Eternal Vigilance

Today I signed off on the homeowner association documents for our new townhouse.  I certainly didn't want to read the entire package, but I did look at every line item on the financial reports,  checked the reserves, reviewed the rules, and noted the level of detail in planning for future expenditures.  Everything met with my approval.

I turned in the documents, and came home to this amazing story from Rational Jenn.  $600,000 stolen from her HOA - holy crap!

I've been involved with 2 HOA's prior to this purchase, and I know exactly what Jenn means about how you just want to pay your fee and be left alone - the whole idea of these communities is a bit too collectivist for my taste, and that makes me loath to get involved.  But in my first HOA, which consisted of only 5 homes, I had to take over the accounting and arrange for maintenance because nobody else would get off their lazy butts to do it.  I hated every minute of it and I didn't do a good job, but I left it a bit more organized than I found it.  My second HOA was a brand new one for an apartment building that went condo in downtown Chicago.  The developer didn't honor his commitments in upgrading the common areas and we lived for over a year with hallways half-painted and wallpaper half-removed because somebody decided the color was wrong in the middle of the job.  When we complained at meetings, other homeowners told us to pipe down because it would all get done eventually and didn't we want it done right and what can we do about it anyway when the contract states that the developer has "reasonable time" to do these things?  When we spoke to the developer about his neglect in completing promised work, he told us, "Sue me."  We moved.

Jenn's analogy to being politically and ideologically active is apt.  When things get messy in our culture and with our national government, I tend to tune out.  I tuned out for most of the Clinton administration and I've been only half tuned-in for the past few years since GWB turned into the worst president in my lifetime.

This is a mistake.  Facing up to these distasteful issues is a matter of selfishness.  In the short run, it might seem wise to avoid the pain of paying attention, but you'll pay a price in the long run.  I can't say it more eloquently than Jenn did, so I'll quote her:

... When people don't pay attention, coast through life, the people to whom we've delegated power over our lives may take advantage of us. And they might even look us directly in the eye, and smile at us while they're doing it.

I seem to be doing a good job at the community level, but I hereby recommit myself to, at minimum, paying attention to current events at the state, national, and international levels.  At some point I may do more, but I've got to start somewhere.  Thanks for getting me up off my own lazy butt, Jenn.