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Article
and Video Courtesy of
CBS
Channel 4 -- Ft. Lauderdale
Jawan Strader Reporting
(CBS4)
WEST KENDALL Hundreds of residents in a West Kendall
neighborhood continue protesting what they say is a surprise hit
with homeowners' association fees, but an attorney is saying this
should not be any surprise at all.
Many who live in the development off Bird Road and Southwest 144th
Avenue in West Kendall say they moved there because there were no
association fees. Tuesday and Wednesday nights, residents of the
Bird Lakes neighborhood held a rally to protest the new fees, saying
they've never paid an association fee, and they never will. However,
one official says no one was running the homeowners' association
because residents decided to ignore it.
"As
far as we know, the testimony I believe in my affidavit in the court
file is that the developer turned control of the association over to
the homeowners, and the homeowners, for whatever reason, dropped the
ball and didn't continue to run the association," said Jeffrey
Rubinstein.
He is the attorney representing the court-appointed receiver who
notified residents of the association. According to him, the
original paperwork signed by each homebuyer indicated there was an
association, but they say they never remember seeing such document.
"What are we going to pay for, for a little grass like this for
maintenance?" said homeowner Hector Perez. "It doesn't
make any sense."
Some residents say the new fee of nearly $300 every quarter will
hurt them financially.
"We can't afford it," said Anna Valentin, "This is
ridiculous, after so many years."
During
the rally, hundreds of residents signed petitions in an effort to
stop the fees from being imposed.
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 Watch
VIDEO
Bird
Lake Residents Protest New Homeowners' Association Fees.
At
this point there is no agreement in the works between the
Continental Group and residents that are associated with.
Another rally to protest the association is scheduled for Friday
evening behind a local public school.
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