You can
listen and/or download the talk show "On The Commons" aired on
Saturday, July 17, 2021
Hosted and
produced by Shu Bartholomew, "On The
Commons" is a weekly radio show
dedicated to discussing the many issues
surrounding mandatory homeowner
associations, the fastest growing form of
residential housing in the nation.
This Week's Show
I
have always felt the HOA and condo
models were flawed. Not that I thought
there is something sinister built into
them. I don’t. I met with Byron Hanke at
his home about a year before he died and
know, without a doubt, that his
intentions were good when he introduced
his model for what we know as condo and
homeowner associations. But not all good
ideas and plans work out as imagined.
What is often overlooked and ignored in
the planning stages is the human factor.
Sadly, we got a wake-up call recently
when the Surfside tower collapsed in the
middle of the night in Florida, killing
many people. We still don’t have a final
count. As I write this, the recovery
efforts continue. We still don’t know
what caused the collapse; there is much
speculation but nothing conclusive yet.
We need to know the exact cause if we
hope to prevent a repeat of this horror.
Grasping at straws will not help.
Julio Robaina joins us "On The
Commons". Julio was a much-loved,
tireless legislator in Florida before he
was timed out. He spent tireless hours
holding open meetings across the state,
meeting with homeowners and talking to
hundreds of them. Julio heard the
stories straight from the Homeowners
about the problems, the abuses, and
concerns. He brought their thoughts and
ideas to the legislature, where he
crafted bills based on what was needed.
Julio took what the homeowners told him
very seriously and listened to how they
wanted to be protected. After all, he
reasoned, who would know better? Not all
his bills passed. His colleagues argued
with him, are they second-guessing their
votes now?
The question is, could the tragedy at
Surfside been averted had some of his
warnings been heeded? So what happens
now? Julio, who I nicknamed “The
Energizer Bunny” many years ago, is
still working tirelessly to get
legislation enacted to protect condo
owners and homeowners. Julio and I
worked late in the night to record this
show for you. Please tune in and listen
to it. Let’s make sure this never
happens again, anywhere in the world.
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