September2017

Common Interest Communities and MUNICIPALITIES – Conflict and Quarrels or Cooperation and Collaboration? Paul Raetsch, Horizons at Woods Landing HOA

© iStockphoto.com

“R esidents of that darned Homeowners Association are coming tonight to com- plain about taxes again. Those old retired folks have nothing better to do than come here and gripe!” While the Mayor is speaking, the HOA President is saying, “Those people are supposed to represent us, yet they keep raising our taxes and don’t provide any services for us. I’ll remind them tonight that we have two hundred voters ready to throw the bums out!” Unfortunately, this dysfunction is all too common. Our democracy and political system are designed to discuss and debate to resolve differenc- Chapter of CAI (CAI-NJ) and its Legislative Action Committee (“LAC”) are working to enable constructive cooperation with our municipal governments. What does LAC do that can help associations strengthen relationships with their municipalities? Many legislative and legal matters that are as important to local elected officials as they are to common interest communities (“CIC”). For instance, the es civilly. But civility requires honest communication, cooperation, and compromise. The New Jersey

proposed Bear-Proof Trash Container legislation was one we are firmly opposed, as did the League of Municipalities (the “League”). The bill would have required municipalities and CICs in almost every county of the state to utilize very expen- sive bear resistant trash containers. Individual residents faced costs of approximately $100 per container and CIC, com- mercial and municipal containers much more. The League and LAC worked hard to keep this law from being enacted. Virtually every community in the state must address the

Paul Raetsch spent most of his career with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration. He retired in 2007, after serving eight years as Regional Director of the Philadelphia Regional Office. He is immediate past President of the Horizons at Woods Landing Home Owners Association, and has been a Director of the Northeast Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA), Workforce Wayne, Lacawac Foundation, and the Lakeland Colony Corporation HOA.

Courtesy CAI-NJ.

CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 57

56

S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 1 7