Property Values
It has been alleged that this web site is adversely affecting the property values here at Park Tower.
I counter that it's the policies of our administration that have achieved this result.
For example, we have 8 units in our building owned by
Home First Illinois, an agency responsible for placing low income people with physical disabilities in
residential housing. These units have caused a great deal of controversy here and incidents associated with residents of these units have lowered the quality
of life for those affected.
The window sealant project, completed some years ago, involved maintenance to every single window in the building.
Not all windows needed to be resealed and some that were, reported leakages that had not been present prior to the repair project.
I recently spoke with a gentleman in the service elevator who mentioned to me that his unit is experiencing water leakage from his windows. I told him
he should report it to the management office. He said he did and was told that there was nothing they could do about it and that at least 20 other
units were also reporting water leakages.
Our sister building,
Harbor Point had a similar problem.
They addressed it by resealing only the windows of the affected units, saving a great deal of money for their association.
Our assessments are high relative to comparable condominiums, which I've
documented elsewhere on this site. The higher our assessments are, the less attractive this building becomes to prospective owners.
The heavy handed policies of our administration have created hardships for the residents and staff of this building,
evidenced by the departure of 3 long term management office employees, all within a short period of time.
Numerous complaints have been raised about the tactics used to deal with the bed bug hysteria. We have an
illegal home based business here that further inflames this issue, compounding our problem with pets, in what is supposed to be a
pet free building.
Our board operates without consideration of the applicable law, bullies those who dare disagree with them and makes
decisions that
benefit their own personal interests, not those of the association.
These issues are among the problems that work against our property values. This site is an attempt to bring our problems to
light and stimulate open discussion toward their resolution, among as many association members as possible, extending beyond the narrow
clique that controls our board.
Indifference is the board's greatest ally. Hopefully, this site will increase awareness and get more people interested
in the issues that affect both their pocketbook and their quality of life here at Park Tower.
Our board contracts with the law firm of Kovitz, Shifrin and Nesbit (KSN) to provide legal services to our association.
I got a letter from one of their principals,
Ms. Katharine W. Griffith, demanding that I shut down this site because it
diminishes the property values here at Park Tower. The board has done a great job of that already, without any help from me.
This letter, brief and threatening, was both interesting and appalling, principally due to one glaring oversight.
The First Amendment, probably the only amendment in the bill of rights that's still held in greater regard
than the second amendment by most Americans, seems to be missing from KSN's awareness.
Apparently, our board, with KSN's co-operation, considers itself to be above the law as it applies to that amendment.
This letter is a perfect illustration of our board's tactics of intimidation to suppress any dissention from their iron fisted rule.
In her letter, she demands that this site be
"removed in its entirety" or face litigation.
Excuse me? Any attorney, competent or otherwise, would roll their eyes upon reading that demand.
KSN, through Ms. Griffith, is clearly acting well outside the bounds of the law, as the compliant
muscle under the thumb of our board of directors, to carry out their efforts to silence me.
KSN operates as the board's rubber stamp and enforcer, conferring the guise of pseudo legal authority to whatever agenda the board cares to pursue.
A good law firm uses litigation as a last resort, not the first. Resorting to this sort of threat
at the outset, reveals the paucity of their position and affirms my claim that our board
rules by intimidation.
If you care to litigate, go ahead. I welcome the opportunity, and will prevail in both a court of law and in the judgement of public opinion.
The reputation of our board and KSN will suffer as a consequence, proportionate to the level of attention the lawsuit garners. Be assured
that everything will be documented here.