Month: February 2011

Book review, fiction: HOA Murders

HOA Murders

Leon Robertson

ISBN: 978-1-257-08789-1

paperback, 365 pages

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-hoa-murders/14694349

Leon Robertson ignores the political correctness of not saying anything bad about anything, or more specifically, the unspoken alliance of “No Negatives About HOAs,” and writes this fictional murder mystery centering on homeowner association living. He reminds us that HOAs are not idealistic perfection of utopian societies warranting the existing special laws that hold them unaccountable to the state; that the subculture within them is subject to the dynamics of a society where the people are frustrated, feel unable to influence their government, and suffer from what has been diagnosed as the HOA Syndrome by psychologist, Dr. Gary Solomon.

 

In 1995, the sinister goings-on portrayed in the TV movie, The Colony was aired., where a family, after discovering “the billionaire owner’s murderous control over his ‘colony’ they try desperately to escape with their lives.”  In 1999, the X-Files TV series ran “The Falls of Arcadia” about mysterious disappearances within an HOA, which aired some of the power issues with the HOA. Now, we have HOA Murders, first and foremost a murder mystery.

 

Cleverly, Robertson begins with two murders in Pima County, Arizona that leads detectives to, at first, look at a possible border smuggling or human trafficking incident, but when subsequent murders occur involving other HOA members they begin to look elsewhere, at the goings-on in the HOA community. The story flows easily with the skills of an accomplished story-teller.

 

The following dialogue is of note, as the Arizona Legislature has been rejecting the enforcement of the law that public streets belong to the public and not to the HOA. The investigating detectives pull up in front of the widow’s house, a unit in Fantasia HOA, and are met by a woman who tells them, “No parking on the streets.” The detective replies, “There’s no yellow marker, so you can’t tell people not to park here.” She replies, “The HOA can,” and the common HOA government dialogue continues.

 

And of course, shortly thereafter, we have the arrival of the HOA president demanding to know what was going on. When asked by the detective if the murdered person had any problems with the neighbors, the garrulous president became very quite. “Well, there was a problem with sun screens and we had get a lawyer involved” was the response from the president.

 

Robertson has accomplished a dual feat: an intriguing murder mystery involving the behavioral and private property restrictions by de facto, but unrecognized HOA governments; and a must for a movie. He has informed the public, through this all too believable story, that HOA living has its perils and there needs to be accountability to the state more so than a typical non-HOA community.

AZ legislature falls for CAI lobbyist ramblings – HB 2441

I just watched the Arizona CAI lobbyist, Kevin DeMenna, spew forth misleading statements and irrelevant  ramblings in support of HB 2441, before the AZ House Government Committee on Feb. 8, 2011, in an excellent example of professional spin.  And the committee members bought it, lock, stock and barrel with its 8 – 0 vote. Based on the few questions asked by the committee members, apparently all that counts is the information provided by paid special interest lobbyists, and the statements by informed and knowledgeable citizens are given scant attention.

  

Were the members sleeping when DeMenna stated at the very start that, “We are are the managers and association boards’ duly elected . . . and what have you.”  (That’s a technique in advertising to avoid fraudulent advertising). Obviously,  no committee member read or understood my plain language that CAI is a business trade organization not permitted to have HOA members, and that all those “volunteers” do not speak for their HOAs. 

 

I had emailed the committee my detailed analysis of the bill (Analysis of AZ HB 2441, the HOA minority control bill), and wrote again in my 2/6/11 email saying,

  

However, for years CAI attorney lobbyists have been misrepresenting that they speak for HOAs and is homeowner members.  HB  2441 continues this misrepresentation and interference into the HOA CC&Rs contract for the interests of attorneys, and not the HOA or its members.  CAI AZ spends more money on lobbyists activities than on its educational programs, which is the stated basis for its tax exemption. (See its 990 EZ).

  

Apparently, the democratic process previously extolled by CAI means little to them in regard to HB 2441 where CAI supports the position that  a minority can take away the private property rights of the homeowners without their consent. DeMenna gave false and evasive replies that the courts will uphold a validly enacted amendment.  Section 3.1, Validity of Servitudes, of the Restatement (third) of Servitudes clearly states that covenants are not valid if they are unconstitutional, contrary to public policy or are unreasonable.   DeMenna easily misleads the committee with his false analogy of legislature’s frequent interference with contracts across the state in Santa Cruz and Cochise counties, which are not private contractual governments!  (More slight of hand).  Of course, the CAI lobbyist first slicked them with an admission that HOAs are “in effect, little tiny, mini-governments.”

  

The DeMenna & Associates Ethics web page proudly states that, “we will consistently uphold the highest standards of personal integrity” and “will always do our best to win.” DeMenna’s conduct before the committee reflects the extent to which he will go to win, and his ethical standards.

 

In my amicus curiae brief in the OAH constitutionality challenge before the AZ Supreme Court (Gelb v. DFBLS, CV 10-0371-PR)  I wrote, justifiably with respect to this astonishing vote,

“It is quite evident that an Arizona homeowner living within an HOA governed subdivision cannot look to the Attorney General, the Legislature, DFBLS, or ADRE for due process protections and the equal application of the laws.”

 

 Source:  House Archives. Click on “video” for House GOV, 2/8.

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AZ Supreme Court accepts advocate’s amicus brief in challenge to HOA statute

The Arizona Supreme Court has accepted my amicus curiae brief in support of constitutionality of the DFBLS/OAH due process statutes (Gelb v. DFBLS, CV 10-0371-PR). The Court has yet to decide if it will hear the Petition from the homeowner. Neither party objected to my brief, not even the CAI HOA law firm that received harsh treatment. I had presented background facts and arguments in an effort to assist the Court in understanding the disgraceful state of affairs with HOAs.

Responses to my brief, if any, are due within 20 days. For over 10 years I’ve been waiting for the CAI HOA attorneys to debate the substantive, constitutional issues with me for all to see.  I await their response.

The excerpt below makes a strong accusation against the Arizona Legislature, which can be applied to all state legislatures. Given this posture,  I would like to thank those all too few individual legislators who had come forth over the years, in several states, to do battle for homeowner justice, but who were not sufficient to overcome the opposition in their legislatures. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

From the first paragraph of my Conclusion:

It is quite evident that an Arizona homeowner living within an HOA governed subdivision cannot look to the Attorney General, the Legislature, DFBLS, or ADRE (real estate dept.) for due process protections and the equal application of the laws. Even the lower courts are suspect. With all due respect, it remains to this Court to stand behind the promises and covenants between our system of government and the people as set forth in the U.S. and state Constitutions.

See Advocate submits amicus brief in AZ supreme court appeal of HOA due process, and for a copy of the amicus brief, Amicus.

Suppose I park on an HOA public street. Then what?

Dear Arizona Legislators,

I cannot fathom the continued refusal of the Legislature to put this bill into law, having failed to do so for the past four years — SB 1360 (2007), HB2724 (2008), HB 2034 (2009), HB 2153 (2010).

 

This refusal to pass this bill invites more and more senseless litigation that only benefits the HOA lawyers, who should be advising their HOA of its violation of the law rather than willing go off to court against the member. Suppose I park my car on a public street in Sun City, or Sun City West, or Anthem, perhaps in front of a board member’s home. How will the scenario unfold?

 

  1. Nothing happens, and everybody lives happily ever after Not likely, since these HOA members have argued over the years before legislative committees for their right to stop this parking.

  2.  Some HOA member, presumably a board member, or his “hired gun”, the management firm, call the local/county police to evict me. I ask the officer his name, rank and serial number, and just what law I am breaking parking on an unrestricted public street. If he persists on getting me to move, I say to him this is harassment and you are violating the law, and wrongfully acting to evict me. If he says that I am creating am nuisance, I reply that he is the person violating his authority and acting on behalf of a private person/organization who is filing a false complaint. I ask him to arrest the HOA member for filing a false complaint.

  3. Does the HOA fine the member for not “policing” his street segment, under which he has no legal authority to do anything but plead and beg me to move? If so fined, then I have no sympathy for any homeowner who allows his board to engage in establishing such “laws”, presumably under the advice of the HOA attorney.
  4. In effect, all this posturing is an illegal extortion of the HOA member to violate the law under the threat of a fine, as the HOA and its attorney know better than to undertake such an illegal enforcement action themselves.
  5.  The HOA member has the right to file suit against the HOA, if he believes that the HOA “law” is illegal, contrary to public policy or unconstitutional, and he may do so. The Legislature will honor his beloved CC&Rs contract, between the member and the HOA, and not third-parties, and do nothing, leaving him to happily pay his fine as a good, loyal HOA member.
  6. If the HOA does not fine the member, what is their real issue, except the power struggle of who controls and regulates the people within the HOA territorial subdivision. All these HOAs have to do is to go to their zoning board and get a variance. Why aren’t they doing it?   Why?

  7. Suppose 10 other cars are so parked throughout these HOAs. Then what?

 

 You may ask why hasn’t this happened? Perhaps because:

  1.  homeowners are law abiding,
  2.  they do not understand or know their rights under the law since there is a broad “no negatives about HOAs” policy pervading the state,
  3.  there is no “Truth in HOAs” law like truth in lending or truth in advertising,
  4. and they are intimidated by their HOA with its coercive fines and liens authority, without effective legal recourse to stand up to the HOA with its money and attorneys.

  

This sad and preventable state of affairs, creating divisiveness, hostility, anger and resentment only benefits the HOA attorneys who are all too eager to go to court — their reason for being. All because the Legislature has failed to uphold the Arizona Constitution and to pass this bill.