You’re supposed to do your due-diligence before buying that first home. Sure, the place looks great. Yes, it’s a sexy North Miami Beach high rise condo.
But, good grief, take a look at what’s happening around you. One family in the building can’t access their six-story balcony because it’s hazardous. Walking onto the balcony could mean sudden death. There are dozens of others inaccessible balconies. The building is full of mold. There are allegations of the embezzlement of more than a million dollars worth of dues paid by homeowners to the management company for parking fees.
Big cracks are appearing in the Jade Winds high rise. The condo association has filed for bankruptcy. It’s not an uncommon phenomenon in North Miami Beach and around the country, for that matter.
This continues to be a national scandal, the biggest one that state and federal legislators are NOT looking at. “Please go away from my office. Please don’t talk about HOAs. It’s too confusing and my mental capacities are not functioning at full speed right now.”
I love the readers of this blog, I just want to protect them from financial disaster.
The first time I ever heard Taps, I was at Girl Scout camp. We sang it when our eyelids were heavy and our sleeping bags were calling our names. It relaxed me at the same time it created a rush of excitement in anticipation of waking up to a new day of celebrating friendship and learning. After that time, I mostly heard it during televised burials. On that bitter cold day in March when my dad was laid to rest, the final sounds of the service were of the trumpet echoing over the lake as Taps bid him a final farewell. I will always cherish that send off to my hero.
Here we have a Tacoma, Washington neighborhood bidding the daily sun a good-bye with Taps all because of one man, their cherished neighbor, Don Brittain. In his heart, Don is playing those notes to honor those who serve in the United States military. But the notes he echoes across Puget Sound are bringing a sense of peace to all within earshot as well.
From the video interviews and the variety of homes and paint colors I tend to believe this is not a homeowners association. But I wonder, what if? What if someone blew Taps at every sunset in America’s HOAs would it bring peace and mellow out the war zones? Or would the HOA board decide it was a reason to fine, lien, and foreclose on the trumpeter’s home?
Is there anything humanly possible that will bring peace to these nightmare HOAs? Or will that only come when these dilapidated poorly-constructed townhomes are laid to rest in the landfill while the earth is being excavated for re-development? Perhaps thenTaps will be blown for the betterment of all.
I found these videos to be very special, I hope our readers will, too.
Yes, I want to keep all of you entertained and coming back to Neighbors At War. So forgive me if I’m reposting old material but I get a good belly laugh each time I hear this old Pete Seeger song. It’s so true for so many of us!
For a great history on Seeger’s Little Boxeshit, see the following:
Does this not perfectly represent our battle against the American Homeowners Association movement? Antonio Branco is an amazing artist from Washington State. He’s a musician who taught himself to paint. And his work is incredible.
What is it that Homeowners Associations hate so much about the American flag? Well, I take that back, fascism and American patriotism are pretty much at odds.
Angie Hildebrandt, a condo owner, is being assessed daily fines because she flies her flag outside her home at the Southdale Gardens Condominium Association in Edina, Minnesota. Her two sons are in the military and every generation in her family has fought in wars on behalf of America. Her first flag was stolen. Overnight someone paid a visit to her home and ripped her flag to shreds.
What a nice place to live, Southdale Gardens. Perhaps there’s a certain red, white and black flag you’d like as your community symbol.
