Posted by CotoBlogzz
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - While
we do not know what motivates Adams-Kessler to launch a major offensive with
the obvious intent to discredit the LA Times Column written by by Stephen Glassman and Donie Vanitzian, keep
in mind that Adams-Kessler almost exclusively represents the status quo,
whereas the columnists make an effort to comfort the afflicted.
Glassman and
Vanitzian are the authors of Villa
Appalling!: Destroying the Myth of Affordable Community Living (2002).
Vanitzian is the author of the Thomson-West legal treatise, California Common Interest
Development — Homeowner’s Guide (2006-2007)
and a HOA advocate.
Further, the law firm has had
major challenges representing the status quo in several HOAs in general and the
Laguna
Woods Village in particular.
It so happens that community activists in these HOAs are avid readers of
the aforementioned LA Times column
We asked Mr. Adrian Adams to
comment on our observations. Adrian Adams
and Gary Kessler are members of Community Associations Institute, CAI, and
Kessler is active in CAI’s legislative action committees (LAC) helping to shape
the national lobbying organization’s (that’s CAI’s) view of the HOA
industry. Among other things, in 2004 CAI had cautioned the NJ appellate
court in the Twin Rivers free speech case against “the unwise extension of
constitutional rights to the use of private property by members (as opposed to
the public) (Amicus curiae
Community Association Institute (“CAI”), Committee
For A Better Twin Rivers v. Twin Rivers Homeowners Association (TRHA), Docket No. C-121-00., p.19).
While Mr. Adams was prompt to our
request, his answer was non-responsive.
The question we asked was about is the apparent attempt by
Adams-Kessler to discredit the LA Times
HOA advocate columnists. His response: “The topic of
managers in meetings has already been covered in more detail on our website.
See:
We informed Mr.
Adams that we viewed his answer as non-responsive and urged him to clarify his
remarks for our readers.
RELATED STORIES
During
last night’s Third Board meeting called expressly to remove Director McDaniel for what can be characterized as
“because we can” argument, supported by Gary Kessler of Adams, Kessler,
the directors accomplished their task, after re-scheduling the meeting for a
third time.
On the
other hand, it was a poor debut for Gary Kessler, new Third Board legal
counsel, who insisted the removal was legal, while expecting that his
opinion will be challenged in court. Residents expressed not being
“…all impressed with Mr.
Kessler, his persona was nervous and much like a young man on his first date
meeting the parents for the first time!! Nervous and skittish, with a silly
laugh ! He could use some work on his people skills.”
A LAWSUIT WAS JUST FILED ON AUGUST 27, 2010 AGAINST "CAI
LAWYERS" ADAMS KESSLER, PLC ("AK") by the Cerritos Villas
Homeowners Association ("CVHOA") in Ceriitos, California.
The Complaint against Adams
Kessler,PLC (AK) alleges NEGLIGENCE and BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY.
The Complaint alleges as follows:
1. AK (Adams Kessler,PLC) was
discharged on August 28, 2009 as the communities lawyers
2. One or more members of the
former board of directors for CVHOA were participating in the
embezzlementof funds from CVHOA.
3. AK (Adams Kessler) together
with the
The Salvo Heard Around
Laguna Woods and the rest of the Homeowners Association/Common Interest
Property Industry
Laguna Woods, CA - It is heretic for homeowners association to go against a
property management company – after all, a whole multi-billion dollar industry has been built around the
notion that since in a
common interest development (CID) community, the board is composed of
volunteers who come and go, it is up to the property management company and
legal counsel to properly manage the “institutional brain” – that is, directors
do mostly what the property management company and or legal counsel
dictated. Just pay a visit
to the Community Association Industry for a perfect example in support of
the premise.
The Laguna Woods Third Mutual Board mimicking the recent OC
CCW hearings, finally politically assassinated one of its own.
Katie McDaniel, an apparent critic of the status quo was
removed last night from the Third Mutual Board by majority acclamation - by a
board referred to as the Gang Who
Couldn't Shot Straight