-No Party For You Mutual 13-INSIDE THE GATES OF LEISURE OF MARYLAND

- No Party For You Mutual 13-

By: slk

Point Blank: INSIDE THE GATES OF LEISURE WORLD OF MARYLAND-

A disabled 80 year old senior resident living in Leisure World of Maryland in Silver Spring, Maryland was preparing to undergo radical cancer surgery and subsequent recurring radiation therapy treatments. She wanted her adult disabled son to come live in her condo ranch home so they could help each other get along.

The Mutual 13 condo Board of Directors said it was ok for her son to move in, but not his dog, who assists him in carrying out his daily activities. As did the exaggerated “Soup Nazi” on Seinfeld represent excessively strict regimentation of act and deed, they hired an attorney to write a letter threatening her with daily fines if she dared house the dog in her home.

As the founder and president of a Leisure World resident advocacy group (“JustUs”) I invited her to meet with us. She was advised that as a person with a disability, her son is protected under Federal law. Neither knew that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, her son is afforded the right to have his assistance dog by his side as he goes about his life on a daily basis. Nor was she aware that these civil rights had been violated by the actions taken by the Mutual 13 Board of Directors. Upon hearing the incredibly inhumane way in which the Mutual Board of Directors was acting, one of our members volunteered to assist in doing the leg work to obtain the physician letter in order to supersede their overbearing exclusion of rights. Upon receiving the official documentation, further attempts to exclude the dogs presence was eliminated.

She recently received a letter etched with a less than veiled patronizing tone of superiority which attempted to mask the fact that Federal Law had nixed their quest to deny access:

“Because of the current state of law concerning assistance animals, the Mutual 13 Board of Directors has granted you a waiver to allow you to have the dog that you described in your July 9, 2014 application as being necessary for the health of your son.”

“Granted a waiver”? Such exemplified unkind and undereducated beings should be writing to beg forgiveness for failing to recognize the rights of disabled individuals under the American Disabilities Act. They should be on their knees pleading:, “please don’t sue us!” Continuing their nitwitery, they issued a threat should she not comply with their interpretation of “Federal, State and County laws concerning dogs,, “it will be the duty of Mutual 13 to to contact the Montgomery County Police Department, Animal Service Division,” with the promise of “serious consequences”.

The most unfortunate result of their endeavor however, is their letter dated July 23, 2014 to the “residents in Mutual 13” stating that due to “large expenses including several thousand dollars spent in an effort to enforce the requirements of law and Mutual 13 Rules concerning dogs, there will be no holiday party this year. Having been the cause of spending “thousands of dollars” resulting from their own ignorance, this failed group of geniuses determined that eliminating the holiday party would be a better alternative to raising monthly fees”. Having hired a lawyer with “experience and expertise on this subject”, they were advised the government currently has rules that superseded theirs “in some respects”. Therefore, in certain instances we ( and all other Mutuals in Leisure World and everywhere else) would have to grant (here’s that word again) a “waiver” from our Rules.”

Acting like agents of a cult seeking others to join their “party” they ask that neighbors report any dog violation to their BOD so they can “take appropriate legal actions”.

Assuring they acted on behalf of their residents rather than admitting having served their own self interests, sadly defensive, the letter closes:

“Sincerely,

The members of the Board of Directors of Mutual 13 whom you have elected to represent you.”

All things considered, it’s doubtful they have yet to figure out that a free phone call placed to the US Department of Justice - Civil Rights Division- ADA Information and Technical Assistance line (800-514-0301) would have provided the same information which the multi thousand dollar lawyer told them while snagging the money from their coffers. The difference being - the same information would have been provided free of the charge, thereby enabling the Mutual 13 residents to have their holiday cake and eat it too!