An Article Published In The
POA BULLETIN, November Edition We
are rapidly closing in on the 2006 session of the Florida legislature.
It is important that we, the taxpaying citizens, make our wishes
known to our local legislators. Many
of them have an open ear – if you make enough noise!
You can read all the time that industry and lobbyists are running the
show. That is absolutely true,
but politicians still need votes! And
that’s where you all come in! Always
remember: The industry can
easily outspend us, but they can’t deliver your votes to elect these
legislators. Changes
are not achieved by sitting on the sofa, watching TV, and complaining to
your neighbor that you have given up because “They don’t care anyway!”
protection in mandated properties. Our
friends living in condominiums need more protection against abusive
lawsuits, mismanagement and financial problems. Citizens
moving into Community Development Districts need to be fully informed
about what they are getting into. Potential
buyers need full disclosure prior to purchase, not a bad awakening after
they have moved in. Full
Disclosure, not Caveat Emptor, must now be the "Buy Words"
before contract for sale and during real estate transactions in CDDs. Community
Association Managers must be more strictly regulated – the enforcement is
lacking and allows financial mismanagement, kickbacks and abuse of owners.
We need law-abiding managers running our communities! Our
main target for the upcoming legislative session will be the regulation of
homeowners’ associations. I
guess we all have already laughed about Banana Republics.
Here in Florida we have them right next door -- they are called
“homeowners’ associations.” HOA
boards and their attorneys often knowingly
violate the statutes. You ask why?
Easy answer: There is absolutely no enforcement and no
accountability! This has to change!
None of us has money, time, and energy to waste on lawsuits.
Especially retirees and people on a fixed income who do not have the
finances to file a lawsuit every time their rights are violated! To
protect members of these homeowners’ associations, it is imperative that
legislators enact laws that will:
Without
these safeguards members of homeowners’ associations don’t even have the
rights guaranteed by our United States Constitution.
Our rights all disappeared under the cover of “Contract Law”! By
helping each other, we citizens have the power to create the necessary
changes to protect all our rights. We
can’t outspend the industry and we can’t outspend the attorneys, but we
can get organized and fight together for our rights: UNITED
WE STAND! Please
join our cause and help to make Florida a better place for all of us to buy
a home and to live in peace and harmony! You can contact CCFJ, Inc at: [email protected]
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