway 64 makes it a prime location to develop housing. It also is currently home to a graveyard.
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I saw this movie. It didn't turn out well for the homeowners, and I'm not talking about the HOA telling them to buy a different color mailbox. Maybe they should name the place Poltergeist Acres.

Woman crashes into water, saves coffee - Yahoo! News

Woman crashes into water, saves coffee - Yahoo! News: "OAKLAND, Calif. - A woman is safe after losing control of her car and accidently driving into the waters of the Oakland Estuary. But on the upside, she saved her morning coffee. Authorities say the car went into the water a little after 6 a.m. Thursday after its 22-year-old driver apparently lost control of her car while reaching for a cell phone."
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And she waded ashore "still cradling her coffee cup." One hopes that the cell phone is permanently impacted somewhere inside her otherwise empty skull.

Equity Loans as Next Round in Credit Crisis - New York Times

Equity Loans as Next Round in Credit Crisis - New York Times: "As the housing market spirals downward, home equity loans, which turn home sweet home into cash sweet cash, are becoming the next flash point in the mortgage crisis. Americans owe a staggering $1.1 trillion on home equity loans — and banks are increasingly worried they may not get some of that money back. To get it, many lenders are taking the extraordinary step of preventing some people from selling their homes or refinancing their mortgages unless they pay off all or part of their home equity loans first. In the past, when home prices were not falling, lenders did not resort to these measures."
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So basically it is just one thing after another. I guess that's about the size of it.

Obama’s Former Pastor Getting $1.6M Home in Retirement - America’s Election HQ

Obama’s Former Pastor Getting $1.6M Home in Retirement - America’s Election HQ: "FOX News has uncovered documents that indicate Wright is about to move to a 10,340-square-foot, four-bedroom home in suburban Chicago, currently under construction in a gated community."
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It is in Tinley Park, which is in the southwest suburbs. Kind of far from the south side of Chicago. How does living in opulence in a gated community square with all that flamethrower anti-American rhetoric and the church's Black Value System that says you have to disavow middle classness (whatever that is)?

Jon Travolta: "A lot of neighborhoods don't allow the owners to park Boeing 707s outside
their homes, which is why actor John Travolta moved to Jumbolair, near Ocala ."
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Talk about your special interest HOAs...

Eastwood's termination: 'Somebody got a bee under their bonnet' - Los Angeles Times: "The actor says he was surprised at his removal from the state parks board in the wake of his opposition to a toll road. But he says he holds no hard feelings toward Schwarzenegger."
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Yah. So the privatization issue causes Der Terminator to terminate Dirty Harry from his parks board position in Kalifornia.
Based on their classic film lines, I think in the photo with this story, the dialogue goes like this:

Clint: Go ahead, make my day.
Arnie: I'll be back (and you won't).
Clint: Do you feel lucky?
Arnie: You are one ugly m**********r!
Clint: A good man always knows his limitations.

1suck.jpg (JPEG Image, 430x135 pixels)

1suck.jpg (JPEG Image, 430x135 pixels)
This may be easier said than done.

Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Got an opinion? Park District has rules | Crain's

Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Got an opinion? Park District has rules | Crain's: "Crain’s) — So, your little community group wants to put its two cents in at the local park? You and each of your buddies will have to submit to a criminal background check — and fill out a detailed application that includes work and evening phone numbers for three non-family personal references. Any money you raise for that new swing set must be approved in advance by the Chicago Park District, which retains the right to spend the money on something besides swings. And forget about publicity. All interviews with TV, newspaper or radio reporters are strictly prohibited."
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These are proposed Chicago Park District rules for citizen advisory councils at city parks. Proves once again that cities can be just as oppressive as HOAs when they put their mind to it. But this is Chicago, where there is a corrupt one-party system, complete with a Mayor-for-life, that controls all aspects of local government and does whatever it wants (at least until the US Attorney starts sending grand jury subpoenas around).

ROLLY: Homeowner finds he's not free to post a gripe - Salt Lake Tribune

ROLLY: Homeowner finds he's not free to post a gripe - Salt Lake Tribune: "After James Royle bought a house from Ivory Homes in the Valley Fields Subdivision, he says he was frustrated when trying to get the builder to correct some problems.
So he put a sign in his window that said, 'I would not buy an Ivory Home again,' and learned firsthand that freedom of expression has its limits.
Royle got a letter from Benson Hathaway, an attorney representing Ivory Homes, ordering him to 'cease and desist' displaying the sign.
Such a display, Hathaway wrote, violates Section 17 (i) of the subdivision's 'Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions [CC&Rs],' which forbids displaying signs, billboards or ads, except to sell or rent the house."
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Well, I think he has publicized his gripe more effectively because of the "cease and desist" letter from the developer's lawyer than he would have if they had just let him display the sign. Nothing like getting the local press involved when you go into conflict with an HOA.

L.A. Land : Los Angeles Times : California freefall: Home prices fell 26% in February

L.A. Land : Los Angeles Times : California freefall: Home prices fell 26% in February
Signs of distress are piling up in the California housing market, where prices are falling at three times the national rate of decline.

--Statewide, median sales prices fell by a stunning 26% from year-ago levels in February, with home prices dropping at a rate of nearly $3,000 a week, the California Association of Realtors reports. Further, the CAR says the Fed's interest rate-cutting campaign "will have little near-term direct effect on the housing market."

--In the San Fernando Valley, losing a home to foreclosure is now almost as common for families as buying a home. The L.A. Daily News: "During January and February, there were 1,084 foreclosures and 1,335 sales of houses and condos in Valley communities from Glendale to Calabasas, according to the San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center at California State University, Northridge."

"It's bad. It's really bad," market analyst Nima Nattagh told the Daily News.
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No kidding. And it seems that the California market isn't at the bottom yet.

Stubborn homeowners live by oozing volcano - CNN.com: "KALAPANA, Hawaii (AP) -- As fiery lava pours down Kilauea volcano toward Jean Olson's lonely wooden house, incinerating everything in its path, there's no place she'd rather be."
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Maybe that's because she doesn't have an HOA.

US home prices slide 10.7 percent in major markets

US home prices slide 10.7 percent in major markets: "Home prices slumped 10.7 percent from a year ago in major US cities as more air came out of the housing bubble, according to a survey released Tuesday."
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There hasn't been much good news on the housing front for quite a while. Remember when we were all so happy that the housing boom was sustaining the domestic economy? Those were the good old days.

Woes in Condo Market Build As New Supply Floods Cities - WSJ.com

Woes in Condo Market Build As New Supply Floods Cities - WSJ.com: "The condominium market is about to get worse as many cities brace for a flood of new supply this year -- the result of construction started at the height of the housing boom. More than 4,000 new units will be completed in both Atlanta and Phoenix by the end of the year. Developers in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., are readying nearly 10,000 total new units in a market already struggling with canyons of unsold condos. San Diego, another hard-hit region, will add 2,500 units, according to estimates provided by Reis Inc., a New York-based real-estate-research firm...Lenders of all sizes have $42 billion of condominium debt on their books, according to Foresight Analytics. In just three months -- between the third and fourth quarters of last year -- the delinquency rate rose to 10% from 5.9%, says the Oakland, Calif., research firm."
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The condominium debt they are speaking of is construction loans to developers to build condos. A 10% delinquency rate? Not good.

Houses stolen in mortgage fraud, indictments allege - Los Angeles Times

Houses stolen in mortgage fraud, indictments allege - Los Angeles Times: "SACRAMENTO -- Federal prosecutors today charged 19 individuals mainly from Southern California in an alleged nationwide mortgage scam that stole $12.6 million and fraudulently obtained the titles to more than 100 homes.

Two related criminal indictments accused Charles Head, 33, of La Habra, and others with targeting homeowners in financial trouble. The suspects allegedly utilized two real estate scams: the first involving a 'foreclosure rescue' pitch and the second using an 'equity stripping' technique that distributed e-mails and 'fax blasts' to brokers who sought help in finding potential victims having trouble meeting mortgage payments."
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Complete with mug shots.

Frisco homeowners association, residents in free speech fight | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Frisco News

Frisco homeowners association, residents in free speech fight | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Frisco News: "FRISCO – It started as a typical neighborhood tussle, a disagreement over screening bushes and air-conditioning units. But now, the arguing between the Frisco Fairways Homeowners Association and three of its residents has erupted into a full-blown legal battle over free speech that may have ramifications for members of homeowner associations across Texas... The suit alleges that in their online postings, Mr. Snell, Mr. Doumani and Mr. Macari stated or implied that the board lied to association members, engaged in questionable financial dealings and acted unethically. It also claims they posted private information about board members. Charles W. Branham III, an attorney for the defendants, said the board is trying to stifle free speech and must prove that the messages were false, defamed reputations and were posted with malice – the ingredients for a successful libel suit. "
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This type of lawsuit could become more common. It will be interesting to see how the courts treat these claims.

Environment: Water: In a turf war over lawn care

Environment: Water: In a turf war over lawn care: "TAMPA — James Lyle watered his yard once a week, and got fined $1,000 by his homeowners association because the lawn was still too brown.

He began watering the lawn twice a week and got fined $100 by the Hillsborough County water department."
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So which of his two local governments--private or public--should he obey? I like the part where the past president of the association says, "While we're sympathetic and certainly respect the county's once-a-week watering restriction, it's an excuse for somebody to just let their yards go." Some people don't get this whole idea that they have a limited function to perform. And maybe that sort of person is attracted to community association boards.

Hillary's Balkan Adventures, Part II - Fact Checker
The Washington Post confirms that Hillary Clinton is full of it. They give her four Pinocchios. The story is by a reporter who was there at about the same time. There is an 8 year old girl reading her poetry to Clinton on the runway. Game, set, match.

The Pinocchio Test:

Clinton's tale of landing at Tuzla airport "under sniper fire" and then running for cover is simply not credible. Photographs and video of the arrival ceremony, combined with contemporaneous news reports, tell a very different story. Four Pinocchios.

Ex-Homecoming Queen Accused Of Beating Sister With Leg In Trailer Sent To Rehab - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Ex-Homecoming Queen Accused Of Beating Sister With Leg In Trailer Sent To Rehab - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh: "A former Norwin homecoming queen accused of attacking her sister with a prosthetic leg and threatening to burn down a neighbor's trailer was ordered on Wednesday to go to rehab."
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That headline is one you don't see every day. I guess all's well that ends well. But did they have to slam the trailer population that way? I mean, aren't we ready to leave behind our cultural stereotypes about people who live in manufactured housing communities?

On the other hand, maybe if they stopped pulling off each other's wooden legs people would think better of them. Just a thought.

My Way News - Obama Aide: Bill Clinton Like McCarthy

My Way News - Obama Aide: Bill Clinton Like McCarthy: "Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign is trying to clarify comments by former President Clinton that seemed to question Barack Obama's patriotism - comments an Obama aide likened to Joseph McCarthy.

Clinton's campaign said the comments were being misinterpreted and quickly posted a clarification on its Web site. But retired Air Force Gen. Merrill 'Tony' McPeak said he was disappointed by the comments and compared them to those of McCarthy, the 1950s communist-hunting senator.

The former president made the comments while speculating about a general election between his wife and Republican John McCain.

'I think it would be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interest of this country,' said Clinton, who was speaking to a group of veterans Friday in Charlotte, N.C."
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Bill Clinton escaped again and found a microphone where he could stand and wave his finger at people. With friends like him, Hillary doesn't even need all those enemies she has.

The SouthtownStar :: Crestwood :: Midlothian :: Oak Forest :: Posen

Family tormented by condo association over flooring: "An Oak Forest family can breathe a sigh of relief now that their condominium association has decided not to pursue possession of the family's home in a dispute over the kind of flooring the family installed.

But the family's potential legal woes aren't necessarily over. The association may pursue recovery of $1,400 in attorney fees incurred when the family requested a hearing with the association board over the matter."
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These folks removed the carpet and went with hard flooring to accommodate a child with asthma, because the carpet was holding dust and so forth. The association decided to ban hard flooring and require carpeting. Why do they think is this their business anyway, given that it is inside the unit and might reasonably be seen as the owner's concern? Who knows. But they decided to sue these folks.

Legislative report: Get tough on condo, homeowner associations -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Legislative report: Get tough on condo, homeowner associations -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: "A newly released, bipartisan legislative report could lead to extensive changes in state laws protecting the millions of owners in Florida condo and homeowner association communities."
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A bipartisan consensus that Florida needs to "get tough" on condo and homeowner associations? But...but...but...how can this be true? Haven't we been assured by the industry that there are no problems here except for a few malcontents?

Check out this sentence: "The nine-member committee wrote its report after hearing "horror stories" from unit owners in five cities between January and early this month."

My guess is that when denial and denunciation have finally proved futile, the industry will jump on board and act like they have been interested all along in reform.

Urban Dictionary: jingle mail

Urban Dictionary: jingle mail
I am always amazed at the way people are able to use the English language creatively to express the essence of a complex experience.

StamfordPlus.com News - Attorney General calls for condominium commission to protect condo owners

StamfordPlus.com News - Attorney General calls for condominium commission to protect condo owners: "Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, in formal testimony to the Judiciary Committee today, urged establishment of a state board to assist condominium unit owners by ensuring that condominium associations abide by their bylaws and state laws, and tighter licensing requirements for condominium managers. Blumenthal, joined by state legislators and condo unit owners, said that a Connecticut Community Association Commission would review condominium unit owner complaints concerning violations of condominium bylaws or state condominium laws by the association’s board of directors, officers or professional managers."
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Question: at what point can we hear the last of the industry claim that everything is fine and no government oversight or regulation is needed? How many states have to act on this before the industry will acknowledge the facts?

America's new subprime shanty-towns - Boing Boing

America's new subprime shanty-towns - Boing Boing: "In this chilling BBC clip, a newsteam ventures to one of LA's new shantytowns made up of people who've lost their homes in the subprime meltdown and now live in tents, improvised shacks or RVs on abandoned land."
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Thanks to Mystery Reader for the link to this horrifying story. Yikes.

Spring clean of outdated laws...including right to banish noisy brass bands | the Daily Mail

Spring clean of outdated laws...including right to banish noisy brass bands | the Daily Mail: "A little-known law backing irritated householders who try to shoo away a noisy ensemble is one of hundreds of pieces of legislation being scrapped by the Government. The 1839 law, which allows for a 40-shilling fine on street musicians who decline a request to move on, was introduced to deal with a proliferation of Victorian brass bands and street organs."
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Well, there goes the neighborhood.

Seeking a right to dry, clothesline users are causing flaps | StarNewsOnline.com | Star-News | Wilmington, NC

Seeking a right to dry, clothesline users are causing flaps | StarNewsOnline.com | Star-News | Wilmington, NC: "They say they only want to protect their 'right to dry.' And in three New England states, advocates for clotheslines - strung across the yard, draped with socks and sheets - are pushing for new laws to liberate residents whose neighbors won't let them hang laundry outside.

Homeowners' associations, which enforce bans on clotheslines at thousands of residential developments across the country, say the rules are needed to prevent flapping laundry from dragging down property values. But in an age of paper over plastic, as people try to take small steps to protect the environment, more residents are chafing at the restrictions. And some lawmakers in Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut are taking it a step further, seeking legislation that would guarantee the freedom to let one's garments flutter in the breeze."
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So now the hippies who transplanted themselves to New England are taking on the HOA industry monolith. The "right to dry" is found in which amendment, exactly?

MaineToday.com | News Update: Maine vodka named best in nation

MaineToday.com | News Update: Maine vodka named best in nation: "FREEPORT - Cold River Vodka, a triple-distilled small batch vodka made from Maine potatoes, has been rated the best domestic vodka and 47th among the world's top 111 spirits in 'Kindred Spirits 2' by F. Paul Pacult."
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Even though I was born in Maine, I have a hard time believing that this vodka is better than Tito's Handmade Vodka, which is from Texas. I guess I need to find a bottle of Cold River and give it a try one of these days. Tasting is believing.

Daily Herald | Association issues for future thought

Daily Herald | Association issues for future thought
This is Jordan Shifrin's column, and it is a particularly interesting one. He is thinking about issues of the "near and intermediate future." I suggest reading the whole thing.

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Business -- Keeping the peace

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Business -- Keeping the peace: "Homeowners who feel they've been wronged by the associations that oversee many of California's housing developments may find solace in proposed legislation that would establish a state-level bureau for resolving such disputes."
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But why is the California legislature getting involved, given the state of bliss that prevails in 99.999% of all HOAs, according to the industry? How can it be that the legislature is convinced the situation is bad enough to warrant oversight? Maybe they are getting so many complaints from aggrieved owners that they don't believe the lobbyists' "everything is wonderful" line.

Bloomberg.com: U.S.

Bloomberg.com: U.S.: Big Las Vegas developments in trouble: "March 15 (Bloomberg) -- Two Las Vegas housing projects have each missed an interest payment in recent weeks on about $765 million of debt and are holding talks with lenders, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing development partner Focus Property Group. The Inspirada and Kyle Canyon Gateway ventures, which include Toll Brothers Inc., KB Home and Lennar Corp., have received default notices, the newspaper said, citing Focus Chief Executive Officer John Ritter. The 2,000-acre Inspirada project was expected to develop as many as 13,500 homes over the next seven years, though only about 162 homes have been sold so far, the Journal cited Ritter as saying. He now expects the project to last between 10 and 15 years because of a severe housing downturn in Las Vegas, the Journal said."
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Being near a failed real estate development is bad news. I say that as one who lives a mile or so from two of them, courtesy of bankrupt Neumann Homes.

San Diego's Caped Crusaders - FOX6 San Diego

San Diego's Caped Crusaders - FOX6 San Diego: "Don’t be alarmed if you see two masked men walking the streets of San Diego over the next few days. Not if they go by the names Mr. Extreme and Shadow Hare. The duo call themselves “Real Life Superheroes.” This week, their mission is to find the suspect accused of attacking people with a skateboard in the Chula Vista area. Mr. Extreme and Shadow Hare patrol during the day and night warning community members to be on alert. “Be careful on the streets,” says Mr. Extreme to a couple walking their dog, as he hands them a home-made wanted flyer, with a composite sketch of the skateboard suspect. “You don't know what this guy is capable of.” Mr. Extreme is the President and Founder of Extreme Justice League, a division of the global “Real Life Superheroes” movement, with a membership of roughly 200 people."
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Maybe in this era of declining real estate values, volunteer superheroes make more sense than private security services. Something to think about if you live in a budget gated community.

L.A. Now : Los Angeles Times : Good fences don't necessarily make good neighbors in Santa Monica

L.A. Now : Los Angeles Times : Good fences don't necessarily make good neighbors in Santa Monica: "In June, after about two years of study, the city of Santa Monica is expected to begin hearing complaints about front-yard hedges and walls that exceed the city's long-standing but mostly ignored 42-inch height limit. The city called a time-out to look at the issue after hedge-height offenders were threatened with $25,000-a-day fines and Bobby Shriver, a nephew of JFK, was elected to the City Council on a pro-hedge platform."
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The People's Republic of Santa Monica is as far from a gated community as you can get, but still they seem to be privatizing their security with sky-high hedges. Maybe they have gated community envy.

Rising Foreclosure Rates Cause HOAs To Fall Into Bankruptcy - News Story - WFTV Orlando

Rising Foreclosure Rates Cause HOAs To Fall Into Bankruptcy - News Story - WFTV Orlando

Fred Pilot sent this link. I have been talking about this for a long time and now it is becoming news.

Home Prices Plunge Across California: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Home Prices Plunge Across California: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: "LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Median home prices plunged in many of California's most populous counties in February, with Southern California leading the slide with an overall drop of 17.9 percent compared to a year earlier, according to new housing data released Thursday. The drops reflect a deepening housing crisis in the state, which saw home values soar during the housing boom then decline sharply in most areas. Median home prices fell this year in 15 major counties, DataQuick Information Systems said."
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I guess at some point people just can't hold onto these homes anymore. Either they have to sell, or they let the bank foreclose and then the bank sells it at a loss rather than keep it. But this is really awful and it seems the slump hasn't bottomed out yet.

Fed takes boldest action since the Depression to rescue US mortgage industry - Telegraph

Fed takes boldest action since the Depression to rescue US mortgage industry - Telegraph: "The US Federal Reserve has taken the boldest action since the 1930s, accepting $200bn of housing debt as collateral to prevent an implosion of the mortgage finance industry and head off a full-blown economic crisis."
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The situation of Fannie Mae could turn out to be the biggest problem in the near future.

ABC News: Bald Eagles: Menace to Alaska Town

ABC News: Bald Eagles: Menace to Alaska Town: "Homer, Alaska, may be the one place on Earth where bald eagles rule, and some humans are beginning to feel endangered.

It is a place where the majestic symbol of America can be found on movie theaters, cars, and light posts; there are dozens at a time on rooftops. They sometimes collide with traffic and are accused of stealing pets out of yards."
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With photo reminiscent of Hitchcock.

abc13.com: Katy homeowner loses fight over landscaping at her home 3/08/08

abc13.com: Katy homeowner loses fight over landscaping at her home 3/08/08: "The homeowner thought the yard was beautiful. However, the homeowner's association disagreed and took drastic measures to resolve the situation. Now it's the homeowner who says her trees and her rights were pruned back too far.

On a blustery morning, Lisagay Wright surveys what's left of a yard she's spent the past 17 years landscaping."
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The Taste Police strike again. What fun it must be to live at the whims of your neighbors.

BBQ-smoker-turned-'Robocop' chases off drug dealers - CNN.com

BBQ-smoker-turned-'Robocop' chases off drug dealers - CNN.com
It's a barbecue smoker mounted on a three-wheeled scooter, and armed with an infrared camera, spotlight, loudspeaker and aluminum water cannon that shoots a stream of icy water about 20 feet.

Operated by remote control, the robot spotlights trespassers on property down the street from his bar, O'Terrill's. Using a walkie-talkie, Terrill belts out through the robot's loudspeaker, "That's private property. You guys need to get out of here."
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So which is better: a developer creating a gated community with a hugely expensive security system, or a guy with a barbecue smoker? I leave it to you.

Condo owners seek more power - Greenwich Time

Condo owners seek more power - Greenwich Time: "A bill pending before the state legislature would create an eight-member Connecticut Community Association Commission within the state Department of Consumer Protection. Appointed by the governor, the group would have the authority to investigate and resolve complaints lodged against condominium associations and their governing boards. The bill has the backing of state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who testified in favor of the legislation yesterday before the General Law Committee. Blumenthal said yesterday the rights of condominium owners are 'all too frequently disregarded.'"
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Yet another state is added to the list of places where the state legislature recognizes that owners rights are suffering at the hands of HOA and condo boards. California, Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Colorado, Virginia, Maryland...and on, and on. Now, Connecticut. Apparently these legislators don't accept the message from the industry that everything is just fine in Privatopia.

PROPERTY FOCUS: Neighbour Vs. neighbour - Business news

PROPERTY FOCUS: Neighbour Vs. neighbour - Business news: "The draft bill of Bulgaria’s Condominium Act is ineffective and has been written in such a way as to serve the interests of the heating, water and electricity utility companies, professor Vladimir Petrov from the Civil Association against Corruption and Illegal Construction said, as quoted by Dnevnik daily."
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Different country, same general idea?

HeraldTribune.com - News - Chinch bugs, Florida law, HOA craziness: "PARRISH -- A homeowner who faces fines for installing a Florida-friendly yard is among a group campaigning to oust the homeowner association board in River Woods. Jim Copas has been in dispute with the board of the subdivision off Old Tampa Road since he and his wife, Cynthia Zanella, ripped out their chinch bug-ridden lawn and laid shell last year. Their yard is certified by Manatee County as a Florida-friendly yard, one that conserves water and needs almost no fertilizers or pesticides. A 2001 state law prohibits homeowner associations from banning Florida-friendly yards. River Woods board members, however, say the couple needed permission to change the landscape and that it could harm property values in the community."
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Another HOA board that is "stuck on stupid"? Maybe there is something about the position of HOA director that brings out the worst in otherwise decent people.

By the way, what is a "chinch bug" and can I rest assured that they don't like Illinois winters?

My Way News - Homeowner Equity Is Lowest Since 1945

My Way News - Homeowner Equity Is Lowest Since 1945: "NEW YORK (AP) - Americans' percentage of equity in their homes fell below 50 percent for the first time on record since 1945, the Federal Reserve said Thursday. Homeowners' portion of equity slipped to downwardly revised 49.6 percent in the second quarter of 2007, the central bank reported in its quarterly U.S. Flow of Funds Accounts, and declined further to 47.9 percent in the fourth quarter - the third straight quarter it was under 50 percent. That marks the first time homeowners' debt on their houses exceeds their equity since the Fed started tracking the data in 1945. The total value of equity also fell for the third straight quarter to $9.65 trillion from a downwardly revised $9.93 trillion in the third quarter."
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This is scary.

Nevada County Local News: Embezzle case: Balch changes her plea to guilty - TheUnion.com: "In front of six elderly victims in court Thursday, the wife of a former Nevada City mayor pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $100,000 from their homeowners association, of which she was treasurer."
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Yet another "isolated incident" that in no way implies there is any larger problem with embezzlement and other misuse of association funds by those entrusted with them. Move along. Nothing to see here.
Thanks to Fred Pilot for the link.

Vultures Ripping Apart Roofs, Chewing Cars - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando

Vultures Ripping Apart Roofs, Chewing Cars - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando: "City officials said little can be done about the hundreds of black and turkey vultures because they are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act."
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You can't even scare them away. You have to stand there and watch while they eat your roof and your car. Maybe the Migratory Bird Treat Act needs an amendment? Just suggesting...

HeraldTribune.com - Real Estate - Real estate and homes news stories about Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties in Florida, from the newspapers of record. - HeraldTribune.com: "If you have a problem with your condominium association, there is a place to try to get relief, or at least an explanation of your rights.

Created by the Florida Legislature in 2004, the Office of the Condominium Ombudsman has become a resource for unit owners, board members, condominium associations and others.

So far, lawmakers have not created a similar office for homeowners associations, but one is being considered."
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Nice photo of Danille Carroll. The last line in the piece quotes her as saying something I said when we were both speaking at Frank Askin's conference in New Jersey: "You are only one election away from having a bad condo board." And that is the Achilles Heel of this entire institution.

wcbstv.com - Queens Building Uses 'Mosquito' To Quiet Teens: "QUEENS (CBS) ― Teenagers who hang out inside one apartment building in Jamaica, Queens are getting an earful these days. A new security device called 'The Mosquito' has been installed in the lobby of a building on 170th St. where there have been chronic problems with noisy teens. The wall-mounted device emits a high-frequency screech that can only be heard by people aged 13 to 25. Most older people cannot hear it."
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You mean to tell me that there is a "high-frequency screech" that is actually worse than the music they pay for? I don't believe it. Soon that screech will be the most-downloaded mp3 file on the planet.

My Way News - Luxury Homes Burn in Apparent Eco-Attack: "WOODINVILLE, Wash. (AP) - Three seven-figure dream homes went up in flames early Monday in a Seattle suburb, apparently set by eco-terrorists who left a sign mocking the builders' claims that the 4,000-plus-square-foot houses were environmentally friendly. The sign - a sheet marked with spray paint - bore the initials ELF, for Earth Liberation Front, a loose collection of radical environmentalists that has claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks since the 1990s."
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I hope they find a nice set of cozy prison cells for these folks. But it may not be so easy to catch them.

Court may consider broadcast decency rules - The Boston Globe: "WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court this week may reopen for the first time in more than 30 years the debate over what qualifies as an 'indecent' broadcast...The issue before the court now is delicately described as the problem of 'fleeting expletives' in over-the-air broadcasts, which are still regulated. Television viewers who watch some of the entertainment industry's award shows may be familiar with the phenomenon."
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The Federal Communications Commission licenses broadcast stations to use particular frequencies, and requires them to avoid "indecency" as a condition of keeping those licenses. Celebrities delight in dropping "F-bombs" here and there to show how cool they are and get free publicity. What should happen to the station that broadcasts it?

MyFox Chicago | Prepare to Pay More in Sales Tax by November: "'Chicago now has the unfortunate notoriety of having the highest sales tax in the country, and our region will now be a more expensive place to visit, live, work and operate a business,' said Jerry Roper, head of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. 'The people of our region should be outraged.'"
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Chicagoans have the privilege of being governed by Democrats at the state, county, and municipal level. That means lots of free stuff being paid for by business and the middle class through high taxes. Would you locate your retail business in the city with the highest sales tax in the USA?