Condominium Association Rule Blocks Woman’s Final Wish

Rachael Bronstein By Feb 26, 2014 Posted in News Share

By: Brittany Barsky

Can you believe this happened? Last week, what was supposed to be a woman’s peaceful ending, turned into an exasperating encounter for her son. At 99 years old, Sylvia Powers’ requested that she die peacefully in her condo, the property she had been living in for the past 45 years. True to her wish, her son arranged for a hearse to pick Powers’ body up from her unit. While the deceased woman’s body was lying in wait, the hearse was denied entrance into the condominium development because the driver did not have the correct parking fee. The security guard refused to allow the hearse to enter without exactly three single dollar bills. Coins and change were not allowed.

Most of the attention in this case was focused on the security guard, who was following the association’s rules. Where was his compassion when a woman’s son had to wait with his dead mother until a hearse could pick up the body? Some take their jobs literally, but there are often times when we have to question orders and do what’s right. Can being ethical sometimes break the rules? Absolutely.

Residents of the condominium were clearly outraged at this occurrence and spoke with reporters about other infuriating rules the association established. Communities like this often feel inferior to their association, living with the mentality that there is nothing they can do when something seems out of the ordinary. What they may not know is board members can be voted out of office and residents have the vote. They can also file a lawsuit or a complaint with the state’s Division of Condominiums.