One of our blog members in Tennessee says the CAI appears to be the only group spending its lobbying money on a Homeowners Association bill now before the legislature.

The proposed bill would make important changes to protect private homeowners in that state.

But the crows at CAI have billions of dollars at their disposal.They make sure that Tennessee lawyers have guaranteed employment as they dip deeply into the pockets of homeowners.

The bill actually sounds like a pretty good one. But in HOA Amerika logic and justice are not really compatible concepts.

The following is an exact copy of what a CAI bigwig is telling his minions to lobby:

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To: All Community Association Board Members

From: Scott Ghertner

Date: February 6, 2014 Subject: Urgent legislative call to action – HB 2060 and SB 2098

As Chairman of the Tennessee CAI Legislative Action Committee and Co-President of Ghertner & Company, I would like to immediately bring to your attention some very disturbing legislation being introduced this month in our Tennessee legislature. Representative Jeremy Durham and Senator Jack Johnson, both of Williamson County, are co-sponsoring a bill (HB 2060 in the House and SB 2098 in the State Senate) that seeks to significantly diminish the authority of condominium and home owner associations in Tennessee.

This bill if passed will:

 Eliminate the automatic lien that associations have with regard to delinquent payers , thereby potentially

jeopardizing the financial solvency of associations and the willingness of lenders to make loans to associations and unit owners;

 Limit the amount an association can fine for rule violations;

 Attempt to insert State rules regarding parking enforcement on public streets within the association;  Prohibit associations from enforcing covenant restrictions with regard to political signs.

Please contact these leaders today and inform them that you want them to withdraw this bill immediately!

Senator Jack Johnson at 615-741-2495 or via email at sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Jeremy Durham at 615-741-1864 or via email at rep.jeremy.durham@capitol.tn.gov

You can also contact the following members of the House Business and Utilities Subcommittee who will hear House Bill 2060 and let them know that you do not support this bill. Please remember the committee members listed below did not introduce this bill and will be hearing about this bill for the first time next week. So we ask you only to communicate to them your opposition to this proposed bill.

Chairman Art Swann at 615-741-5481 or via email at rep.art.swann@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Kent Calfee at 615-741-7658 or via email at rep.kent.calfee@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Barry Doss at 615-741-7476 or via email at rep.barry.doss@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Pat Marsh at 615-741-6824 or via email at rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Jason Powell at 615-741-6861 or via email at rep.jason.powell@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Curry Todd at 615-741-1866 or via email at rep.curry.todd@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Tim Wirgau at 615-741-6804 or via email at rep.tim.wirgau@capitol.tn.gov

Thank you for your attention to this very important issue.

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Now that we know exactly how CAI plans to throw its influence around, they’ve provided a list of legislators who they consider weak…so we can now lobby them right back.