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Welcome to On the Commons! |
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 On The Commons is a weekly radio show, dedicated to discussing the many issues surrounding mandatory membership common ownership developments. It is broadcast live from WEBR, Fairfax, Virginia and available on this web site.
Join us as we explore the world of common ownership developments, which is the fastest growing form of residential development in America today. This housing concept includes condominiums, cooperatives, and both attached and detached single-family homes that are part of a mandatory homeowners association. Unfortunately this type of housing is not as Utopian as its advocates would have us believe. Living in a mandatory homeowners’ association means giving up a part of the American dream. It means giving up Constitutional rights and control over one’s most valuable asset - one’s home.
Winner of the Geneva Kirk Brooks Homeowner Rights Award from the Texas Home Owners For HOA Reform, Inc. March 6, 2010 Other On the Commons Web Sites: On the Commons Podcast Site On the Commons Weblog
The Current Show
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On the Commons with Jan Bergmann |
Hosted and produced by Shu Bartholomew, On The Commons is a weekly radio show dedicated to discussing the many issues surrounding mandatory homeowner associations, the fastest growing form of residential housing in the nation.
Theoretically if we pool our resources, share in the costs, even the most modest of Americans can live just like the rich and famous we see in the movies. With that in mind, recreational amenities were dreamed up, designed and made part of the projects of the future. Swimming pools, golf courses, tennis courts, jogging and riding trails, hangars are part of this new fangled private world we have all been delegated to. So what is so terrible about having access to a pool? And horse lovers are drawn to places with stables and riding trails and golf course views command premiums. Welcome to the dwelling units of the future. What possible downsides could there be?
On The Commons this week we are joined by Jan Bergemann. Jan, the energetic president of the Florida based Cyber Citizens for Justice (ccfj.net) has his finger on the pulse of the issues facing Florida's condo and HOA residents. In addition to presiding over CCFJ , Jan has been a panelist at many Town Hall meetings, maintains a blog for the Sun Sentinel and works with legislators to enact homeowner friendly legislation. Please join us On The Commons. We'll get caught up on the news, talk about property values and find out just how well all those amenity loaded projects are doing. Listen to Jan Bergmann
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On the Commons with Melvyn Hobbs |
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Hosted and produced by Shu Bartholomew, On The Commons is a weekly radio show dedicated to discussing the many issues surrounding mandatory homeowner associations, the fastest growing form of residential housing in the nation.
We have been told repeatedly that homeowner associations protect property values. With that in mind, many Americans have been willing to trade control over their homes for the promise of enhanced values. Given the current economic situation, the fallacy of the values argument has been exposed. With unprecedented foreclosures, values have plummeted and associations are struggling with trying to pay the common expenses and make ends meet on a greatly reduced budget. Raising assessments thus making it financially tougher for the remaining residents who are stretched to the financial limit does little to foster a sense of community or enhance property values. Common sense would dictate that associations would do their utmost to keep as many members in the association as possible. But then, as my husband keeps reminding me, there is nothing common about sense. And the current situations bear that out.
On The Commons this week we are joined by Melvyn Hobbs. In our first ever transcontinental interview, Mel will explain why, after owning his dream vacation condo in Florida for 16 years, spending 10 years and $500,000 fighting in court to protect his rights, he just walked away from his condo and vows not to return to Florida. Please join us On The Commons. We'll find out what went wrong and what he intends to do now. Listen to Melvyn Hobbs Write Comment (0 comments) |
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