Dear Editor:
Owners of condominiums and co-operatives, may I please have your attention!
After purchasing this type of housing comes the realization that your homestead is now to be governed by another layer of quasi government — corporate law.
Be aware in New Jersey we have very weak State regulations covering individuals living in this type of housing units. At this time our State representatives are now attempting to correct this situation. Laws concerning our type of housing falls into the domain of Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
The importance of new laws regulating our types of housing cannot be minimized, as we are large in numbers, approximately 600,000 to 1 million voters within the State of New Jersey alone. Yet, in spite of our numbers, there are outside forces seeking to pass state legislation that would be beneficial to their own special interests. I am particularly referring to the Community Association Institute (CAI) a nation-wide organization with local state chapters. They are presently lobbying our representatives in Trenton for a bill of their own design called UCIO-A896. This bill should be rejected outright as it certainly does not serve the best interests of our type of housing owners.
Is there more to this subject than the above bill, you bet! We must have someone or association that best serves our particular interest in this time of “we against them” society. There is and has been such an independent homeowners organization championing the cooperative housing owners cause for the past year or two, called Common Interest Homeowners Coalition (C-IHC).
A dear friend and neighbor who had recently died, Dr. Lois Pratt, along with others interested in protecting the rights of cooperative owners, founded this group and have been performing heroic work on our behalf. I cannot say enough about the loss that Lois Pratt will be to this organization and her friends. Truly, her last moments were of concern regarding the future of C-IHC and that of protecting unit owners’ rights. She will be sorely missed.
Now, what can you as unit owners do? Become informed, know that your property and individual rights are not to be tampered with, speak to your State representatives and question them as to their position on cooperative ownership.
Lastly, get involved, inquire about and perhaps find someone you know who is a member of C-IHC. You may get more information by contacting Diane McCarthy at 609-443-6731 or E-mail Diane McC@aol.com
Victor Fiorino