cbs2chicago.com - Cook County Tax Hike In Effect, Businesses Furious

cbs2chicago.com - Cook County Tax Hike In Effect, Businesses Furious: "As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, a 1 percent sales tax increase is in effect Tuesday, hiking the sales tax in the city of Chicago to 10.25 percent. By comparison, the sales tax in Lake and Will counties is 7 percent, and in DuPage County, it's 7.25 percent. A sales tax of 10.25 percent is also significantly higher than the sales tax in other major cities. The next highest rate in the country is in Memphis at 9.25 percent. New York, Los Angeles and Dallas all have a sales tax of under 8.3 percent, Phoenix has a tax of 6.3 percent, and Denver's sales tax is only 3.6 percent. The Cook County Board voted to raise the sales tax at the end of February, after a five-month stalemate on the 2008 budget. Board President Todd Stroger and his supporters ultimately prevailed, saying the tax hike was necessary to provide health care and other services."
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Chicago now has the highest sales tax in the US, at 10.25%, in order to fund the city's welfare state and pay exorbitant salaries to Todd Stroger's friends and relatives for the non-jobs the don't do.

Businesses are outraged, but with a Democratic city government, county government, and state government, they have no legitimate voice in politics. Everything is framed in terms of the Democrats and their constituencies. Their only route to influence in this state is through corruption: payoffs and campaign contributions to the Democrats and the few Republicans who are part of what columnist John Kass calls "The Combine." That, of course, is dangerous with the Feds lurking around. And we are now on the verge of electing as President of the US a man who came straight out of the Chicago machine.

Homeowners or Condominium Association Fees: Nondischargeable, But Maybe It’s Not a Problem : Bankruptcy Law Network

Homeowners or Condominium Association Fees: Nondischargeable, But Maybe It’s Not a Problem : Bankruptcy Law Network: "Section 523(a)(16) of the bankruptcy law, as amended by the 2005 Bankruptcy Reform Act, makes homeowners or condominium association fees nondischargeable, but only if the association fees arose after the date the bankruptcy was filed, and only for so long as the debtor has an ownership interest, or some other equitable interest, in the property. A post-bankruptcy sale or foreclosure of the debtor’s interest in the property, once fully completed, ends any further accumulation of association fees.

For debtors who are keeping their townhouse or condominium notwithstanding their bankruptcy filing, the nondischargeable nature of post-bankruptcy association fees is not a problem. However, debtors who plan to surrender their townhouse or condominium in the bankruptcy are vexed by the question of what to do about post-bankruptcy association fees."
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The solution: the bank will have to pay the fees in order to sell the property.

FOXNews.com - Law Banning Annoying People During Pope's Visit to Australia Criticized - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News

FOXNews.com - Law Banning Annoying People During Pope's Visit to Australia Criticized
SYDNEY, Australia — New regulations making it a crime to annoy or inconvenience people gathering in Sydney during Pope Benedict XVI's visit later this month were criticized Tuesday as a heavy-handed blow to free speech.

The laws will apply in dozens of areas of downtown Sydney — including the city's landmark opera house, train stations and city parks — that are designated venues for World Youth Day, a Catholic evangelical festival at which the pontiff will conduct mass and lead prayer meetings.

The regulations give police and emergency services workers power to order anyone to stop behavior that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants in a World Youth Day event," according to a New South Wales state government gazette. Anyone who does not comply faces a 5,500 Australian dollar (US$5,300) fine.
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So can any gated community inmates top this? When James Madison, et al., said government power has to be limited because neither the majority nor any minority can be trusted with unlimited power, they had a point.

Our little emperors: does worrying do more harm than good? - Times Online

Our little emperors: does worrying do more harm than good? - Times Online: "A US academic has coined the term kindergarchy – a new (affluent) world order in which children rule. “Children have gone from background to foreground in domestic life with more attention centred on them, their upbringing [and] their small accomplishments,” wrote Joseph Epstein, a recently retired lecturer at Northwestern University, in The Weekly Standard, a US magazine."
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I think Epstein's next words were, "Get off my lawn!"

Maybe he doesn't get the principle behind praising these "small accomplishments." Kids develop confidence by experiencing success, and if you reward them for doing well in school and so forth they will probably direct their energies in socially useful directions. That way they become successful members of a productive society.

Otherwise, they might turn into crabby university professors.

My Way News - Ex-Army scientist to get $5.8M in anthrax lawsuit

My Way News - Ex-Army scientist to get $5.8M in anthrax lawsuit: "WASHINGTON (AP) - A former Army scientist who was named as a person of interest in the 2001 anthrax attacks will receive $5.8 million to settle his lawsuit against the Justice Department. Steven Hatfill claimed the Justice Department violated his privacy rights by speaking with reporters about the case."
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Remember the 9/11 anthrax scare? This gentleman had nothing to do with it. But that didn't stop the Justice Department from publicly declaring him a "person of interest." Now we, the taxpayers, are paying for that folly.

The BIG One - WTAM 1100

I'm from FEMA and I'm here to help you...: "(Cedar Rapids) According to police a contracted FEMA housing inspector nearly hit a Penford Products employee with his car and then got out of the car slamming the man with a golf club.

FEMA housing inspector Vincent Koley, 74, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after the 11:30 a.m. incident, the Cedar Rapids Police Department reported.

Koley stopped the car and jumped out, police said. Tom Kramer told him to slow down and that he was in the cross walk. Koley replied that 'he didn't have to slow down, he was with FEMA,' police said. The two argued for a minute, and when Kramer turned to walk away, Koley took a golf club out of his car and struck Kramer across the arm, breaking the golf club."
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Yeah, and don't eat tomatoes, either. Well, maybe it's not the tomatoes, but don't eat them anyway. And get out of the way, because FEMA is coming through.

We are the federal government, here to help you.

FortBendnow.com - Constantly Updated Neighborhood News for Fort Bend County, TX

Murder in gated community in Fort Bend County, TX: "The family of a Weston Lakes woman stabbed to death in her home is asking the public for help in finding the man who is accused of the murder.

The family of Martha Fields appeared at a Crime Stoppers press conference Friday to ask anyone with information on the whereabouts of Marwan Saeed to come forward and help police take accused killer into custody. Crime Stoppers is offering a $5000 reward to anyone providing the information leading to the arrest of Saeed.

Fields, 54, was stabbed during a robbery attempt last Dec. 11 in her home in the gated Weston Lakes community. She died in a hospital two days later...Police say the trio bluffed their way into the gated community by pretending to be making a delivery. The Fields home was targeted because of a mistaken belief that there was a large amount of cash in a safe in the residence."
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I doubt that gates and rent-a-cops keep people safe from criminals who are targeting specific residences.

Hitting Home: New faces join ranks of the homeless - USATODAY.com

Hitting Home: New faces join ranks of the homeless - USATODAY.com: "With more families on the cusp of having nowhere to live, thousands of both former homeowners and renters are winding up in shelters or turning to charities for food or other aid to get by. Nearly 61% of local and state homeless coalitions say they've seen a rise in homelessness since the foreclosure crisis began in 2007, according to a study released in April by the National Coalition for the Homeless. According to the study, which let respondents offer multiple replies when asked where they're headed once their property is foreclosed on, 76% of displaced homeowners and renters are moving in with relatives and friends. About 54% are moving to emergency shelters. About 40% are already on the streets. Those facing homelessness include the working poor, who were among those hardest hit by the collapse in subprime mortgages. But others are middle-class families who scarcely expected to find themselves unable to afford their homes."
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This study is by an advocacy group and that makes it suspect. But the point about middle class people facing major problems due to foreclosure seems pretty clear.

9NEWS.com | Colorado's Online News Leader | New HOA law allows clothes lines in neighborhoods

9NEWS.com | Colorado's Online News Leader | New HOA law allows clothes lines in neighborhoods: "KUSA - Beginning in August, homeowners living in covenant controlled communities will able to install energy saving devises such as evaporative coolers, wind-electric generators and clothes lines, as long as those devises meet home owner association aesthetic guidelines.
Advertisement

House Bill 1270 was signed by Governor Ritter last April and will go into effect August 6, 2008.

The bill provides guidelines to homeowner associations (HOAs) and homeowners on the types of energy efficiency/conservation devises that can be installed and used in covenant controlled (HOA) communities."
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Sounds like a good law to me. What do other people think?

Longer subdivision construction time frames force shift in expenses - to homeowners!: "Residential construction slowdowns that extend subdivision build-outs are forcing developers to absorb expenses typically turned over to homeowner associations. In some cases, experts said, developer bankruptcy or foreclosure is shifting the burden to the new homeowners or residential builders for maintenance costs - such as landscaping and care for common areas - typically borne by developers. 'We're starting to see these problems now, and we're looking at the tip of the iceberg,' said Michelle Harrell, attorney with Maddin, Hauser, Wartell, Roth & Heller PC. 'We're on the edge of the cliff.'
In the best cases, solvent and surviving developers foster relationships with the fledgling associations or new homeowners until they get to the tipping point where the association can manage the communities, even when the building timeline has stretched beyond what they anticipated...But not every development goes so smoothly. In the worst cases, financially strapped builders and developers neglect the maintenance and development of common areas and stormwater detention ponds, leaving the homeowners to pay for those services out of pocket with little to no chance of being reimbursed."
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So rush right out and buy those CID properties today, so you too can play the "Special Assessment Lottery" in which you have a chance to pay a one-time-only sum of $10,000, or $20,000, or even $30,000, that your developer or your fellow owners should have paid. Act now, and our gift to you is a free beach towel that you can cry in.

Needles…..Nevada?? « On The Scene « FOXNews.com: "We’ve come here because some people in Needles [California] want to become Needles Nevada, or even Needles Arizona. They feel because the county seat is more than 200 miles away and the Grand Canyon and Silver State’s are so close, it might be better to move. Regulation across the river is easier, taxes are lower and other communities are booming…while Needles just nestles."
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As Rod Serling used to say, submitted for your consideration: Needles, California. A town slightly cooler than the surface of the sun. A place so hot, the farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs; the cows are giving evaporated milk; the trees are whistling for the dogs. And other stolen "it's so hot" jokes...

Cases of three cats gutted or shot in La Quinta now linked | L.A. Unleashed | Los Angeles Times

Cases of three cats gutted or shot in La Quinta now linked Los Angeles Times: "A gutted cat was found May 30 on Desert Stream Drive near La Quinta Park, the day after a feline was found shot in the gated community of Starlight Dunes. Gregory said the owners discarded the cats before the Sheriff’s Department could examine the carcasses. 'We didn’t have any physical evidence on the cats,' Gregory said. 'And a few weeks went by and it looked like isolated incidents until last week’s killing.' Gregory said it was clear that the gutted cats had not been attacked by an animal."
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The game is afoot, Watson. I suggest we begin by cross-referencing escaped lunatics and people with cat allergies.

Seriously, anybody who would do this to a cat is pretty far down the clemency ladder for me. And it is strange that it happens in a gated community.

Bad Economy Blows Out Central Fla. City's 4th Of July Fireworks Display - Money News Story - WKMG Orlando

Bad Economy Blows Out Central Fla. City's 4th Of July Fireworks Display - Money News Story - WKMG Orlando: "COCOA BEACH, Fla. -- Citing a downturn in the economy, Cocoa Beach officials on Wednesday announced that the city will not host a Fourth of July fireworks display this year.

Cocoa Beach city manager Charles Billias said the display, which costs up to $70,000, was too expensive."
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Maybe Spain would like to buy back Cocoa Beach (see below re Mexicans buying Texas property).

Bloomberg.com: News

Bloomberg.com: News: "Forge the Alamo! Remember the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo!": "A rising peso and an economy growing faster than the U.S. have given some Mexicans the buying power to take advantage of the housing slump in Texas, which the U.S. annexed in 1845 after Texans gained independence from Mexico nine years earlier."
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Irony alert--this one will make your head spin. Mexicans are positioned to buy back lots of property in Texas, and the sales pitch is cowgirls standing next to a sign reading, "TEXAS FOR SALE."

SCOTUSblog » A new vote for property rights?

SCOTUSblog » A new vote for property rights?: "The Supreme Court refused on Monday, amid a flurry of orders, to reopen the heated controversy over the power of government to seize private property for a new economic development project, but owners of property appeared to have picked up a potential new ally on the Court. Justice Samual A. Alito, Jr., was the only member of the Court to note that he would have granted review of a significant Second Circuit Court ruling on property rights in the face of a massive new project in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn, N.Y.

The Court as a whole turned down an appeal by a group of homeowners and business operators who are likely to lose their property to the 22-acre development near the rail yards for the Long Island Railroad. That development, planned by a group headed by developer Bruce Ratner, is the Atlantic Yards Arena and Development Project; it will provide a new home for the New Jersey Nets professional basketball team (which Ratner owns), plus 16 high-rise office and aprtment towers, and a 180-room hotel. The failed appeal by property owners involves about 20 percent of the development site. (Their appeal to the Supreme Court came in Goldstein, et al., v. Pataki, et al., 07-1247)."
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Mystery Reader sent this SCOTUSblog piece by Lyle Denniston speculating about Samuel Alito being a balance-tipping fifth vote in favor of property rights. Intriguing possibility--and a whole lot depends on the presidential election, too, because that may determine who makes three or four USSC appointments.

Escaping an HOA in Texas isn't easy | Latest News | WFAA.com: "What if you don't want the rules that come with a homeowners' association? Where can you go? As it turns out, your options are getting more limited every year."
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From Fred Pilot. The evidence piles up that people are having their choices made for them by cities and developers, and yet we keep hearing about how people "chose" to live in an HOA. We are reaching the point where you won't be able NOT to.

Deputies Can't Stop Animal Sacrifices Inside Waterford Lakes Home - News Story - WFTV Orlando

Deputies Can't Stop Animal Sacrifices Inside Waterford Lakes Home - News Story - WFTV Orlando: "Inside the rented house, deputies told Jade Forest homeowners they interrupted a goat sacrifice on Friday as part of a Santeria ceremony. 'I don't like any kind of odd thing happening. I mean, I don't know? Maybe that's where they start and then go further with dogs and cats,' the unidentified neighbor said. It's not likely in the Santeria religion, where only goats and chickens are sacrificed, but neighbors have done research recently. The Internet offers plenty on sacrifice rituals with chickens and goats. In 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that humane religious animal sacrifice is protected by the U.S. Constitution. On the porch of the home Monday there were rotting meatballs and watermelon, along with a religious vase. Eyewitness News reporter Steve Barrett tried to ask about the Santeria practices, but was politely turned away."
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Shu Bartholomew sent this. The Supreme Court case is Church of the Lukumi Babalu v. City of Hialeah. The article misstates the ruling. The Hialeah ordinances were invalidated because they were obviously targeted only at the Santeria "religion." If there had been generally applicable ordinances that did not target Santeria, that might have been a different story, especially since Employment Division v. Smith. But in any event, there are some obvious public safety issues here with rotting meat and animal carcasses in a residential neighborhood.

City says all decks at condo complex appear to be unsafe | Warwick | projo.com | The Providence Journal

City says all decks at condo complex appear to be unsafe -- The Providence Journal: "WARWICK –– A deck collapse at the Greenbrier Condominiums that badly injured several women on Saturday led to the city’s discovery that all of the decks at the 20-year-old complex appeared to be unsafe...Several friends were enjoying a dinner on a neighbor’s first-floor deck when it suddenly gave way. As the deck pulled away from the building, the second-story deck also crashed down on top of the women –– with only a large air-conditioning unit and porch furniture keeping them from being crushed under the falling wood, Pagliaro said. Five women, including the president and vice president of the condominium association, were crushed under the rubble and had to be freed by firefighters. All of them suffered bruises and broken bones."
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A 20 year old complex with unsafe structural conditions that had already been repaired-- inadequately, it seems. Nobody responsible for repairing the place except the owners. Builder protected by statute of limitations. Insurance probably doesn't cover it. This is the picture that a lot of associations will be facing over the next decade.

Condos upping fees to cope with downturn -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Condos upping fees to cope with downturn -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: "The souring economy has condo and homeowner associations facing the same problem as many owners: less money.Throughout South Florida, boards are grappling with how to keep up property values as fewer owners pay their assessments. Although foreclosing on a unit is one way to collect the money, the cost is high and the homes are unlikely to sell. So boards must look for alternatives. The most common practice is also the most unfair. Boards 'overassess' the remaining owners by 10 percent to 20 percent, said Gary Poliakoff, whose Fort Lauderdale-based firm represents 4,300 associations in Florida. Others are eliminating services."
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Associations don't have many options because the whole financial burden falls on the owners who can pay. The over-reliance on owners to finance and run these associations is the weak link in this whole utopian idea.

My Way News - Housing aid bill clears key Senate hurdle: "WASHINGTON (AP) - A massive foreclosure rescue bill overwhelmingly cleared a key Senate test Tuesday, drawing broad support from Democrats and Republicans alike. The Senate voted 83-9 to speed up work on the $300 billion mortgage aid plan, putting it on track for a final vote as early as the end of the day. The resounding vote reflected a keen interest in both parties in claiming election-year credit for helping homeowners amid tough economic times. Still, the measure faces a veto threat from President Bush and disputes among Democrats about key details. Those challenges will probably delay any final deal until mid-July."
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I have some serious reservations about the federal government in effect insuring people against the risk that they bought too much house. I also have doubts about bailing out the mortgage industry and using the FHA to be the mortgage company of last resort. This bill stinks as far as I can see, and I hope Bush vetoes it.

Las Vegas Now | Homeowner Destroys House Before Foreclosure

Las Vegas Now | Homeowner Destroys House Before Foreclosure: "The owner of a local mortgage company is about to lose three of his homes to foreclosure. The notice came as a surprise to some of his renters, but what is really shocking is what's happening at one of the homes. Neighbors say the owner is destroying it from the inside out. It went from tossing pieces of junk to dumping it by the box full. The back yard turned into a garbage pile -- from cabinets ripped off the walls to old tires and even computer discs. The front of the home looks no better. With caulking filling the door jams and locks and orange spray paint across the windows."
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Beijing embraces Brave New World of buildings - CNN.com

Beijing embraces Brave New World of buildings - CNN.com: "Standing on the edge of the former site of the city's historic walls are a series of eight asymmetrical towers that bestride the smog-laden landscape like a colossus."
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There has never been a construction boom like what is happening in China right now. The photo of this "Linked Hybrid" complex is really weird. And all this stuff is common interest housing with private management companies and voluntary homeowner associations.

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

Housing prices still falling fast: "Home prices in 20 U.S. metropolitan areas fell in April by the most on record, signaling the housing recession is far from over, a private survey showed today.

The S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index dropped 15.3 percent from a year earlier, less than forecast, after a 14.3 percent decline in March. The gauge has fallen every month since January 2007."
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Far from over, indeed.

Many Dutch prepare for 2012 apocalypse - UPI.com: "AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, June 23 (UPI) -- Thousands of people in the Netherlands say they expect the world to end in 2012, and many say they are taking precautions to prepare for the apocalypse.
The Dutch-language de Volkskrant newspaper said it spoke to thousands of believers in the impending end of civilization, and while theories on the supposed catastrophe varied, most tied the 2012 date to the end of the Mayan calendar, Radio Netherlands reported Monday."
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So I guess a 30 year mortgage is a pretty good deal after all. If you get one today, it is really only a four year loan at less than 6% interest. This could turn the housing market around.

An end to stepping in dog poo?: "STEPPING in dog poo might be a thing of the past thanks to a new policy being introduced in one UK park.

Mansfield District Council has decided to spray the excrement with bright pink die in an attempt to cure the problem of messy pavements."
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Pink doggy poo poo. How cute. And I thought government was about national defense, law and order, and stuff like that.

Vandals Hit South Charlotte Community - Charlotte News Story - WSOC Charlotte

Vandals Hit South Charlotte Community - Charlotte News Story - WSOC Charlotte: "Several people in a south Charlotte gated community woke up to vandalism Sunday morning. It happened sometime before daylight on Sharon Road near Fairview Road.

Police said vandals spray-painted buildings, cars, and even smashed the window of one vehicle. All the graffiti was an anarchy symbol, painted on a door, light poles and cars."
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I guess that's anarchy, all right.

Gated community considers incorporation | MyDesert.com | The Desert Sun

Gated community considers incorporation | MyDesert.com | The Desert Sun: "A group of Sun City Palm Desert residents, looking to block nearby Indio from expanding westward, hope to make their 55-and-older gated community the Coachella Valley's 10th city."

For him, it was 'always ... community first' | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

For him, it was 'always ... community first' | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser: "As mayor, his push for community inclusiveness was evident in his proposed legislation banning gated entrances in future developments."

New Pr. William Arrivals Bitter - washingtonpost.com

New Prince William County, MD, Arrivals Bitter - washingtonpost.com: "The Board of County Supervisors is scrambling to cope with the costs of Prince William being one of Virginia's fastest-growing counties in a time of slumping home values. The problems are magnified by the foreclosures, which are partly to blame for the average value of homes decreasing by $61,328.

To make up the lost revenue, supervisors raised the county's real estate tax rate by 19 cents to 97 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That will push the average homeowner's tax bill up by 5 percent in the coming budget year."
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And people who just arrived are feeling somewhat honked off. Thanks to Shu Bartholomew for the pointer.

L.A. seeing more people living out of their cars

L.A. seeing more people living out of their cars: "Amid the foreclosure crisis and the shaky economy, some California cities are seeing an increase in the number of people living out of their cars, vans or RVs. Acting on complaints from homeowners, the Los Angeles City Council got tough earlier this year by forbidding nearly all overnight parking in residential neighborhoods such as South Brentwood. But some people are just crowding into other parts of the city, including the seaside community of Venice, where dozens of rusty, dilapidated campers can be seen lined up outside neat single-family homes. The stench of urine emanates from a few of the vehicles, and some residents say they have seen human waste left behind."
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Looking on the bright side, living in your car solves two problems at once. You don't need to pay for a house, and you don't need to buy gas.

Report: US housing slump a prelude to recession

Report: US housing slump a prelude to recession: "NEW YORK (AP) - A bottom to the housing slump is nowhere in sight and, if history is any guide, a recession is mostly likely lurking around the corner, an academic study showed Monday.

Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies painted a bleak picture of the current housing downturn, pegging it as possibly being 'the worst in a generation' in its 'The State of the Nation's Housing 2008' report."
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That good news just keeps on coming. How about that part about the bottom of the housing slump being "nowhere in sight"?

HOA fees go unpaid

HOA fees go unpaid: "Despite its crisp appearance, including lavish water fountains and well-kept greens, the Villages at Rancho El Dorado Homeowners Association in Maricopa struggles to pay its bills.

Like several HOAs across the state, more than 30 percent of its residents skipped out on paying their mandatory membership fees, a result of the subprime mortgage crisis and looming foreclosures."
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The stories on unpaid HOA and condo fees are piling up. The collections and foreclosure lawyers are busy. How long before we start reading about bankrupt HOAs? Thanks to Fred Pilot for the link

News: Leisure World residents win legal battle for openness : "Last week, the four-year ordeal was brought to an end when California Fourth District Appellate Court ruled in favor of the seven residents in a countersuit Golden Rain filed against them. The decision reaffirmed a lower court ruling that the GRF is indeed a common interest development so it must follow state rules on governing associations, such as homeowner's associations. State law requires that financial records of these associations must be made available to residents."

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I get so tired of hearing all the free marketers and industry flacks talking about how HOAs are local democracies. What kind of democracy requires you to spend four years suing them in order to see how your own money is being spent? And what kind of democracy is it when you, the owner, have to vote without knowing what is going on? Congratulations to these 16 folks who fought for transparency. People are getting stonewalled all over the country by HOAs who come up with all sort of absurd excuses and obstructionist arguments for not living up to legally mandated disclosure obligations.

Condo Company Unwraps Plan For Clothing-Optional Pool

Condo Company Unwraps Plan For Clothing-Optional Pool: "COUNTRYWAY -- Swimmers will have the option of wearing nothing at all at the Arbors at Branch Creek, a complex of 390 homes that landed on the idea to help move units in a down market. One pool is being set aside for nude swimmers, sunbathers and hot tubbers, said Christine Pirkle, director of sales with the Web site for the project's developers."
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The naked truth is that when you strip this idea to its bare essentials, it is nothing nude. I mean new.

The Gated Community « Cindy Thornton Fine Art

The Gated Community « Cindy Thornton Fine Art
Check out this painting.

Pat Dollard | Young Americans | Blog Archive » Woman in Conflict With Homeowner’s Association Puts Up Confederate Flag
This sort of thing backfires. To some people the stars and bars symbolizes a rebellious spirit and a link to the southern past, but to a lot of other people it stands for the defense of slavery and Jim Crow laws. Maybe she should fly a different flag, like the one that says, "Don't Tread On Me."

update:
As a commenter notes, she is claiming that the monthly fees she has been paying have not been going to an HOA, because (she says) there is no HOA and no CC&R enforcement. If I understand this lady correctly, the flag (to her) is meant to protest the "redneck" lifestyle that she believes is allowed due to the lack of covenant enforcement. She didn't mean it in a historic sense, but to convey that her neighborhood was too rednecky for her taste--as in, "This neighborhood is turning into the kind of place where people would fly the confederate flag." She also has a toilet on the front lawn and some anti-redneck signs. Whether there is an association, or a defunct association, or a golf club or whatever, I do not know, but flying that flag sure takes it from a neighborhood dispute to a more political level. In political science we call that enlarging the scope of the conflict. That doesn't always pay off.

The Frederick News-Post Online - Frederick County Maryland Daily Newspaper

The Frederick News-Post Online - Frederick County Maryland Daily Newspaper: "“JILL,” A GAITHERSBURG HOMEOWNER, DOESN’T WANT HER REAL NAME USED IN THIS STORY. You see, for several years “Jill” has been willfully violating her Montgomery Village Association homeowners rules: She hangs laundry to dry on her backyard clothesline."
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Add clotheslines to the list of things that make sense that HOAs fine you for doing. Along with lawns that don't need water, solar panels, home businesses, gardens, satellite dishes (now covered by federal law), pickup trucks, and questioning authority.

islandpacket.com | How will the area clean up in the event of a hurricane?

Hilton Head to do hurricane cleanup for gated communities: "Hilton Head Island town officials decided last year they would be solely responsible for debris management in the cleanup effort after a hurricane. The decision ended a confusing system that involved duplicated efforts by the town, county government and each of the gated communities. The policy makes the town responsible for clearing all private roads, including ones in gated communities, and the dirt roads still found in many native islander areas. About 70 percent of residents live in gated communities. Previously, the state, county and town all were responsible for clearing their own roads, while gated communities and residents along private roads were left to fend for themselves."
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With 70% of the population living in gated communities, the line between private and public priorities tends to get a little blurred.

First lakeside gated community for Saudi Arabia

First lakeside gated community for Saudi Arabia
Lake? Saudi Arabia? What's wrong with this picture.
Oh, and it will have 11 mosques.

MySA.com: Gardening

MySA.com: Gardening: "We're just days away from water restrictions, and that means watering your lawn a lot less.

So what do you do if your Homeowner's Association requires you to keep a green lawn?"
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Well, I guess you choose between between being fined by the City of San Antonio for violating the water restrictions, or being fined by your HOA for not keeping your lawn green. (Fred Pilot sent this link.)

Court: mentally ill defendant can't be own lawyer - Yahoo! News

Court: mentally ill defendant can't be own lawyer - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mentally ill criminal defendants who have been found competent to stand trial can be denied the right to represent themselves, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday."
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Once I prosecuted a crazy man who insisted on representing himself. The offense was trespassing. He was living on somebody else's land and had built himself a shack complete with the treasures he accumulated by rummaging through trash. His defense was, "God owns the land." The jury was out 8 minutes. A few months later another prosecutor got the same defendant and same defense. Result: 5 minutes to guilty verdict. My record stood for a while, anyway.

This Supreme Court ruling is sensible because crazy people can't represent themselves effectively and the courtroom becomes even more of a loony bin than usual. Of course, it raises the question of what constitutes being competent to stand trial, but to crazy to be your own lawyer. If you are too crazy to represent yourself, how can you be competent to assist your attorney in your own defense? And is there any risk of a judge disallowing a certain type of defense by saying you must be crazy and forcing you to have an attorney, even though you as the defendant want to present it that way?

My Way News - White House threatens veto of foreclosure rescue

My Way News - White House threatens veto of foreclosure rescue: "WASHINGTON (AP) - A broad bipartisan coalition supporting a massive foreclosure rescue beat back GOP efforts to gut it Thursday, defying a White House veto threat and quashing a bid to make it victim to revelations about two senators' VIP mortgages. Administration officials said they oppose the inclusion of $4 billion in the measure to help states buy and rehabilitate foreclosed properties, and a plan to have government-sponsored mortgage giants Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE) pay for the rescue. They announced those and other objections as two GOP senators said they would try to block the package until a committee can investigate how much Countrywide Financial Corp. (CFC) and other lenders stand to gain from it."
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I don't know why, but for some reason whenever I see the words "broad bipartisan coalition" my skin crawls and I reach back to see if my wallet is still there.

MyFox Tampa Bay | Homeowner's fees leading to foreclosures: "AMPA - Attorney Bob Tankel's day revolves around foreclosures. His inbox is full of cases needing his attention, but he doesn't work for a bank. Tankel's carved out a thriving business working for homeowner's associations - handling delinquencies involving unpaid fees that can lead to foreclosure. 'I feel people don't understand the implications or ramifications of not paying their fees,' Tankel said. For homeowners barely able to pay their mortgages, the HOA fees - usually more than two hundred dollars a month - are often the first bill left unpaid. That's when the homeowner's association brings in Tankel to begin the foreclosure process."
-------------------
The HOA foreclosure lawyers are doing great now, because as the article notes, when people are in financial trouble, "HOA fee...are often the first bill left unpaid." And, as the article further explains, these lawyers move as fast as possible toward foreclosure so they can get there before the mortgage company does. How about this comment: "I'm sending out a thousand certified letters a month," Tankel estimated. "And that includes demands, 45-day letters, and lien letters." And this is just one lawyer from the Tampa area. Think about what is going on all over the country.

Yet another reason why people need to think very, very carefully before buying a unit in an HOA or condo development...

boortz.com: Nealz Nuze Today's Nuze

boortz.com: Neal Boortz opines on HOA leadership: "As I've said many times before .. Condo and Homeowner's associations are the scourge of our land. You will usually find two types of people serving on these boards: (1) People who wielded power during their work years, and miss it; or, (2) People who have never had power before in their lives and get absolutely drunk on it. Oh ... I know there are exceptions. I'm very lucky to experience a really good condo association at my Florida home. In spite of that ... I think that we need to get their attention, and one way to do this would be to select one association at random every year or so, and --- on pay-per-view TV --- execute them."
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Not to put too fine a point on it, or anything.

Thanks to Rick Black, of Marietta, GA, who sent this link.

Facebook 'dipping' craze irks pool owners - Telegraph: "Teenagers are using internet satellite images to spot outdoor swimming pools before meeting for late-night dips. The new craze, known as “dipping”, involves people using pictures from Google Earth to identify homes that have large outdoor pools. Once a venue is found, the youngsters use social networking sites including Facebook and Bebo to meet for impromptu swims and pool parties. Police said some residents have woken up to find youngsters using their pools. Others have come home from work to find their pools full of beer cans."
----------------------
Young whippersnappers.

Property Owners Association Act webcast and summary | VARbuzz

Property Owners Association Act webcast and summary | VARbuzz
This goes to a summary of the act and a blog post announcing a Friday webcast to explain the new Virginia law.

Watch Me Sleep My Way To The Top Of The Glendale Homeowner's Association | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Watch Me Sleep My Way To The Top Of The Glendale Homeowner's Association | The Onion - America's Finest News Source
This is hilarious.

EconPolice

EconPolice: Critical analysis of "American Murder Mystery": "In short, while we have not demonstrated in our initial analysis that Section 8 rentals are definitively not causing increased criminal activity, we certainly have shown the evidence as presented in the Atlantic article falls far short of doing so. Furthermore, the hypothesis presented in the article is a dangerous premise to dangle in front of the public with such non-existent evidence, as it lends a supposed veneer of scientific support to the notion that the federal Section 8 program I exporting crime, and thus potentially creating public resistance to the program for simply no valid reason."
-----------------
Thanks to John Kroger for sending this link. I linked to the Atlantic piece below. The author of this rebuttal finds fault with their analysis, but he doesn't claim to have disproved the article's central claim, nor does he offer an alternative explanation for the increase in crime.

ABC News: 'Neighborhood' Gun Tied to Girl's Death

ABC News: 'Neighborhood' Gun Tied to Girl's Death: "A teenager is expected to plead not guilty today to charges that he shot and killed a 10-year-old girl with a 'community gun' that he allegedly claims was shared by 'everyone in the neighborhood.'"
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Apparently the virtues and savings of common ownership have at last trickled down as far as possible without dripping through the floor.

Thousands in Orlando want Shaq to help with mortgages -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Thousands in Orlando want Shaq to help with mortgages -- OrlandoSentinel.com: "A week after Shaquille O'Neal told the Orlando Sentinel that he's working on a plan to rescue Central Floridians facing foreclosure, he has learned just how widespread the problem is. 'He has two or three thousand e-mails,' said Curtis Cooper, an Orlando Realtor and mortgage broker working with O'Neal on the project. 'There have been a lot of calls from talk shows and radio shows.'"
----------------
Maybe he wants to reconsider that offer now.

Life is solitary in unfinished subdivisions | ajc.com

Life is solitary in unfinished subdivisions | ajc.com: "One of just two residents in what was to be a 105-home development, the 54-year-old information technology manager strolls down lonely streets past silt fences, weedy lots, nearly 20 vacant homes and a sign cheerily announcing that a pool and cabana are 'Coming Soon!'

But his community lifestyle isn't without upsides. Three he mentions: Attractive housing. Lots of peace and quiet. And a female friend who has sunbathed topless on his back deck."
-------------------
Sounds like fun. Hope the two residents enjoy paying the six-figure special assessment that may be lying in wait like a puff adder.

Gardening in the city | csmonitor.com

Gardening in the city | csmonitor.com: "However, these front yard gardens are not without controversy, as neighbors and homeowner’s associations may oppose them saying the vegetable gardens detract from the general appearance of the neighborhood."
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No doubt. After all, the entire development has to look the same or all human life as we know it will come to an end.

NBC2 News Online - Foreclosures: 'It's a nightmare across the board'

NBC2 News Online - Foreclosures: 'It's a nightmare across the board': "LEE COUNTY: The number of foreclosures in Lee County is up 350-percent for the first five months of the year. Now, the crisis is proving painful for more than just delinquent homeowners. NBC2 found out why people who can afford to keep their home are also paying the price. Less than a year ago, Lisa Norman bought a condo in the Terraces at Riverwalk. Now her neighbors are becoming scarce and she's feeling the hit. She just received a $500 bill out of the blue from her homeowner's association. 'I can't afford it. It's not in my budget,' said Norman. She has until August 15 to come up with the money. A section in the association's contract allows for 'special assessments' for unexpected events. The homeowner's association says the high number of foreclosures falls into that category. Homeowners were not paying their fees and the association was left with the bills for things like water, lawn maintenance, and keeping the pool in good shape."
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I think this situation is going to snowball, as the threat of insolvency goes from owners to HOAs to local governments.

Chicago TIFS: Find out what 150 mayoral slush funds look like | Chicago News, Politics, Culture and Commentary - WindyCitizen.com

Chicago TIFS: Find out what 150 mayoral slush funds look like | Chicago News, Politics, Culture and Commentary - WindyCitizen.com
Tax Increment Financing Districts, or TIFs, are special taxing districts used to spur redevelopment of "blighted" areas. Redevelopment leads to increased property tax revenues. If the area is a TIF, that increase does not go into the general tax coffers. It goes to the city, but is used to pay back the developer for building the new infrastructure that went along with the redevelopment and otherwise serve as a "mayoral slush fund," as the article says. The result is that the school districts and other taxing bodies get nothing for 23 years, even though the TIF may greatly increase the burdens on taxpayers to those bodies.

As with every aspect of government in Chicago, it is nearly impossible to get accurate information on how this particular device is being used. But this article says that 30% of the land area of Chicago is now in TIFs. Makes life interesting for the other 70% when tax time comes.

FOXNews.com - More Iowa Towns Brace for Flooding Along Mississippi River - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

FOXNews.com - More Iowa Towns Brace for Flooding Along Mississippi River: "OAKVILLE, Iowa — As some of Iowa's flooded towns began cleaning up, others braced for new flooding risks, particularly in southeastern Iowa along the Mississippi River."
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You mean the citizens of Iowa (and Wisconsin and Illinois and Indiana) are actually doing something to mitigate the damage from impending flooding? How strange. They must be those bitter small-town folks Obama was talking about. Don't they realize that they are supposed to act like helpless victims?

More Than 60,000 Bees Removed From North Carolina Man’s Home : "North Carolina man says his house was so overrun with bees that the walls ooze honey."
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This would make a good Abbott and Costello routine:

"Honey?"
"That's right. It's coming out of the walls."
"I said, Honey?"
"I said, that's right. Coming out of the walls."
"Hey, Honey! I'm talking to you."
"It isn't hay. It's honey."

Is America's suburban dream collapsing into a nightmare? - CNN.com

Is America's suburban dream collapsing into a nightmare? - CNN.com: "Recent market research indicates that up to 40 percent of households surveyed in selected metropolitan areas want to live in walkable urban areas, said Leinberger. The desire is also substantiated by real estate prices for urban residential space, which are 40 to 200 percent higher than in traditional suburban neighborhoods -- this price variation can be found both in cities and small communities equipped with walkable infrastructure, he said.

The result is an oversupply of depreciating suburban housing and a pent-up demand for walkable urban space, which is unlikely to be met for a number of years. That's mainly, according to Leinberger, because the built environment changes very slowly; and also because governmental policies and zoning laws are largely prohibitive to the construction of complicated high-density developments.

But as the market catches up to the demand for more mixed use communities, the United States could see a notable structural transformation in the way its population lives -- Arthur C. Nelson, director of Virginia Tech's Metropolitan Institute, estimates, for example, that half of the real-estate development built by 2025 will not have existed in 2000.

Yet Nelson also estimates that in 2025 there will be a surplus of 22 million large-lot homes that will not be left vacant in a suburban wasteland"
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Fred Pilot sent this cheerful piece about how the American suburban dream died. Again.

Illinois pension debt worst in nation - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Illinois pension debt worst in nation - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star: "The state’s pension debt will exceed $44 billion this summer, increasing at a rate of about $120 per second, according to Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration. The debt already tops $42 billion — enough to give every one of Illinois’ 12.8 million residents a check of $3,300 or buy 937,000 Cadillacs at $45,000 a pop.

The combination of debt in terms of both money and percentage gives Illinois the infamous distinction of having the nation’s worst pension problem, according to an Associated Press review of records and interviews with experts. And there’s no solution in sight."
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The problems that HOAs and condo associations are starting to have with finances are coming at a bad time, because a number of state and local governments are in trouble. Illinois is a fiscal basket case. When the bozos in Springfield do the annual budget Kibuki play, they speak in terms of a $2 billion or $3 billion dollar deficit that they have to cover. They ignore the fact that they have systematically refused to make their full payments to the five state employee pension funds for about 20 years running. Now the pension debt is $44 BILLION.. And climbing.

Not to mention the fact that private pension plans are hurting. And the baby boomers start to hit retirement age in 2011, which is only 3 years away.

Oh--and the generation that is supposed to keep Social Security alive for us is convinced that the human face looks great with five pounds of metal stuck through it.

American Murder Mystery

American Murder Mystery: "While crime rates in large cities stayed flat, homicide rates in many midsize cities (with populations of between 500,000 and 1 million) began increasing, sometimes by as much as 20percent a year. In 2006, the Police Executive Research Forum, a national police group surveying cities from coast to coast, concluded in a report called “A Gathering Storm” that this might represent “the front end … of an epidemic of violence not seen for years.” The leaders of the group, which is made up of police chiefs and sheriffs, theorized about what might be spurring the latest crime wave: the spread of gangs, the masses of offenders coming out of prison, methamphetamines. But mostly they puzzled over the bleak new landscape. According to FBI data, America’s most dangerous spots are now places where Martin Scorsese would never think of staging a shoot-out—Florence, South Carolina; Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Reading, Pennsylvania; Orlando, Florida; Memphis, Tennessee."
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Fred Pilot sent this along. The author suggests that the problem is caused by dispersal of former public housing tenants who are now using Section 8 vouchers to move from big city projects to smaller cities and suburbs.

Towns push sex offender limits - The Boston Globe

Towns push sex offender limits - The Boston Globe: "...this spring, Weymouth joined a growing number of communities across the Commonwealth by banning Level 3 sex offenders - those deemed most likely to re-offend - from living within 1,500 feet of any school, park, daycare center, or recreational facility. And in doing so, Weymouth officials not only made it almost impossible for Level 3 sex offenders to live in town, they managed to stoke fears in other communities that predators, unwelcome in Weymouth, may be headed their way."
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Another town that wants to become a gated community. I guess one town at a time all the places sex offenders can live will disappear until there is only one town left, and all of them will be there. Kind of like musical chairs. What unlucky community will be home to all the nation's sex offenders? I figure it will have to be someplace with an appropriate name, like Toad Suck, Arkansas.

Police checkpoint at Rolling Meadows apartment complex gets mixed reviews -- chicagotribune.com

Police checkpoint at Rolling Meadows apartment complex gets mixed reviews -- chicagotribune.com: "An aging Rolling Meadows apartment complex became a closed community of sorts this week when police blocked off every entrance but one, placing two officers there for eight hours a day and stopping all vehicle traffic coming in."
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Mystery Reader sent this along. I saw this in the Tribune but thought I was reading The Onion.

Business - Home Front: Remodeling projects still thrive, but with smaller size and cost - sacbee.com

Sacramento Bee: HOA sues hero Chuck Yeager: "[Famed test pilot and American legend Chuck] Yeager is being sued by his homeowners association, Pocket-area Park River Oak Estates, which claims he owes $12,000 in back association dues and fees. The suit, filed last month in Sacramento Superior Court, alleges that Yeager and his wife, Victoria Scott Yeager, have owned two condo units since 1998 and have not paid monthly dues for four years. Dues in the gated community are $240 per lot and cover costs of maintenance, repairs, security, landscaping and lighting.

A statement from the Yeagers says the lawsuit 'has no merit and is frivolous.'"
----------------------
Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link. This HOA had better be careful. They may end up getting accidentally strafed by an F-18.

Police look to ban daggers following deadly stabbing spree in Akihabara - Mainichi Daily News: "The National Police Agency (NPA) is set to draft a bill to amend the Firearms and Swords Control Law to recognize daggers as illegal swords.

The current law restricts the possession of swords with a blade 15 centimeters or longer. However, the dagger that Tomohiro Kato, 25, used in the stabbing rampage had a 13-centimeter blade and is not subject to restrictions under the law.

NPA officials said daggers are highly lethal weapons and are hardly necessary in people's daily lives."
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Governments seem to look constantly for excuses to render citizens helpless and dependent on government itself for sustenance, safety, community, and anything else they can find. One nutball goes crazy with a dagger and stabs people. Government response: ban possession of daggers. Here in the US we get the same reflex over firearms. Two simple facts: 1) people will always find ways to kill each other, so that problem is insoluble, and 2) governments will always try to seize as much power over people as they can, so they will never stop using the fantasy of a murder-free world as an excuse to disarm us. The result is that we can't protect ourselves from bad guys, so we are expected to rely on the government for that. They will never, ever, be able to do it, but they will become very powerful by virtue of the false promise of eventual success.

FOXNews.com - Flooding Hits Historic 500-Year Levels in Iowa : "The National Weather Service called flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a 'historic hydrologic event' Thursday as the swollen river poured over its banks at 500-year flood levels, forcing the evacuation of nearly 4,000 homes."
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In Wisconsin, Lake Delton rose so high it broke through its barriers and drained entirely into the Wisconsin River (the photo above is where the lake used to be). The former lake is now a mud flat, leaving the Wisconsin Dells tourist season in shreds just as it was about to start. Plenty of business are going to be ruined. Here in Lake County, IL, we are awaiting an imminent storm, coming on top of the ones that already inundated the area. But that is nothing compared to Iowa, where they are about to float away. After the waters recede people will start to assess the damage and call the insurance company. I wonder how many condo buildings and HOA properties are in trouble.

Mega-mansions are L.A.'s really big show - Los Angeles Times: "Unaffected by the economic woes besetting the masses, the super-rich are going on creating palace-like complexes. One builder says he knows of 20 houses of at least 20,000 square feet in the works."
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As Marie Antionette said, "Let them eat cake."

Well, I for one am greatly relieved to hear that our betters are still able to construct their mansions. I would be heartbroken to learn that they were forced to live in squalor with less than 20,000 square feet at their disposal. I have that much room, if I include the street in front of my house and the park behind it.

When NIMBY's attack...

MyFox Washington DC | Plan to Give Bethesda House to Homeless Family Nixed: "ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- The Montgomery County Council has voted to demolish a house located on future parkland, rather than allow a needy family to live in it.

Residents of Bethesda's Hillmead neighborhood had bitterly fought the plan to house a homeless family on the property."
----------------------------
Sounds like a NIMBY situation.

Who dropped the ball? - Las Vegas Sun: "Banks and other mortgage lenders are turning out to be lousy neighbors. Foreclosed homes featuring brown lawns and fetid swimming pools litter the Las Vegas Valley because the lenders that hold title have failed to keep the properties up.

The epidemic is especially acute in neighborhoods regulated by homeowners associations, whose rules require property owners to maintain their properties. Enforcement of those rules is another matter, however."
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Thanks to Monica Caruso and Fred Pilot who both sent me this. I say hold onto your hat, because this is going to be a long and difficult ride for HOA and condo owners.

Update: Fred Pilot sent a comment to this post that I am taking the liberty of cutting and pasting here in the hope that more people will see it and respond:

"Who dropped the ball? I agree with the macroeconomic analysis that nobody in particular but everyone did. The housing market was fueled by irrational exuberance and its cousin, easy terms and conditions and minimal if any underwriting by the mortgage and financial markets that purchased the underlying mortgage obligations.

"Privately governed HOAs since they tend to have much smaller property tax bases than municipalities and counties will have a far more difficult time than the latter riding out this severe market correction to wring out the excesses of cheap and easy mortgages.

"The supporters and defenders of local government privatization don't seem to understand that in addition to lacking constitutional checks and balances on their exercise of power since they are not political subdivisions of the state, privately governed HOAs also lack sufficient fiscal (and political) economies of scale to easily sustain these kinds of inevitable market cycles. At some point, the fiscal pressures can become so great that the HOA also becomes unviable as a governing entity since no one desires to govern an entity that is effectively bankrupt."

Fishers, Fierce Predators, Make a Home in the Suburbs - NYTimes.com: "Sinewy, with bushy tails and beady eyes, fishers weigh 5 to 15 pounds and live on land and in trees. They are mainly carnivorous, typically eating squirrels, mice, voles and other small animals, as well as nuts and seeds. Fishers are also one of the porcupine’s few enemies, killing it by attacking its snout and flipping it on its back.

“Fishers are pretty vicious,” said Michelle Johnson, the animal control officer in West Greenwich.

The fisher belongs to the mustelid family, which includes weasels, otters and wolverines. It has the aggressive, carnivorous temperament of a wolverine and can climb trees like a marten. Like weasels, a fisher will kill multiple animals at a time in a confined space. Fishers are nocturnal and not easily spotted."
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These things are nasty. They can drive a bear away from his dinner. On top of the mortgage meltdown, this is obviously one of the last signs of the Apocalypse.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but...

Ms Property Manager: You Suck « Random Inkings

Is the DC checkpoint plan unconstitutional

The Volokh Conspiracy -Orin Kerr says...: "It turns out that there's a fairly specific Fourth Amendment law of automobile checkpoints, and that we can look to those cases to see how the DC law fits in. My bottom line: I think the DC checkpoint plan is pretty clearly unconstitutional."

DCist: Police to Seal Off D.C. Neighborhoods: "Can you say Police State? The Examiner has the scoop on a controversial new program announced today that would create so-called 'Neighborhood Safety Zones' which would serve to partially seal off certain parts of the city. D.C. Police would set-up checkpoints in targeted areas, demand to see ID and refuse admittance to people who don't live there, work there or have a “legitimate reason” to be there."
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You have to admit it--there is something to this idea that municipalities are trying to emulate gated communities.

Report: Ed McMahon's home faces foreclosure - CNN.com

Report: Ed McMahon's home faces foreclosure - CNN.com: "LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The foreclosure problems sweeping the United States apparently have ensnared Ed McMahon, who is best known as Johnny Carson's sidekick on "The Tonight Show... The newspaper reported that ReconTrust, a division of Countrywide Financial, filed a notice of default related to a loan for McMahon's house in Los Angeles County Recorder's Court on Feb. 28. It said his house has been on the market for about two years.
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They say he's $644,000 behind on his mortgage payments. I guess that would lead a lender to start thinking about foreclosure.

L.A. Land : Los Angeles Times : In Escondido: Buy one (house), get one free.

L.A. Land : Los Angeles Times : In Escondido: Buy one (house), get one free.: "In a sign of how difficult it is to sell new homes in Southern California right now, a San Diego developer is offering a 'buy one, get one free' deal, pairing million-dollar homes with less expensive homes."
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Pretty soon they'll be giving you a free house as an inducement to buy a tank of gas.

Man loses home over $580 - UPI.com

Man loses home over $580 - UPI.com: "TAMPA, Fla., June 2 (UPI) -- A Florida man who fell behind on dues to his homeowners association because of illness lost his house in foreclosure over a debt of $580.

Gregory Green said the board of directors of The Glen at River Ridge near Tampa showed little compassion when they voted to foreclose on his property, the Tampa Tribune reported Monday.

While Green's case appears extreme, attorneys say many Florida homeowners are losing their homes over a few hundred dollars in delinquent homeowner assessments."
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Here is yet another example of this thing the industry keeps telling us doesn't really happen. Fred Pilot sent me the link.

New York town repeals ban on clotheslines - Yahoo! News: "The Southampton Town board has lifted a ban on clotheslines that had stood since 2002, when some homeowners complained the laundry on their neighbors' lawns was making the town look shabby."
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Fred Pilot sent this link. I guess for this town saving the galaxy comes before anti-hillbilly laws.

FT.com / World - US home prices fall at record pace

FT.com / World - US home prices fall at record pace: "The gloom enveloping the US housing market intensified on Tuesday as home prices dropped at the fastest annual rate since records began 20 years ago.

The Standard & Poor’s/Case Shiller national house price index fell 14.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year, compared with the same period a year earlier, a decline that threatens to delay any recovery in the broader economy."
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That's a masterpiece of understatement.

Skipped dues crunch home associations - USATODAY.com

Skipped dues crunch home associations - USATODAY.com: "AVONDALE, Ariz. — A modest housing tract, set amid pecan trees here in suburban Phoenix, faces big problems: About 40% of its homeowners aren't paying their association fees, leaving neighbors with higher assessments and reduced services"
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Thanks to Fred Pilot for this link to yet another story on HOAs taking a hit due to owners not paying assessments. CAI's Frank Rathbun is quoted as saying, "It's happening all over. It's a national problem."

BBC NEWS | Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | Local concerns over Indian utopia

BBC NEWS: Local concerns over Indian utopia: "Auroville sounds like a throwback to the 60s, advocating no rules and leaders and promising peace and harmony, but Rachel Wright hears claims of exploitation and abuse at the southern Indian community."
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Utopia never turns out to be as utopian as advertised.

Great Wall of Fleetwood: Man builds 16ft garden wall in protest at neighbour's sun terrace ... and now it's a tourist attraction | Mail Online

Great Wall of Fleetwood: Man builds 16ft garden wall in protest at neighbour's sun terrace ... and now it's a tourist attraction | Mail Online: "After spending two months building a sun terrace on the kitchen roof of their seaside home, Dennis and Sandra Hawes settled down to enjoy the view. But not for long. Next-door neighbour Charles Hart was disgruntled that he was not consulted about the terrace, which overlooked his garden. So he decided to exact revenge - and built what is known locally as the Great Wall of Fleetwood. The view from the terrace is now obstructed by a barrier 16ft high and 26ft long between the properties in the Lancashire former fishing port. The wall has caused so much controversy that it has even become a tourist attraction, with taxi drivers pointing it out to their passengers."
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Complete with photo of very high wall and very ticked off man.

Another HOA in decline?

News: Lawsuit pitting homeowners against subdivision manager | homeowners, kanan, plantation : TheMonitor.com: "The upscale gated community has fallen on hard times since its heady beginnings in the 1980s as a country club subdivision with streets named for characters and places in Gone with the Wind.

At the back, decrepit trailers and garden-sized shacks house families, and pricier houses are surrounded by tall weeds."
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Fred Pilot sent this link about another HOA that seems to be in decline.

Canton Council proposes jail time for tall grass

Canton Council proposes jail time for tall grass: "For residents tired of that overgrown lot that resembles a minijungle next door, the city wants to help by trying to put high-grass violators behind bars.

City Council wants to beef up its existing high-grass and weeds law by making a second offense a fourth-degree misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine of up to $250 and up to 30 days in jail."
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I guess the HOAs and condo associations may as well surrender. They can't top this.

Reflections on recent posts
If you look over the recent posts here, you can see that the situation facing homeowners is troubling on a number of fronts.
1. Credit is tight, property values are weak, and it is harder than at any time in the recent past to borrow money or sell--at least, for a lot of people.
2. Owners who are in financial trouble with their homes aren't paying assessments, and neither are the banks when they foreclose. That means associations are hurting financially. That in turn means the solvent owners have to pay for those who are not paying.
3. And the falling property values are reducing municipal tax revenues, which is hitting municipalities and of course school districts and other units of local government.
4. The tax resistance of the average voter has to be at an all-time high. That means voters who have to approve tax increases (due to tax cap legislation in many states) will not want to bail out local governments through tax increases.
5. But we are in an election year where the Democrats figure to win big across the board, due to Bush having thoroughly discredited the Republican party. It looks like there will be gains for the Democrats in the House and Senate and in many state legislatures, and the presidential race currently favors the Democrats (although that could change quickly). The Dems in Congress, and of course Obama, have a host of costly programs in mind that will require substantial federal tax increases. Increasing taxes in the middle of an economic slowdown is bad medicine, but the voters have nothing to say about it after Election Day. If the Dems want to do it, that's that.
6. The cost of college education is going up, up, and up. So is the cost of health care. And I could go on. But pay is not going up, up, and up.

What does this all add up to? I realize the economy will turn around at some point, but the next three or four years or so should be interesting to say the least.

I think we are going to see increased conflict over taxing and spending at the local government level. I think the solvency of CIDs is going to become an issue (I have been predicting this for a long time, but now it is on the horizon). And I expect all sorts of demands for state and federal assistance for public and private local governments. But my guess is that the home-owning middle class is going to be expected to solve its own problems for the most part. As a member of that group, I'm not entirely happy with that conclusion, so please show me where I'm wrong.

The Associated Press: U. of Okla. freshman, 19, elected mayor of Muskogee

The Associated Press: U. of Okla. freshman, 19, elected mayor of Muskogee: "MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) — A 19-year-old freshman at the University of Oklahoma was elected mayor Tuesday of Muskogee, a city of 38,000 in the northeastern part of the state. With all precincts reporting, John Tyler Hammons won with 70 percent of the vote over former Mayor Hershel Ray McBride, said Muskogee County Election Board Secretary Bill Bull."
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"I'm proud to be the Mayor of Muskogee,
A place where little kids can have their say.
We all ride our skateboards down at the courthouse,
And chug Red Bull while we listen to Green Day."

--with apologies to Merle Haggard

Foreclosures filing set record in April, RealtyTrac says - May. 14, 2008

Foreclosures filing set record in April, RealtyTrac says - May. 14, 2008: "NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- U.S. foreclosure filings reached a record high in April, rising almost 65% over the previous year and putting municipalities at risk by cutting into the value of taxed property, according to a study released Wednesday."
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The ripples continue to spread. Foreclosures are hurting CIDs and now municipalities, along with mortgage companies.

As Dues Dry Up, The Neighbors Pay - WSJ.com

As Dues Dry Up, The Neighbors Pay - WSJ.com: "Here's another consequence of the troubled housing market: Some homeowners associations are running low on cash."
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The problem is that for quite some time before people default on their mortgages and get foreclosed on, they stop paying assessments. After foreclosure banks usually don't pay the association either.
Nice to see the Wall Street Journal taking note of this problem that I have been writing about for quite a while now. The people who hate associations may think this is great, but it will hit owners. Why? Because of owner A doesn't pay, owners B-Z have to pay instead. That applies all the way up to association bankruptcy, appointment of a receiver, to infinity, and beyond.

Vallejo Votes For Bankruptcy - Politics News Story - KNTV | San Francisco

Vallejo Votes For Bankruptcy - Politics News Story - KNTV | San Francisco: "After nearly five hours, the Vallejo City Council voted unanimously late Tuesday night to file Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection. The city faces a $16 million deficit in the 2008-2009 budget starting July 1 and unsuccessfully negotiated with its police, firefighter and electrical workers unions for contract concessions through 2012. Public safety salaries comprise 74 percent of the city's general fund budget...Vallejo joins a small number of municipalities that have declared bankruptcy should officials decide it's their only option. Orange County declared bankruptcy in the 1990s after then-Treasurer Robert L. Citron borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars while speculating in high-risk securities investments that depended on low interest rates. The county lost $1.64 billion. Desert Hot Springs also filed for bankruptcy in 2001."
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Local governments are under considerable pressure these days. Nobody wants to pay taxes, the federal government is dumping responsibilities (unfunded mandates) on them, people move around like crazy, and the housing finance meltdown is still making big ripples.

Backyard pizza oven cooks up trouble with community ban -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Backyard pizza oven cooks up trouble with community ban -- OrlandoSentinel.com: "An east Orange County man is using a law designed to encourage modern energy-saving devices to save his old-world backyard pizza oven.

The Waterford Lakes homeowners association told Gary Dobis the oven had to go because it breaks the community's ban on accessory structures. The group sued him in January."

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Thanks to Beth Young for this link. Check out the photo of this awesome oven.

Father who flew Jolly Roger for daughter's birthday prosecuted by council | the Daily Mail

AAARRRR, matey! Father who flew Jolly Roger for daughter's birthday prosecuted by council | the Daily Mail: "One particular pirate prop was a must for David Waterman as he organised a themed party for his daughter's birthday.

With cutlass-wielding youngsters running around in eye patches, he thought, a Jolly Roger flag would add the perfect finishing touch - and he duly hung the Skull and Crossbones from the side of the family home.

Unfortunately the local council didn't see the jolly side and Mr Waterman has been threatened with prosecution unless he removes the 5ft by 3ft banner."
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Flag banning: it's not just for HOAs anymore.

Confirmed! Bureaucrats have no sense of humor, funny stop signs nixed - Autoblog
Oak Lawn, IL, comes up with a creative policy that the Illinois Dept. of Transportation sadly decides to rain on.

The Housing Crisis Is Over - WSJ.com

The Housing Crisis Is Over - WSJ.com: "The dire headlines coming fast and furious in the financial and popular press suggest that the housing crisis is intensifying. Yet it is very likely that April 2008 will mark the bottom of the U.S. housing market. Yes, the housing market is bottoming right now.

How can this be? For starters, a bottom does not mean that prices are about to return to the heady days of 2005. That probably won't happen for another 15 years. It just means that the trend is no longer getting worse, which is the critical factor."
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I hope this writer has it figured out, but there are isn't one housing market. There are many different geographical areas and within each there are sub-markets for different types of housing and price ranges. It may be that we have hit bottom in the aggregate, but is that true of the entire Sun Belt?

CCTV boom has failed to slash crime, say police | UK news | The Guardian

CCTV boom has failed to slash crime, say police | UK news | The GuardianMassive investment in CCTV cameras to prevent crime in the UK has failed to have a significant impact, despite billions of pounds spent on the new technology, a senior police officer piloting a new database has warned. Only 3% of street robberies in London were solved using CCTV images, despite the fact that Britain has more security cameras than any other country in Europe.

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That seems counter-intuitive, but if you look at the recommendations from Scotland Yard, the problem may be related to difficulty in identifying people on the videos.

BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Johnson wins London mayoral race

BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Johnson wins London mayoral race
Boris Johnson has won the race to become the next mayor of London - ending Ken Livingstone's eight-year reign at City Hall.
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It is high time that "Red Ken" was sent packing. The last place you want a raving Socialist is as the mayor of a big city. Better to stick them in the national legislature where they can't do so much harm (see Bernie Sanders, D-People's Republic of Vermont) and where they might contribute a good idea every now and then (Red Bernie hasn't done that yet, but where there is life, there is hope).

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.