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Our organization has been asked by the Senate Committee On Comprehensive Planning to respond to a survey regarding questions about legislation for Community Development Districts (Chapter 190 FS ). Our CDD Committee chairman and POA President Joe Gorman and the Committee members have worked hard to come up with a good response. We are trying to make this system more consumer-friendly and hope to be able to propose legislation to protect consumer rights in the next legislative session. "Taxation Without Representation" has to stop! And timely full disclosure to potential buyers is imperative to assure protection of future homeowners in these CDDs. Please read the proposals made in this response to the survey at: http://www.ccfj.net/CDDSURV.html If your browser doesn't work with hot links, please go to our News Page. We hope this will be a good start to open up the necessary discussions to come up with reasonable solutions for improvement of the existing Statutes. Members of our organization will gladly meet with legislators and industry representatives to discuss these proposed changes. We would like to thank the members of the Senate Committee On Comprehensive Planning to give us the opportunity to voice our concerns in this matter! Warm regards Jan Bergemann President Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.
Dear Members and Friends, this is important for all Florida Citizens
living in a Community Development District.
Our organization has been officially asked
to respond to this survey. Since we are a Consumer Advocacy Group we would
like to hear from other citizens living in Florida CDDs. We value your
input and suggestions!
You will find the questions of the survey
at:
Your input is more than welcome! Here is
a great possibility to work on legislative improvements. The Florida Senate
solicits suggestions. Please use this opportunity to make your opinion
known. We are looking forward hearing from you. Please contact our Committee
at: [email protected]
Jan Bergemann
A modest effort to place CDD's on the table has been prefiled by Representative Littlefield. To date, a companion bill has not been filed by a Senator. We're certain members of the POA in The Villages, et al, are trying their best to bring this issue into focus. *** SEE BELOW *** Regardless of the perception of this bill there's no doubt future efforts will be forthcoming to place CDD's under appropriate scrutiny of our legislative body and regulatory agency. Incidentally, if you haven't already done so, send a letter, e-mail or postcard to Senator Wise and Representative Priequez to thank them for sponsoring the Property Reform Task Force bills (Sb 1248/Hb547) and encourage members of your legislative delegation to cosponsor and support this effort during committee hearings. Visit our Web site and click on the Mandated Property Reform Task Force banner for additional information. While you're at our site please sign our Guest Book. Thank you. The best to you and yours,
Community Development Districts; increases
size of community development districts established by county commissions;
authorizes district to enforce deed restrictions & architectural review
for residential properties within its boundaries; revises & clarifies
requirements re disclosure to purchasers of real estate within district.
At this point in time all that needed to be said has been written. However, if this debate ever happens in Tallahassee this year it will be one of the most heated and contentious you've heard or witnessed in many years.....STAY TUNED! *** SEE BELOW *** The best to you and yours,
By JOSH ZIMMER, Times Staff Writer
Joe Gorman is still amazed.
The assets were appraised at $8.8-million,
Gorman said. But they fetched a higher price from the Villages Center Community
Development District. Much higher: $84-million.
And although most lawmakers are slow to share his outrage, Pasco-based Rep. Ken Littlefield has agreed to make these ever-popular tax districts an issue in this year's session. Gorman, who is President of the Property
Owners Association in the Villages
Littlefield said .....""I am going to file something." What he files might not satisfy longtime
critics of CDDs, including Bob Doran of Tampa Palms. Doran, a onetime member
of his CDD board, said the law cannot be fixed and should be abolished.
"This statute is Florida's dirty little
secret," he said. "I felt after getting deeply involved, it was a fraud,
a fraud sponsored by the state of Florida on its citizens."
Read the Full Story here!
The following story written in the Jacksonville Times-Union by staff writer Diana Marrero and the ultimate decision of the ongoing 'fight' over Community Development District property tax exemptions in Clay county will have resounding repercussions throughout the state of Florida. If you have a specific interest and/or might be considering relocating into a CDD in Florida, please take time to review the concept stipulated in Chapter 190 F.S., and request copies of all governing documents and financial reports before signing a contract for sale. Incidentally, we wonder; are CDD's where you reside granted similar property tax exemptions alluded to in the story by your property appraisers office? Read the excerpts and the entire story at the site provided. * SEE BELOW * The best to you and yours,
Honorable Governor Jeb Bush, et al., (Dear members and friends) This is for informational purposes. For obvious reasons we have not provided the name or address of the sender. * SEE BELOW * Does the 'disclosure,' at closing in the plea for assistance sound familiar? Can you understand why we're insisting that our Executive and Legislative branches take a keen interest in these matters? What about the Attorney General of our state? Normally, Citizens seeking advice in these 'contractual' matters are told; 'Sorry but this is a civil matter which our office doesn't handle'....but....aren't deceptive practices "criminal?" Isn't there a requirement to provide a
disclosure statement summary to prospective purchasers prior to contract
for sale, pursuant to Chapter 689,
....To inform the prospective purchasers that governing documents are recorded and where they can acquire them, before contract for sale, if they aren't being provided at the real estate sales office? Is it 'criminal' when the laws of our state are violated and there aren't any penalties for non-complaince by a developer or owner or an oversight agency where residents can file complaints for resolution? Is it 'criminal' when our Legislature places an unfair burden on prospective purchasers and current residents by insisting, statutorily; in order to resolve a complaint in a PUD (adult and residential community) a cause of action should be sought, after which a judge can order mediation, pursuant to Chapter 720 F.S.? Is it 'criminal' when stakeholders advertise their product in other states (crossing the line) to entice the Citizens of our country and elsewhere to come to Florida, the 'Sunshine State?' 'Sunshine State?' How can there be any justification for promoting Florida as the 'Sunshine State' when receiving copies of deed restrictions at closing is simply too late! When developers fail to provide yearly financial reports, pursuant to Chapter 689, s. 689.265 F.S.? Sir, with all due respect: What can you say to these particular purchasers and others like them that have been enticed to purchase property in a deed restricted community and were deprived of Full Disclosure as the "Buy Words" before contract for sale? Others have said; Caveat Emptor is the answer? While our courts have said; '...the mere recording of the governing documents is sufficient notice,...' even though there are statutory obligations to disclose pertinent information, before contract for sale. And so, what if disclosure isn't happening in Florida? Are we to believe that this deception must and will continue, ad finitum, for the unjust enrichment of the stakeholders and industry partisans? Sir, while these folks have followed the 'pied piper,' as others will continue to do, we are patiently waiting for the response to our Open Letter, from the Office of Policy and Budget, which you promised us approximately six weeks ago. To those of you that haven't done so, visit our Web site, read the OPEN LETTER, our JOINT RESOLUTION (which includes HOA foreclosure documentation) sent to Florida Leaders of the House and Senate, from whom we continue to await a response, also. Review our goals and objectives, sign our Guest Book and click on that ever present JOIN button to assist us in organizing statewide to achieve common objectives to insure homeowners rights become the norm in Florida. Sincerely,
Just two days before closing the Homeowners
Association passed an
I found this information through a newsletter left at the unit by the previous owner. The amended language was not in the Governing Documents. My husband made a phone call to the Management Co. and was told this was a fact and that parking was available (approximately 6 spaces) at the pool house (located in the beginning of the PUD). We are located on the last street, on a dead end, not close to parking. This restriction sounds unreasonable to me. What if my household has a third vehicle. Had I known this restriction prior to closing I would not have purchased in this PUD. Instead of enhancing property values and quality of life this is hindering it. Is this a common restriction and what recourse
would I have to try and change this restriction?
Oh, by the way the Association has contracted with a towing agency. So now I am paying dues to possibly have my guest's vehicles towed. |
For comments please send e-mail to : [email protected]
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