Cyber Citizens for Justice

Background

(From their web site) "CYBER CITIZENS FOR JUSTICE, INC. was founded to unite Floridians in their quest to improve the daily lives of CITIZENS in our State. We are seeking to present CITIZENS' interest in Florida through ADVOCACY, EDUCATION and LEGISLATIVE REFORM. Our founding forefathers said:
"From Justice as a Foundation all Rights flow!"

INTERNET access provides a powerful tool to communicate electronically with members; our three branches of state and national governments and others to urge them to hear our message. The opportunity to disseminate educational material, advocate for citizens' rights and endeavor to reform current laws, as necessary, can happen quickly and with short notice." 

CCFJ is basically interested in the legislative end of things.  It demands education of board members, but doesn't provide any to help them out.

"The technique of a mass movement aims to infect people with a malady and then offer the movement as a cure."

The People

Although nominally a non-profit, with a board, the only person who is seen or heard is Jan Bergemann, the founder.  Jan is a retired hotel owner, who had a fight with his association. And so it goes.  We've seen him on the news, repeatedly.  In fact, its starting to look as if he's enjoying the notoriety, almost acting like a Florida Condo Board President, how ironic.

Examples of work

Here are some of the titles of articles penned by Jan or friends:

The runaway power of homeowner's associations -- How to fight your homeowner's association
Gated Communities Are Enemies of Democracy
HOA -- Good place to come home to?
Associations Profitable For Lawyers, Property Managers
Racketeering? Greene neighbors sue under RICO
DISGUSTING: BOUNTY HUNTERS IN ASSOCIATIONS!
HOA Recoils From Brave New Restriction
Deed Restrictions May Clash With Constitutional Rights
Homeowner boards can't exclude democracy
Send in your nominations for ugliest subdivision
Condo Commando -- Definition
FREE AT LAST? The Disadvantages of HOAs -- FL
Homeowners' rights groups fight back -- AZ
Are HOAs a threat to freedom?
HOA throttles American dream -- AZ
Gate guarded - against each other -- Too many modern neighborhoods are, well ... not neighborly
The truth about Homeowners Associations -- Knowledge of HOAs protects rights
Housing's 800-Pound Gorilla -- Community Associations -- A Cash-Cow
Hate your homeowners association?
Love Thy Neighbor - Or Not? -- Complaints and Suits from Residents
Home Is Where the Heart Is -- If your dog's weight does not exceed 30 pounds
The backlash against homeowners' groups -- Residents nationwide are increasingly protesting their associations' fees and rules
Loathe Thy Neighbor; Beware $ 3,400 flamingos, $ 7,000 flowers--and angry homeowners' associations -- National HOA Problems
An unwelcome mat for free speech -- A First Amendment problem?
Homeowners' Associations - America's Gulags?
Basic Steps To Protect Your Individual Rights In A Community Association
Homeowner horror stories: Associations are heaven or hell
The Myth of 'Privatopia' - End of the American Dream?
Boss Thy Neighbor - HOAs are an increasingly prevalent — and troubled
Homeowners associations are legal protection rackets
COMPLAINT CHECK LIST FOR HOA COMPLAINTS
Hi, neighbor, want to get together? Let's meet in court!
Speaking Out: The curse of the homeowners' association

That's just the HOA stories, there's even more on the condo side.  You get the idea, nothing good to be found in condo or HOA living.  Its almost mandatory for these groups to say that they don't hate associations, but then, they never say or write anything good about them. 

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After Florida's first condo ombudsman was fired by the governor, "Jan Bergemann, president of Cyber Citizens For Justice, a community association activist group, was visited by Carroll (new ombudsman) at his home in Deland. He was impressed by her. But after her visit he commented, 'I feel sorry for her. She can't win. She has no idea of what is going on with condominiums. She has never dealt with condominium law.'"  Or with advocates, which means the first time she goes does something they don't like or rules against an owner, she'll immediately be called a "tool of the industry".  Which is fair, because the industry got rid of her predecessor for always coming down on the owner's side.  Guess there isn't anybody in Florida who could actually be fair and impartial.

Our opinion

The site looks pretty dated for a group that is supposed to using the internet for all these great things, but that's a minor item.  CCFJ cranks out a lot of articles and publishes even more from other sources, especially any article from the newspapers that puts show a problem with associations.  Of course, Jan is quoted in a lot of them, usually with an "I told you so" attitude.  Like the other groups, there is nothing really to help owners or associations get better here, just a lot of complaining and lobbying. 

A search of the site showed no mention of the terms "personal responsibility" or "individual responsibility".  Like the other sites, its always the board's fault.

"We can be absolutely certain only about the things we do not understand"