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CYBER CITIZENS FOR JUSTICE, INC.
TALLAHASSEE, March 30, 2005
APPEAL TO OUR FLORIDA LEGISLATORS:
PLEASE SUPPORT CONDO AND HOA REFORM
We
property owners have united under the battle cry: GIVE
ASSOCIATIONS BACK TO THE OWNERS! Our
homes should be OUR homes again – not part of a generic corporation with
little interest in working for our welfare.
Specialized attorneys have been running the show for more than 30
years – and the poor results are obvious!
Many useless lawsuits and inflated costs for management are eating
up our dues, instead of paying for the maintenance and beautification of
our communities. It
is imperative for our welfare that we have statutes to clearly explain
what to do – and what not to do! And
a government agency with enforcement power, so The Powers That Be know
they will be held accountable when they violate the governing rules. Cyber
Citizens For Justice, Inc. has just celebrated its Fifth Anniversary! Representing more than 250 individuals and many local groups,
CCFJ has established goals of ADVOCACY, EDUCATION and LEGISLATIVE
REFORM. There
is still a long way to go to achieve the final goal of creating the
protection homeowners and condo owners in Florida deserve. We will ask our Florida legislators to enact the following
changes to the laws that govern Mandated Properties: ·
Create Government Agency With Enforcement Power (HB
1229) ·
Put A Stop To Abusive Foreclosures In Associations (SB
2632) ·
Protect Our Vested Rights (HB 1229) Full
Disclosure, NOT Caveat Emptor, must be the "Buy Words" in
Florida – for all mandated properties, including Community Development
Districts. These
reforms are long overdue. Homeowners
and condo-unit owners all over Florida are suffering from inadequate
protection against abuses. Improvements
were made during the last session, but definitely not as comprehensive as
necessary! Fairness
Is The Goal ! Our
opposition uses scare tactics and obviously misleading information.
Biggest opposition comes from trade organizations like the
Community Associations Institute (CAI) and Community Association
Leadership Lobby (CALL), a lobbyist group financed by specialized
attorneys. Using the Chicken Little theory is definitely not a
reasonable way to discuss needed reforms. HB
1229: Creating
a government agency to enforce existing laws is just good common sense, if
we want to return peace to our communities.
Only the violators have to be afraid of enforcement and punishment.
Are the opponents of the bill saying that they will protect people
that violate the statutes? We need easy-to-understand statutes, not provisions that can
be misinterpreted at will. And
we need protection against abusive lawsuits.
HB 1229 will help achieve this goal! SB
2632: The
specialized attorneys pretend that foreclosure is the only way to force
“deadbeats” to pay. Actually,
I'm not sure if a little old lady who failed to pay $2.50 in late fees
qualifies as a “deadbeat”? That
is just one example of many! Rather
than to foreclose on a family’s home, there are other legal options
available --
only none so profitable for attorneys! Our
web pages at http://www.ccfj.net/ illustrate the work
accomplished by our committees. News about Homeowners' Associations, Condominium Associations
and Community Development Districts is reported and posted on a regular
basis. We
greatly welcome the opportunity to work with the following organizations
in an alliance to achieve common goals and objectives:
League Of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); Property
Owners Association Of The Villages (POA); Service Employees
International Union (SEIU) Local 11; Consumer Advocacy Network (CAN);
and Fair Housing Center Of The Greater Palm Beaches (FHCGPB).
These organizations recognize our cause is right and just -- and we
expect others will JOIN with us to create an atmosphere of trust in
government for Florida citizens. PLEASE
SUPPORT OUR GOALS! Improving
the HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE of Florida citizens is our constant
quest. We need your
assistance to accomplish these goals. With
Best Regards, Members Of Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.
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