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An Editorial
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LOBBYISTS BRAZENLY CLAIM TO BE YOUR VOICE
CAI and ECHO Lawyers, CAR Realtors, AARP and Congress of Seniors claim to speak for you
August 10, 2004
By
AHRC News Services
Copyright AHRC News Services
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Here's how the big Homeowner Associations do it in Texas.
The Woodlands Community Association is an association of several HOA in the Woodlands, Texas. They set aside $60,000 for a one-year contract or $120,000 for a two-year contract for a professional lobbyist.
Then they sought out candidates for the position. The candidates were primarily public relations folks. It should come as no surprise that the leading candidate was Bob Stout, the developer's lobbyist.
For some strange reason, some members of The Woodlands Community Association were reluctant to support him due to concerns about potential conflict of interests between the developer and the residents. Ya Think???
Instead of hiring another candidate, in November (2004) the Woodlands Community Association put the decision on the back burner. The excuse was that the committee realized it has not identified a legislative agenda for a lobbyist to pursue.
As reported by the Houston Chronicle (Friday, November 19th, 2004), "With no legislative agenda of its own, the committee decided it might be more effective to utilize the in-house legislative director, Miles McKinney, to monitor legislation, attend legislative committee hearings and prepare position papers on the issues."
See:The Woodlands begins searching for a lobbyist - Position aims to highlight issues in the community to state Legislature - August 24, 2004 - By Beth Kuhles - Houston Chronicle
Posted Dec 13 2004 12:33PM CET
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Barbara Sowell
, Texas |
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Over the last 3 years I have ment with or attempted to meet with all of the staffers that handled housing issues on Capital Hill. I do not get paid for this and they have a hard time understanding why someone would come to them without being paid to do so.
I do it because I cannot live with myself if I do not try to right a wrong such as the ones that I see within these associations and those that have come to my company to help them with the documents and requirements that they must comply with day to day.
In that time I have only come accross one person, who is now gone, that had any understaning about what they do or not do and impact of that decision. Most staffer have no idea.
Currently the Stafford Act which governs how FEMA Aid is given out is being misread to forbid FEMA from giving Aid to Common Interest Communities (CIC). The act does not define what a community is and since it does not Congress and the President keep if from going to CICs.
The Clean Water Act of 1999 requires at owners expense to test and bring up to code all storm water ponds. What does a community do when they take over a new development and find that they have these ponds the law requires them to comply with the Act and they had no idea that such a liablity existed. This is an unfunded mandate.
There is talk that in the next Transportation bill that all privite roads should be at some standard. Who do you think will pay for this?
Get a hold of your elected leaders and demand that they take into consideration CIC when they make law and they need to establish a national disclosure law to cover homebuyers.
If anyone is coming to Washington, DC. and want to have me come along to talk to their elected leaders please contact me via my email address.
Posted Nov 8 2004 6:23PM CET
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Nelson Jacobsen
(View Profile)
Rockville, Maryland |
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Thank you, thank you, thank you..............
AARP, the Congress of Seniors (whatever the heck that is), lobbysists and certainly no commissioned realtor, speaks for me. not ever..... however, i would be very comfortable with this organization (AHRC) representing me.
i am simply,
"joe homeowner"
Posted Aug 11 2004 7:10AM CEST
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Username withheld
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