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Title: Privatopia: Homeowner Associations and the Rise of Residential Private Government by Evan McKenzie ISBN: 0-300-06638-4 Publisher: Yale Univ Pr Pub. Date: March, 1996 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.67 (12 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Why CID's Exist (...and it is NOT to benefit homeowners)
Comment: This well-written and thoroughly researched book outlines the history of CID's (Common Interest Developments, often known as Homeowner's Associations in one of their various forms) and shows why they exist and continue to proliferate. Touted as a selling point to potential buyers by realtors and builders, CID's exist--as McKenzie cogently points out--primarily as a means for developers to mitigate the rising cost of property by squeezing more dwellings on to less land and bypassing local zoning restrictions and ordinances. The author not only examines the resultant effect upon the individual homeowner, but the long-term sociological and political ramifications as well. Like many who buy a home located in a CID, I was largely naive regarding the freedoms ceded by the purchaser as well as the broad and unfettered authority wielded by the "association". "Privatopia" contains some of the horror stories experienced within the CID scenario. Some of the issues causing disputes are so trivial as to be laughable, except for the severe penalties incurred by violators, including huge fines and legal fees, or even loss of one's home in certain situations. (My own "horror" story includes being assessed thousands of dollars in fines and legal fees over an orginal debt of $500.00 in association dues) As McKenzie points out, all too often the amateurs (who are typically homeowners within the subdivision) comprising the "board of directors" that administers the bylaws of the association, take a rigid stance when it comes to enforcement, or--worse yet--simply turn everything over to professional management companies and/or lawyers. Ostensibly, of course, the reason for all of the bylaws is the maintenance of property values. (Many of the trivial rules go way beyond that premise, and most CID's require a 3/4 majority of owners to unseat board members or amend bylaws, thus virtually ensuring a de facto dictatorship) Additionally, as the author explains, the real motivation for keeping property values high is so that the lenders courted by the developers will be confident that their investment is secure. (Again, the HOMEOWNER'S interests are irrelevant) Of course, not everyone living in a CID has a negative experience, but I think it's safe to say that most buyers have little idea of what they're getting into when they purchase a dwelling in a development run by an association. This book should be required reading for anyone currently living in or considering the purchase of a home located within a CID, and will be a real eye-opener to many.
Rating: 5
Summary: The definitive history of CID housing in the U.S.
Comment: "Privatopia" is the definitive history of common interest development-based housing in the United States, chronicling its rise from a modest number of exclusive developments at the turn of the century to what has become the fastest growing form of housing development and local government in the U.S. today, serving as the new town hall for some 40 million Americans in 200,000+ communities.
Privatopia puts in perspective the rapid growth of mass market CID housing, beginning as "homes associations" in the 1960s under the tutelage of the Federal Housing Administration and the Urban Land Institute. A professor of political science, McKenzie ably outlines the political and economic factors behind this trend and explains how policies adopted by state legislatures and local governments have quietly fostered the privatization of residential government into a multi-billion dollar industry.
This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand this quiet revolution in local government and a controversial subject that could be tomorrow's headlines.
Rating: 1
Summary: Not good help for us
Comment: We have many problems with our condo and big problems with board members. Management compny taking our money and they telling us what to do. We needed advice fast. Someone tell us buy this book. They say this book is best and we have to read it.So we buy it. But doesn't say what we are looking for. Is very complicated. We are disappointed. Our situation is bad. We need someone to help us with information. Sorry but this book not it.
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