The Lone Ranger still fights for HOA constitutionality

“(Common Ground, May/June 2006, Christopher Durso, Editor).

“CCLG’s [Citizens for Constitutional Local Government] founder and president, George Staropoli, for example, originally agreed to an interview but later changed his mind. In a brief phone call during which he’s quiet and almost courtly, he explains that Common Ground is CAI’s ‘house organ,’ and that he’d be more comfortable with a debate or similar format where he could express himself at length, without the risk of being quoted out of context. He asks that his prolific writings on the CCLG website speak for him, although a week or two later he sends an ‘open e-mail questionnaire to CAI’ containing four questions that sprout from CCLG’s mission.”

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 As of this writing, the four questions, also sent to the Arizona Legislature, have not been answered by any party.  Why not?

“1. Is it proper for the state to create, permit, encourage, support or defend a form of local government of a community of people, whether that form of government is established as a municipal corporation or as a private organization that is not compatible with our American system of government?

“2. Is it proper for the state to permit the existence of private quasi-governments with contractual ‘constitutions’ that regulate and control the behavior of citizens without the same due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment; that do not conform to the state’s municipal charter or incorporation requirements; or do not provide for the same compliance with the state’s Constitution, statutes or administrative code as required by public local government entities?

“3. When did ‘whatever the people privately contract’ dominate the protections of the US Constitution? The New Jersey Appeals Court didn’t think so. Does “constructive notice”, the ‘nailing to the wall,’ the medieval method of notice, measure to the requisite level of notice and informed consent to permit the loss of Constitutional protections?

“4. Please state what, if any, are the government’s interests in supporting HOAs that deny the people their constitutional rights?”

Staropoli lists a selection of unsolicited testimonials over his many years of HOA activism.  

His latest activity in January 2024 was the publication of “Seeking HOA Constitutional Government: the continuing battle, Collected Writings.” It contains in one volume some 56 writings — emails, social media postings, and articles — presenting 24 years of historical events, case histories, legislation and related documents by proponents of the HOA status quo.