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.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
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.
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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.
Check out this painting.
Friday, June 20, 2008
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.)
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?
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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.
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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.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
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."
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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...
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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...
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
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.
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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."
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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.
This goes to a summary of the act and a blog post announcing a Friday webcast to explain the new Virginia law.
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."
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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.
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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.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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.
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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.'"
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Maybe he wants to reconsider that offer now.
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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."
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Sounds like fun. Hope the two residents enjoy paying the six-figure special assessment that may be lying in wait like a puff adder.
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."
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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.
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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.
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