STUNNING DEFEAT FOR CAI IN CALIFORNIA SENATE

Ducheny's Non-Judicial Foreclosure Bill Passes 36-0

May 18, 2004

Sacramento, California -

Community Association Institute(CAI)lawyers suffered a major blow today when the California Senate voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 1682. This bill prohibits the use of non-judicial foreclosure for unpaid assessments in homeowner associations for amounts less than $2,500.

Homeowner advocates were both happy and cautious. They praised the skill and dedication of the bill's author, Senator Ducheny, in securing passage through the Senate. However, they cautioned that CAI will be waiting for the bill when it goes to the Assembly.

CAI is already on a high state of alert, having sent a newsletter to all its members asking them to buttonhole their representatives. CAI lobbyist, Beth Grimm, and CLAC lobbyist, Skip Daum, have already called the work of the legislators "a feeding frenzy".

Homeowner advocates point out that the bill was triggered by the non-judicial foreclosure sale of Tom Radcliff's home over $120 in unpaid assessments. His house is worth $280,000.

Homeowner advocates are urging all homeowners to contact their assembly person to urge passage of this important piece of legislation. CAI is attempting to amend the bill to death.

The bill represents years of work by many homeowners to bring the issue of non-judicial foreclosure to the attention of legislators. It also represents years of work informing reporters of the significance of this issue. It also took the work of legislative staffers like Mark Stivers who wrote a clear and unbiased legislative analysis of the bill.

But the news out of Sacramento was not all good for homeowners today.

Gov. Schwarzenegger appointed Lucetta Dunn,an industry official to fill the important post of director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. Ms. Dunn has a long history of working to build homeowner associations for such groups as Koll Real Estate. She is a vice president of the California Building Industry Association. She also is a member of the Orange County Privatization Task Force. Privatization often means deprivation for the citizens, and enrichment for the big corporations.

As her appointment requires confirmation by the Senate, homeowner have the opportunity to send their views to their Senate representative.
posted by Las Vegas at 5:15 PM