Only a fool would live in a no sidewalk community

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Back Home Again in Florida

They must have built 50 homes and two new roads  since I left in June.  All homes have increase $50,000  since we left.  We took a walk around the community on 6' wide cement sidewalks and must have seen a dozen rabbits.  It is so great to be home in this great community.  Free coffee every day at the club house.  Free pop corn and free use of their ink pens.  No outsiders allow at Bingo.  No cops riding around, no golf cart riding around looking for crooks, they are all at Lake Ashton.  Its great to be home. 

Send me a message!   lakeashtontalktwo@yahoo.com

florida as too many Golf Courses!

WHY SHOULD OTHERS PAY FOR GOLF PLAYERS’ ENTERTAINMENT?

By Jan Bergemann

Published September 6, 2013

   

For years, we’ve heard or read about the lawsuits that occur when associations buy "bankrupt" golf courses from developers, or when associations make golf club memberships "mandatory." Thus, the golf course curse begins!

  

Let’s make no mistake! It happens all over Florida, and these lawsuits, normally, end up being very expensive, costing vast amounts of time and money. And, sadly, they are also costly to relationships within the community: neighbor turning against neighbor.

  

But, we always hear: "It is contract law! You knew what you were getting into!"

Which is exactly why the status quo should stay as is! It’s all about the contract!

Did the contract state that the community owns the golf course or that membership in the golf club is "mandatory" for all homeowners? Read Carefully!

Just because the golf course/club gets into financial trouble is not a valid reason to saddle non-golfing residents, who never intended to play golf or be a member of the golf club, with expenses. To me, common sense dictates that the folks who want to play golf should pay for their own entertainment, not force their neighbors to finance their fun.

Other reasons for so many golf club community lawsuits reside in the facts:

• Florida has too many golf courses;
• The cost of maintaining an 18-hole golf course has about doubled in the last seven (7) years;
• The number of golfers in Florida is decreasing, according to the PGA; and
• The generation of new retirees, the baby-boomers, is not as eager to play golf as the former generation.

Thus, we can see why so many golf courses are in financial trouble today and are closing their doors.

  

No matter what the proponents of HOA’s purchasing a golf course or making golf club membership mandatory tell you, a golf course is not improving the property values of the homes in the association. A golf course is a serious financial liability; and, in many communities, it is dragging down property values.

  

The former sales incentive that caused buyers to pay extra has turned into a curse! And any board members and golf fanatics who are still "gung-ho," trying to buy a golf course for the community, offered by a near bankrupt developer, have either not learned anything from the past examples, or they just want their neighbors to pay for their entertainment.

  

You’re still not convinced that a golf course is more a curse than a smart investment?

  

Florida’s media reported a myriad of golf course lawsuits: Golf Course Curses. Please read the following articles; you’ll understand the reference to "Curses":

Passport Application Letter

 

This is a hoot.  Hope you enjoy:

Passport Application Letter - Hilarious

        

THIS IS PRICELESS: ACTUAL PASSPORT APPLICATION LETTER SENT BACK TO STATE DEPARTMENT

Dear Mrs. Ms. Or Sir: I'm in the process of renewing my passport and still cannot believe this. How is it that Radio Shack has my address and telephone number and knows that I bought a cable TV from them in 1987 (23 years ago), and yet, the Federal Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date. For Christ's sake, do you guys do this by hand? Ever heard of computers?

My birth date you have in my social security file. It's on EVERY income tax form I've filed for the past 35+ years. It's on my Medicare health insurance card and my driver's license, it's on the last eight damned passports I've had, it's on every stupid customs declaration form I've had to fill out before being allowed off the plane for the last 30+ years. And it's on all those census forms that we have to do at election time. Would somebody please take note, once and for all, that my mother's name is Maryanne, my father's name is Robert and I'm reasonably confident that neither name is likely to change between now and when I die.

Between you and me, I've had enough of this bureaucratic bullshit: You send the application to my house, then ask me for my #*&#%*& address.  What is going on?  You must have a gang of bureaucratic Neanderthal morons working there! Look at my damn picture.  Do I look like Bin Laden?  And "No," I don't want to dig up Yasser Arafat, for shit sakes. I just want to go and park my ass on a sandy beach. And would someone please tell me, why would you give a damn whether I plan on visiting a farm in the next 15 days? If I ever got the urge to do something weird to a chicken or a goat, believe you me, I'd sure as hell not want to tell anyone!

Well, I have to go now because I have to go to the other end of the city and get another #*@&#^@*@ copy of my birth certificate, to the tune of $100. Would it be so difficult to have all the services in the same area so I could get a new passport the same day? Nooooo, that would require planning and organization. And it would be too logical for the @&^*^%@% government. You'd rather have us running all over the place like chickens with our heads cut off. Then, we have to find some asshole to confirm that it's really me in the damn picture - you know, the one where we're not allowed to smile.

Hey, you know why we can't smile? We're totally pissed off!

Signed- An Irate Citizen.

P.S. Remember what I wrote about getting someone to confirm that the picture is me? Well, my family has been in the United States of America since 1776. I have served in the military for something over 35 years and have had security clearances up the ying yang. However, I have to get someone important to verify who I am - you know, someone like my doctor....WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN INDIA ! And you assholes want to run our health care system?????

 

Lake Ashton and my new community

The big difference between Lake Ashton and my new community! We live next to a wild bird sanctuary and there are birds all over the place. There are deer running around along with raccoons and many small animals. Lake Ashton is next to a very high crime rate city, Lake Wales. Killings and robbery going on all the time. It is now spreading into Lake Ashton. Trash Adams does not want to come out and say it but they are giving you many hints has to what is going on in this crooked no sidewalks community. This would be the last community in Florida to live in. Make no bones about it. Lock your doors, car and mail box. Carry a gun with you when you walk around and watch your back.

Pinellas condo owners could be forced to sell at a loss

Article and Video Courtesy of NBC Channel 8 Tampa By Shannon Behnken Published September 2, 2013 Watch VIDEO Three years ago, Stephanie Vandenbroeke, a single mother of two, poured her life savings into a condominium at the Madison Oaks in Palm Harbor. She works two jobs and pays her mortgage. But now, a development group from Miami says she and 42 other families have to sell their homes - for tens of thousands less than they paid when they bought at the height of Florida's real estate market. The development group wants to terminate the condominium. "You just can't do this to Americans that have families and work hard," Vandenbroeke said. "It's just not right." This seems impossible, forcing people out of their homes, but this development group claims in documents that the law is on their side. No one representing this group returned phone calls for comment. Madison Oaks was converted from an apartment complex to a condominium during the real estate boom. But when the market tanked, the developer was left with more than 200 unsold units. A new company recently bought those condos and wants to turn the whole place back into an apartment complex. They point to a Florida statute that was supposed to help owners terminate a condo in extreme cases, like a hurricane. But attorney Joseph Gaynor, who represents Madison condo owners, says Florida law should protect these owners. "I don't believe it was ever the intent of the legislature to have somebody come in and by 207 out of 250 units and decide to terminate the rights of the other 40 people," Gaynor said. The statute is supposed to give condo owners a chance to fight back if a developer tries to take over. "If they vote to terminate, then there's a second part of that statute that says if 10 percent of the people object to the termination, the plan of liquidation doesn't go forward," Gaynor said. But Gaynor says the developer took over the condo board and voted to amend the condo documents to get rid of this 10 percent protection clause. What's happening at Madison Oaks should sound alarm bells for anyone who owns a condo that used to be a part of an apartment complex. During Florida's housing boom, more than 30,000 apartment units in Tampa Bay were converted to condos. Many of those conversions, like Madison Oaks, didn't sell out. Instead, developers ended up buying units in bulk at many of these complexes. Meanwhile, residents at Madison Oaks filed a legal objection to halt the process - for now. But Gaynor says he expects this battle will end up in court . Owner Karen Rehs says she'll fight for her home. "I made it to be me, and now they just want to take it back, and I'm not going to let it happen," said Gaynor. The board of directors of the Madison Oaks Condominium Association has sent this response to Newschannel 8. "The Board of Directors of the Madison Oaks Condominium Association is issuing this written statement in response to a request for comment from Channel 8 Tampa regarding the prospective termination of the Madison Oaks Condominium. On August 21, at a special meeting for units owners at Madison Oaks condominium held to consider the potential termination of the Madison Oaks condo, the required 80% + of unit owners voted in favor of the termination of the Madison Oaks condo and as a result the termination has been deemed approved by the owners. In that regard, the Board of Directors would like to make the following points regarding the implementation of that Plan of Termination: Madison Oaks is a failed condominium conversion of what was previously a rental community. The termination will return Madison Oaks to its pre-conversion status as a well appointed garden-style rental community. The Declaration of Condominium, pursuant to which all current unit owners purchased their condominium units, provides that an owner of 80% or more of the common elements can approve a termination of the condominium. The termination is being undertaken pursuant to this express provision of the Declaration of Condominium that all unit owners agreed to be bound by when they purchased their units. The Board of Directors is sensitive to the concerns of the unit owners that the appraisal process for their units be undertaken in an arms-length, transparent process. The Board of Directors understands that concern and for that reason the Termination Trustee under the Plan of Termination will be retaining an independent appraiser that has done no prior business with any of the parties involved in the termination. The appraiser will individually appraise each unit to insure that those unit owners who have made special upgrades to their units will have such work factored into their appraisals – the goal is to make the appraisals as accurate as possible in determining the fair market value of each of the condo units. Owners whose units will be sold at the fair market value as a result of the termination are being offered the opportunity to enter into leases that will allow them to remain residents at the property. The management company has been instructed to negotiate lease terms on an individual basis, taking into account the specific situation of each owner." Thank you for your inquiry. Respectfully yours, Board of Directors of the Madison Oaks Condominium Association

LOCK YOUR DOORS, HOMES, CARS AND MAIL BOXES

Homes are being broken into and I am now receiving many reports that their cars are being broken into ALSO. Mail is being stolen FROM MAIL BOXES. What a hell of a place to live and they don't tell you anything. Now they publish their cost of joining the golf club. $4450.00 for annual Family Membership. Residents are being taken in all directions. Trish Adams sure knows how to screw the residents just like Do Nothing Joe Hunter. What happens if some lady gets rape? What is she going to say? Put on more clothes? No Sidewalks, No bad news coming from their months, great place to live, Simply the Best, work free to deliver their LA Times, police and golf carts ride around the community with no power to do anything. What a hell of a place to live. Where I am, I don't need to lock my doors and I don't see police riding around. Homes are being build 50 at a time.

Condo ends ban on unmarried couples

Condo ends ban on unmarried couples Article Courtesy of The Sarasota Herald-Tribune By Shelby Webb Published August 25, 2013 VENICE - Facing a backlash from gay-rights activists, a local condominium association is reversing a recent policy that barred unmarried couples from the complex. The Casa Di Amici Condominium Association Inc. held a special meeting Thursday to amend a rule allowing only singles and husband-and-wife couples to buy or lease units within the community. The policy, approved in a July 17 meeting as part of 34 pages of amendments, generated anger among some who saw the measure as discriminatory against gay couples, who cannot legally marry in Florida. Outrage over the decision put the quiet condo complex in the public eye, generating not only local attention, but stories in newspapers in Miami and New York, as well. As the controversy frothed, the board at the 160-unit complex, which is near Jacaranda Boulevard and U.S. 41, remained silent, refusing to explain the new policy. But on Thursday board member Bill Moniz said the intent was never to discriminate. Moniz and attorney Dan Lobeck, who represents the condominium association but did not write the controversial amendment, said the purpose of the amendment was to keep corporations from coming in and buying up multiple units in the neighborhood. Attorney Dan Lobeck, left, sits with Bill Moniz, right, during a special meeting of the Casa Di Amici Condominium Association Inc. on Thursday. During the meeting, association board members, including Moniz, voted unanimously to change the wording of a policy that only allowed individuals or married couples to buy or rent in the neighborhood. "We never wanted to prevent anyone from living here," Moniz said. "I intend to make this right." “We never wanted to prevent anyone from living here,” Moniz said. “I intend to make this right.” Lobeck said some attorneys do not realize the repercussions of far-reaching language, especially when they constitute only a few paragraphs in a much larger document. “When I drafted one of my first condominium declarations, it required everyone to go out and buy a dog over 45 pounds,” Lobeck said. “Mistakes are made and this is a notably regrettable one.” The changes approved Thursday replaced all references to individuals and husband-and-wife couples with the phrase “two natural persons,” which is legal language for two human beings. Condominium owners must approve the amendments. They will vote within 45 days, Lobeck said. The original wording was flagged by Julia Nowak, a Realtor who owns a condominium in Casa Di Amici. Although she said there are some other parts of the condominium declaration she would like to see tweaked, Nowak said she was glad the association took out the discriminatory language. “The end result was great,” Nowak said. “We need a law to protect people and keep this from this happening again.” Nowak hopes Sarasota County will pass a human-rights ordinance that would prohibit discrimination in housing on the basis of sexual orientation or marital status. Currently, there is no state or federal law banning discrimination in housing on the basis of sexual orientation or marital status. Although gay-rights advocates hope to propose a human-rights ordinance to the Sarasota County Commission soon, some are celebrating what they see as a small victory. Jennifer Cohen, who heads the Sarasota-Manatee chapter of the National Organization for Women, protested outside of Casa Di Amici last week after she heard of the discriminatory policy. She said she is elated with the new changes. “I'm very happy for the people in (Casa Di Amici) and Venice,” Cohen said. “I hope other complexes will check their policies to make sure they allow all people to purchase a home or condo in Venice or in any other part of our county.”

A 55+ community with NO sidewalks

Walk in the road is their motto says Trish Adams. What a hell of a place. I am so glad I am out of there. It offers nothing but problems. Lots of house break-ins and they won't tell you, mail from mail boxes stolen, cars broken into. You got to lock everything. Security at the front gate is a rip-off. Bingo is as crooked as you can find it any where. This place is a zero.