“BUSYBODIES” RUNNING THE SHOW!

By Jan Bergemann

Published July 11, 2014

  

Caused by the apathy of owners, I know a lot of community associations that are being ruled by “BUSYBODIES,” meaning board members who need to get a life – instead of trying to tell their neighbors how to run their lives.

  

You find a lot of folks who bath in the light of “power” – being totally overwhelmed by the power they suddenly experience as board members.

  

Most of them have absolutely no business experience – much needed for running a community association. As we always say: Knowledge is power – but power without knowledge is outright dangerous for the financial welfare of the other members of the community.

  

Because of their lack of knowledge they rely on service providers to tell them what to do, often a very costly learning experience. Make no mistake: Service providers are in business to make lots of money – at the expense of the owners of the community.

   

Neighbors quickly find out that these “busybody” board members are outright “dangerous” when they are telling their neighbors to stand at attention – just because they say so!

   

If apathy wouldn’t rule many community associations, these “busybodies” would be quickly recalled – or voted out at the next election. But since many owners just don’t want to get “involved” – these “busybody” board members are often in power for many years, costing the association members lots of money.

  

The life time of these board members are often prolonged through the help of the service providers who quickly figured out that a lot of extra profits can be made as long as these board members are in power.

  

“Busybody” board members also find out quickly that “KICKBACKS” are the name of the game in Florida’s community associations – another incentive for these board members to stay in power.

And with certain attorneys telling these board members that they don’t have to be afraid of violating the laws – there is no real enforcement or punishment for violators – you quickly have a community that is being run by scumbags ignoring the laws!
  
They now have been promoted from “BUSYBODIES” to "DICTATORS!"

  

Welcome to a system where apathy of owners allows dictators to come to power!

 

Have you experienced something similar? Let us know how you feel about it!


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Jan Bergemann Jan Bergemann is president of Cyber Citizens For Justice, Florida 's largest state-wide property owners' advocacy group. CCFJ works on legislation to help owners living in community  

associations. He moved to Florida in 1995 - hoping to retire. He moved into a HOA, where the developer cheated the homeowners and used the association dues for his own purposes. End of retirement!

 

CCFJ was born in the year 2000, when some owners met in Tallahassee - finding out that power is only in numbers. Bergemann was a member of Governor Jeb Bush's HOA Task force in 2003/2004.

 

The organization has two websites to inform interested Florida homeowners and condo owners:

News Website: http://www.ccfj.net/.

Educational Website: http://www.ccfjfoundation.net/.

   
We think that only owners can really represent owners, since all service providers surely have a different interest! We are trying to create owner-friendly laws, but the best laws are useless without enforcement. And enforcement is totally lacking in Florida !


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