I can still remember the times when media and reporters fact-checked the articles and news reports before publishing. These times seem to be long past.

It often already starts with the headlines. You’re reading: “HOA IN TOTAL CHAOS!” But when you get to the third paragraph you find out that the article really deals with a condominium association. How difficult can it be for the reporter to find out what kind of association he/she is dealing with? Shouldn't reporters know that there is a huge difference between a Homeowners' Association and a Condominium Association?

Mostly the name of the association tells the whole story. And these reporters often seem to forget that there are different laws regulating these associations.

Reporters are often just repeating what they are being told by folks they are interviewing, without checking the facts. And that's pretty sad!

And then there is the very important question: Who is representing the interests of the associations, meaning the owners, and who is lobbying for the interest of the so-called industry?

Travis Moore, a lobbyist for the Community Association Institute, seems to be always telling reporters that his lobbying firm, Moore Relations, is representing community and condominium associations.

Nothing is further from the truth. Moore is representing the industry, the folks who try to squeeze as much money out of associations and owners as possible. Over all the years Moore was lobbying against owner-friendly bills. He actually was the lobbyist in Tallahassee pushing for industry-friendly bills.

We are talking in the moment a lot about condo associations that are in serious financial trouble, caused by the fact that the newly enacted CONDO SAFETY BILL (HB 1021) calls for fully funded reserves. Many of the owners of these associations have voted year for year against funding reserves, as allowed by the statutes.

Nearly twenty years ago State Representative Julio Robaina and I tried to create a bill requiring condominium associations to mandate fully funded reserves, after we saw the disaster caused by Hurricane Irma in 2004. Many associations didn’t even have enough money to pay for the insurance deductible and special assessments had to be levied, causing many owners to default on the payments. A wave of foreclosures was the result. Latest these problems should have told legislators how important fully funded reserves would be.

One of the most outspoken lobbyists against fully funded reserves was Travis Moore. And he succeeded by watering down the initial attempt to create fully funded reserves, by creating a wording that allowed owners to vote down reserve funding year for year. And they did!

Believe me: If our attempt to create fully funded reserves nearly twenty years ago would have succeeded, many of the hi-rise condominium associations wouldn’t be in the financial trouble we are reading about daily in the media.

I think it’s the obligation of reporters to fact-check their reports before publishing. For their readers it is important to know who is lobbying for them – and who is lobbying against their interests. Is that too much to ask for?