Citizens for Constitutional Local Governments

Background

Citizens for Constitutional Local Governments (CCLG) is actually a number of interlocking web sites, all run by the same individual.  Based in Arizona, CCLG states as its mission:

CCLG is a nonprofit organization formed to provide full and material disclosure of all the factors that can have profound effects on your decision to buy into  an HOA controlled property. We believe that the regulation of planned communities must be under local government statutes to provide for the constitutional protection of homeowner rights.  Our Mission:

1. To inform the public (a) of the private government nature of HOAs and their governing bodies, the homeowners association; (b) of the restrictions on homeowners’ civil liberties and; (c) of the lack of effective enforcement of state laws and the governing documents under the “private contract” interpretation of HOAs;

2. To change existing state and federal statutes to (a) restore democratic principles of government to existing homeowners associations and (b) replace the “private contract” interpretation of CC&Rs with a declaration that HOAs are civil governments subject to the laws of the land;

3. To seek the declaration and revision of the legal status of planned communities to that of a local governmental entity, after the developer is required to turn over control of the HOA to its members;

4. To foster and promote grassroots lobbying efforts consistent with achieving the goals stated in (1) – (3) above .  

There is now another blog attached to the site, listing the administrative cases of owners v their HOA's.  Arizona now allows owners to file issues with the Administrative Courts.

Person behind it

George Staropoli runs the various sites and enterprises.  He looks very cute in his western hat and cowboy shirt and tie.  It give the appearance of the western loner fighting against the "landgrabbers".  Then he tries to sell his book and his services:  "Attention Attorneys representing homeowners: I am available as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant on homeowner association issues." He also sells books and a video, and is well on his way to becoming part of the "industry" he so resents - making money off of homeowner problems.

His entry into this area was summed up in a news article:  "That's what George Staropoli discovered about five years ago when his Phoenix HOA decided to gate the neighborhood's entrance, a decision he didn't agree with. 'These (HOAs) are really governments," Staropoli said. "But the concept of a democracy with majority rule but minority rights is lost.'  He lost the fight on the gated entrance and remained in the community, but he continues to fight against HOA's by lobbying with the group he started, Citizens for Constitutional Local Government." (AZCentral.com 8/15/05).  The association wanted to put up a gate, he didn't like it, he lost, and now, like the spoiled little child throwing a tantrum, he's going to tear down the house.

In a letter to the CCFJ, Staropoli writes:  "By this time you should have a clear understanding of the lawyer's "word game", using meanings and interpretations that are biased and that misrepresent the facts. We, as advocates, must set the record straight, not by generalized attacks on proponents of homeowner rights, but on those who continue to redefine American society, as in the ***** letter, to fit their income streams."  Yet he manages to miss the the "word games", the bias, the stretching of "facts", that he continuously plays.

Staropoli can be vexing to read.  Every now and then, he produces a reasonably thought-out piece but then he seems to immediately follow that with the stereotypical rant, almost as if he has to produce one to keep his membership in good standing with the rest of the group. 

Examples of his work:

"While members may vote for board members as if they were electing councilmen or legislators, the HOA is not a real democratic institution ".

"If you believe that planned community can only survive and best protect your interests by curtailing the US Constitutional protections that all public governments must obey, then the planned community is an anathema to the American system of government, and planned communities are a defective product forced upon home buyers by the state. They must be abolished."  (emphasis added)

"Citizens for Constitutional Local Government (CCLG) believes that HOAs are independent, undemocratic, private governments operating outside the American system of government. If we are to make progress, we must distinguish the concept of a planned community, which is a real estate "package" of homes, landscaping, amenities, and rules, from that of the HOA, which is the governing body of the planned community. Only when the HOA is a truly democratic government and no longer an independent, private government will there be equality for all citizens."

Staropoli is just pushing the edge of the envelope into a full-blown paranoid, looking for that omnipresent conspiracy, attaching evil intent to anyone who takes a position opposite his. He writes and writes and writes and writes -  but its always the same thing and so you tend to gloss over it after awhile. 

Having read his "How to Build Vibrant Communities" demonstrates our problem with George - it sounds very patriotic and American on paper, but how do you put this into a set of CC&R's that would function?  But he doesn't want them to function - he wants them abolished.