Re: Secrecy vs Right to Privacy? Sharing vs Hiding?
From: Kathleen Lowry (kathleenlowrylpcclmftgmail.com)
Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2022 05:23:54 -0700 (PDT)
Yes, It was my mistake to respond to the group. My apologies! Kathleen

> On Jul 30, 2022, at 7:04 AM, Ann Zabaldo <zabaldo [at] earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
> Hello all —
> 
> As many of you know, Sharon is my neighbor here at Takoma Village in 
> Washington, DC.  She is a prolific contributor to this list.  She is also a 
> major contributor to our life here at TVC.
> 
> She is my friend.
> 
> And, as in all friendships, we have disagreements.  Sometimes … several 
> concurrent ones.
> 
> Sharon’s post about issues of secrecy and privacy prompted me to remember for 
> myself that postings here on this list are the viewpoint of one person.  And 
> one person only:  the writer.  In all these posts we read and respond to, we 
> don’t know how others in the community view an issue. 
> 
> It is easy to fall into assumptions with posts that are written with 
> certitude, confidence and even … inquiry.  Exaggerations and terms such as 
> always, never, no one, everyone, etc. can give a mistaken impression about a 
> concern.  Etc., etc.
> 
> I’m not going to comment further on Sharon’s email as it is an issue that 
> does not lend itself to an email format, IMHO.
> 
> And, also, it’s Friday night … 
> 
> Best —
> 
> Ann Zabaldo
> Takoma Village Cohousing
> Washington, DC
> Ex. Dir. & Mbr. Board of Directors
> Mid Atlantic Cohousing
> Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
> Falls Church, VA
> 202.546.4654
> zabaldo [at] earthlink.net
> 
> If I’m ever on Life Support unplug me. 
> Then plug me back in.  
> See if that works.  (T-shirt humor)
> 
> NOTE:  Please use zabaldo [at] earthlink.net for email.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Jul 29, 2022, at 2:04 PM, Sharon Villines via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l 
>> [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
>> 
>> I have been flummoxed recently by one or two stoutly stated claims that 
>> information about sales and new residents does not have to be shared with 
>> anyone except the Board because it is a violation of the right to privacy. 
>> Sharing the asking price of a unit is unacceptable and no one’s business 
>> unless they are making an offer. New resident information is made available 
>> after the unit is sold, even after closing. It is confidential.
>> 
>> When we recently discussed the policy on architectural review and worked on 
>> clarity about what needed review and what didn’t and how to record this, 
>> right to privacy was raised. Who could see this information? What right did 
>> people have to ask?
>> 
>> The legal question here is easier to answer — by law the condominium has to 
>> sign a document swearing that no changes to the unit have been done that 
>> violate any of the condominium rules so it should have some protection 
>> against liability. And if you start rearranging the plumbing it affects this 
>> whole wing of the building. But where does this idea come from that people 
>> want to keep everything secret and it has nothing to do with living in a 
>> community?
>> 
>> Legally a condominium owner can sell to whomever they please within the 
>> zoning codes, etc., but does that mean they should/could/can/might keep a 
>> sale secret until someone notices they are moving out and someone else seems 
>> to be moving in? Or no one is moving in and the unit seems empty? 
>> 
>> But we have an exclusive rights in our bylaws so that the Association can 
>> always purchase a unit rather than having it go up for auction. How do we 
>> exercise this right if the sale is none of our business?
>> 
>> Certainly the community spirit of "we all in this together," "what you do 
>> affects all of us," and "we can only do this if everyone is on board” 
>> develops more strongly in the development phase when things are touch and 
>> go. When units are selling for half a million dollars and there is a bidding 
>> war, “its my money” is a stronger argument than when everything is at risk. 
>> But is it inevitable that selling units will be just like selling houses on 
>> the open market?
>> 
>> Why would I want to live in cohousing if I wanted to do whatever I pleased, 
>> no questions asked, and no information shared? And why would I even live in 
>> a condominium — a shared ownership scheme.
>> 
>> Is this sentiment increasing in other communities?
>> 
>> Sharon
>> ----
>> Sharon Villines
>> Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
>> http://www.takomavillage.org
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
>> http://L.cohousing.org/info
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> http://L.cohousing.org/info
> 
> 
> 

Results generated by Tiger Technologies Web hosting using MHonArc.