Here’s a short, direct answer, not from me but from Alexander Hamilton:
“If there is no penalty [for] disobedience, the resolutions or commands which pretend to be laws will, in fact, amount to nothing more than advice or recommendation.” (Alexander Hamilton, Federalist #15)
Proposed HOA reforms must include necessary and sufficient detriments to put an end to HOA bullying and abuse. People do not become angels when they become a board member, like our astute, politically savvy legislatures would like you to believe.
Why hasn’t Hollywood jumped on the uncontrollable embezzling that happens in Homeowners Associations across America? Some astute member of the Writers’ Guild could come up with a great screenplay. The reason it hasn’t been done is that the plot would just be too unbelievable.
If you know a good writer, tell him to look at the current story in the Bear Reserve Homeowners Association in Eustis, Florida. The cops have just busted a couple of developers who became board members on this HOA. The pair are accused of embezzling 1.5 million dollars and moving it to shell corporations. How the heck didn’t homeowners discover many years ago that they were being ripped off?
I just finished a three day seminar with an authors’ group in Denver. This is the group, in fact, which pushed me to take a manuscript in its rough form and turn it into a controversial book called, “Neighbors At War: The Creepy Case Against Your Homeowners Association,”and actually get the thing into print. For your future reference the group is called AuthorU, run by taskmaster Judith Briles. The past few days we probably had about 170 authors being trained in the use of social media, editing, publishing, and honing their upcoming book projects.
For several years, now, I’ve been predicting that the goons who run many of the nation’s Homeowners Associations would begin using drones to spy on neighbors to spot violations of the neighborhood covenants. If these people are capable of embezzling millions of dollars, would they not be capable of incredible invasions of privacy?
Now, with camera-bearing drones available for less than a thousand bucks, there’s no doubt they’ll soon be in the skies and peeking at activities in your backyard.
My fascination continues with the creativeness of those that seek shelter without a mortgage, living off grid, and most of all HOA-FREE.
Macy Miller put her architectural skills to work and resourced recycled materials to build herself a very nice small home for $11,000. There’s even room for her baby and Denver, the dog. The gooseneck trailer makes the house mobile if she takes a notion to move.
She’s living the “good life” HOA-FREE.
Macy, I so envy you and your generation because you guys wandered off the traditional path and found happiness in smaller ways. Your “American Dream” doesn’t come with a mortgage, property taxes, utility bills for unused spaces, and the destroyer of health and happiness…the dreaded HOA!
