But your articles continue to quote the same old experts whose best interest will be served by keeping the homeowners ignorant

April 19, 2004

By Thomas & Anita Radcliff (View author info)

"Couple's Plight raises questions" was the headline over an article in your Sunday's Bee. That was a nice headline to catch the average reader's eye, yet the context of the article was full of quotes from such 'experts' as homeowners associations, a law professor, auctioneer, and foreclosure agents and then a Vermont lawyer referring to a model bill, who said "It can't make it any worse,"

Yes, it can become worse. The lack of education to buyers in Homeowners Association will make it MUCH worse. We lost our home over the late payment of dues in the amount of $120. The check was returned to us by the foreclosure company with the explanation that it was not enough. It was received within the correct timeframe, yet they chose to ignore it in favor of foreclosure.

Of the groups targeted by HOAs, their attorneys, and foreclosure companies -Seniors, Hispanics and Disabled - we fall within the target group: Seniors and disabled. Our case may be a fairly 'high profile' case at the present, but you are ignoring the overall picture. We are not the only victims of Homeowner Association groups. There are hundreds of victims across the country and a large part of them are in California. Have you checked these statistics, have you found how many homes with a large equity was foreclosed on for less than $5000?

I would say there is no finer expert than a homeowner who is in the process of losing their house along with all the equity they had. There is no finer expert than a homeowner who is being harassed with fines by his association, no finer expert than a homeowner who is expected to pay dues that continue to increase year after year, because their Board of Directors want to add amenities, or can't stay within a budget, or have to pay increasing insurance premiums caused by their carelessness toward their members.

Walk up and down the street in a homeowners association and find out just how many people even know how much power their Association holds over their lives. You won't find many. You have the power to teach homeowner members to look into the power of their Associations, yet you continue to quote the same old experts, experts whose best interest will be served by keeping the homeowner ignorant.

You also have the power to let homeowner members know that there are lobbyists and lawyers roaming the halls of the Capitol with the intention of keeping the laws status quo. A lot of money is being made now off of homeowners associations as well as their members. The premiums for HOA insurance continue to increase due to law suits (an expense paid by the members). The lawyers continue to make money on foreclosures and litigations (again at the expense of the members), and of course there are the speculation buyers who make killings buying homes such as ours at auction; and, of course, the power-hungry cliques that gain control of their HOA. Throw in a shady person or two with no conscience and you have the can of worms now open at the State Capitol. Even our legislators would rather push this under the carpet, surely not because of campaign donations? Yet what else is one to think?

Anita Radcliff