LOBBY WATCH: Wisdom of Solomons |
Wednesday, 01 June 2011 |
Bob the Builderâs DNA Soils House Floor Where HOA Reform Was DOA
Opponents of Homeowners Association Reform Got 5X More Money From Bob Perry and Two Related PACs Than Did Reformers Bob Perry's DNA was all over the House floor last week when Rep. Burt Solomons pronounced dead his bill to reform anti-consumer homeowners associations (HOAs)... One Senate signatory of the coalition pledge was Dallas Republican John Carona, whose Associa Co. manages controversial homeowners associations. Since 2008, Carona and his wife have given $25,000 to the campaign of Dallas Democratic Senator Royce Westâauthor of the Senate‟s spineless HOA bill. HOA reform did not die of natural causes. It was murder. "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other." --King Solomon, 1 Kings 3:25.
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Homebuilder Bob Perry's Legislation Gets Top Priority |
Wednesday, 01 June 2011 |
Lucrative HOA âResale Certificateââ and âPayment Plansâ are some of the worst business practices out there
With the passage of the latest HOA laws the ever resourceful industry still maintains control of communities, the ability to impose HOA onerous fines, legal fees, and entry fees, handling fees, resale certificate fees, transfer fees, special assessments, community enhancement fees, covenant compliance inspection fee, expedited fees, delivery fees, and convenience fees that will continue to drive homeowners out of community association they can no longer afford. HB1228 â Rep. Harold Dutton, DâHouston whose stand-alone bill originally contained only an expedited judicial foreclosure provision became the newly amended omnibus industry bill of the day with seven major changes. With the passage of HB 1228 the flawed Senate versions of âPriority of Paymentâ and lucrative âAlternative Payment Planâ provisions allows HOA vendors unethical business practices to continue business as usual. |
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WFAA Reports Outrage: HOA Rules No Home, No Trailer |
Tuesday, 31 May 2011 |
HOA threatens to sue Possum Kingdom wildfire survivor
When raging wildfires destroyed 54 homes in the Possum Kingdom Lake residential area known as Sportsman's World last month, one of those houses belonged to Jim Brumbelow. Now, more than a month later â as he surveys what's left of his world â the 77-year-old cancer survivor faces new challenges in his life... The recreational vehicle and camper he is living and working out of until his home can be rebuilt is violating Article 8, Section 3(e) of the Sportsman's World Property Owners Association covenant, according to a letter Brumbelow received from a Dallas law firm. Related Report: Sen. John Carona defends controversial HOA rule |
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Dallas Morning News Editorial: Bad legislation passing or reform stalling |
Tuesday, 31 May 2011 |
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HOA LAWMAKER SENATOR CARONA WALKS OUT OF INTERVIEW |
Friday, 27 May 2011 |
WFAA News Report: Senator John Carona Featured Full Report Here
When asked what the "priority of payment" should be, Carona said it should be like it is with most associations...
schedule they highlighted that the last item to be paid was "Sixth - Regular Assessments," but the first item to be paid was, "First - Cost of Collection, including Attorneys fees." After this insert was shown, Shipp asked Carona, "So attorneys should be paid first?" Carona replied, "No I'm not saying that." To which Shipp responded, "You're not saying that?" Carona said, "No." Shipp persisted, "Isn't that the policy of your property management association?" To which, Carona held his hand up, turned sharply, and said, "end of interview." See Associa Priority of Payment Contract |
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WFAA's Britt Shipp Reports: HOA Big Business, Big Controversy |
Friday, 27 May 2011 |
Sen. John Carona defends controversial HOA rule
While state lawmakers debate proposed reforms in the law, one local state senator with HOA-industry ties says he thinks some laws should stay just as they are...Among the defenders of the current system is Sen. John Carona, of Dallas. Carona is not only the author of many of the current HOA laws in Texas, some say he benefits most...A Principal Management collection schedule obtained by News 8 spells out Carona's policies of fines, fees, the filing of a lien...according to Carona's company's payment policy, the last priority of payment, number six on the list, is to be a homeowner's "regular assessments." First on the list to be paid, attorney's fees...When WFAA asked, Carona denied that was his policy. He then abruptly ended the interview as WFAA attempted to show him a copy of his own policy. Carona then bolted out of the interview room and back onto the Senate floor. When WFAA tried to follow him, Carona ordered the sergeant of arms to have us removed from the chamber... Related: Big Business of HOA Non-Judicial Foreclosure |
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Payment Plans - "All they want is the Money" |
Thursday, 26 May 2011 |
I-TEAM: HOA foreclosures draw attention of state lawmakers
âItâs a scary situation,â said Kimberlee Benes, whose dream of home ownership had become a nightmare. Benes was placed on a payment plan that took months to settle-up: A plan where the HOAâs attorneys act as the debt collector, too, charging fees. Fees were issued for verifying addresses, sending demand letters, and researching owners. Benes wonders how the research went, given that she left a forwarding address, verified by the Postal Service, but still received no notices until the threats of foreclosure. âTheyâre just not willing to budge. You can tell them anything. You can provide them proof of everything that youâre saying is legitimate, and all they want is their money,â said Benes. |
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NPR Interview with Gretchen Mortgage |
Wednesday, 25 May 2011 |
How 'Reckless' Greed Contributed To Financial Crisis
Gretchen Morgenson, who covers world financial markets for The New York Times, has been untangling the complex foreclosure mess and efforts to reform government regulations on Wall Street for several years. Now Morgenson and co-author Joshua Rosner have written a book about the origins of the financial meltdown. In Reckless Endangerment: How Outsized Ambition, Greed and Corruption Led to Economic Armageddon, Morgenson and Rosner describe how regulators failed to control greed and recklessness on Wall Street. Read more...
Litsen to NPR interview with Gretchen Mortgenson |
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Work of the Texas Rich and Politically Powerful? |
Wednesday, 25 May 2011 |
Lawmaker: Builder hurt HOA bill
Dewhurst, Bob Perry aides deny interference
With a midnight deadline approaching, the Texas House author of a bill designed to make homeowners' associations more accountable said he would rather let the measure die than accept a weakened version promoted by Houston homebuilder and mega-political-donor Bob Perry. A frustrated state Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton, pulled his bill down after the House accepted an amendment he said would put into law "some of the worst business practices out there."...Perry spokesman Anthony Holm called Solomons' account of last session "far-fetched." Dewhurst spokesman Mike Walz said the lieutenant governor does not have any recollection of a conversation with Perry about homeowners' associations. |
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Solomons laid blame for debacle on Bob Perry |
Wednesday, 25 May 2011 |
The Quorum Report: SOLOMONS PULLS DOWN HOA BILL AFTER KING PREVAILS WITH FLOOR SUBSTITUTE
Solomons replaced West bill with new language that brought incoming from Buddy Jones and Bob Perry. Yet another attempt at comprehensive homeownersâ association (HOA) reform hit the mat this afternoon when the latest iteration was body-slammed on the House floor by a rival member and its sponsor threw in the towel, likely putting the omnibus legislation down for the count this session. Rep. Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton) succumbed to a challenge to his version of the bill by Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford) and capitulated rather than advance the Senate version King was pushing. Solomons laid the blame for the debacle squarely at the feet of lobbyist Buddy Jones, homebuilder and major GOP donor Bob Perry, Dick Weekley of Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR), and the Texas Conservative Coalition (TCC). According to Solomons, Perry and representatives of the HOA industry helped write the bill authored by Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas). King touted it as an agreed-to bill by all parties, although reform groups never fully embraced it. Solomons said Perry, TLR and TCC all opposed his committee substitute.
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