I received a letter from the heirs of the man who built the 9 building Moorings condominium complex. It is a simple thing; it refuses the offer of $1.5 million dollars for the Moorings to finally own, instead of leasing, the land the recreation area stands on. All of the 8 individual condominiums – separate and distinct from each other – make monthly payments to the separate recreation association which then forwards the money on to the heirs.
This has gone on since 1969 and the heirs expect it to continue to 2069 and perhaps beyond. It is a nice and simple way for them to live quite differently from the people who pay their lease share in their monthly maintenance payments to the condominium. The reasons given by the lawyers for the heirs for refusing the $1.5 million is that they are used to receiving a 10% return on their money and they are entitled to continue to receive such a return. I once thought I was entitled to receive a 10% return on my investments but I was soon disabused of that belief.
It is interesting to pick apart the reasoning people use to claim they have certain entitlements. The closest to me are the Owners of apartments in 7th Moorings who think that they are entitled to correction of faults built into their kitchens, bathrooms or electrical supplies by earlier owners. It is sometimes tricky because rules and laws governing such issues change over time and what once ruled now is antiquated and you must deal with new “codes” and enforcement.
In Florida in particular, there has been chaotic growth because of the population influx to a land where, while hurricanes may wipe out what you build, the hot climate heals most problems while the rest of the nation freezes. In Florida, a long peninsula barely above the water level, the capitol is in the north in Tallahassee while most of the population, including a polyglot of Hispanics, émigrés and illegal immigrants weigh down the southern end of the state. Each has his or her own expectations of to what he or she is entitled. Based on their backgrounds, many expect others (me in particular) to act as their servant and expect immediate gratification.
Entitlement is an interesting term. In the situation where a builder long ago erected structures in which people have lived and died, he believes he is GUARANTEED an income for life – if the people who live there continue to buy his argument. One of the problems encountered in trying to deal as a group of 9 separate entities with the builder’s heirs is that each of the associations has its own ideas of what it is entitled to and there is no united front against the continued demands that payments be made on time and forever. Just think about all the entitlement programs out there. What about the rest of us?