HOA Lawyer, David Peters, Announces a New Vision of the American Dream

February 25, 2004

By Cecilia Taylor
Copyright AHRC News Services

I really could hardly believe my ears. I had to call a few people who I knew had listened to the news on Fox 6 in San Diego. Was it really true that David Peters was actually telling the world on TV exactly what I believed he meant all along these last few years: "Your home is not necessarily your castle..." So does that also mean that if you live in a homeowners association you have no right to the American Dream or the right of the pursuit of happiness in your own home?

I had to have a friend play the news tape back for me several times. I could not believe that an attorney would reverse words of the famed English jurist, Sir Edmund Coke, that "A man's home is his castle."- words that Ben Franklin and our other founding fathers adopted as a motto for this country.

It has been a long time coming for those of us who have experienced David M Peters, Esq, to hear from his own mouth what he really thinks of OUR homes. This quote from him obviously shows what he thinks and how he regards those of us who live in a homeowner association. I myself live in a Condo in a homeowners association, and feel that his remark was extremely discriminatory against my home. He claims to be an expert attorney FOR homeowner associations. Why then does he make such statements?

James Galley put this meeting together because Sonnie Bass is being sued by her Board of Directors over a light in her backyard. In Sonnie's CCR's, it clearly states that there is a grievance process that is to be followed when a member of the HOA brings a complaint to the Board of Directors. It was not followed by the Board of Directors. There was exactly a two week time frame from when a homeowner filed the complaint about Sonnie's light, and when Peters and Freedman filed a lawsuit on "behalf of the homeowners association". The association of course does not have any "castles" in it - maybe just hassles.

Mr. Galley hit the point right on when he stated "..the attorneys are making millions of dollars off this and this has got to stop." Michael Kim, the Peters and Freedman litigator for this lawsuit said, "I'm not going to sugar coat it. Lawyers do make money. Everybody knows it, they're just doing their job."

So looking at this whole thing tonight on Fox 6 News I have come to the following conclusion: David Peters thinks that he has the right to transgress the CCR's, because Sonnie's home is NOT her CASTLE (Sorry Ed and Ben, old buddies - David Peters says you're all washed up when it comes to CASTLES and homeowner associations) In fact , Michael Kim, per his quote above, thinks it is the job of attorneys to make tons of money having neighbors sue neighbors.

Oh, now I get it! they are the feudal Lords and we are just the serfs .....and the lawyers actually own the Castles. So sorry Ed and Ben, you had it all confused. Good thing David Peters cleared this all up for you.

Somehow I don't think his quote will really make it like yours did - but then, again, what does he care if he makes millions of dollars off it? Long live Lord Peters of Encinitas, California!