MIAMI, FLORIDA--July, 2004--When the Briarwinds Condominium Association voted not to allow Denny Wood, paraplegic, to install a small  pool lift at his expense he advised the Board that it was a Federal Fair Housing violation.

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The Board of Directors, covered with the Board of Directors Insurance Policy, didn't care and didn't change their mind. After months of trying to find a lawyer, Denny filed his own lawsuit after reading the HUD web site that the Judge  may assign a lawyer to help  the Plaintiff.  That backfired as the Judge ruled not to appoint a lawyer. The case was almost dismissed in the lawyer search.  Eventually, two lawyers agreed to take the case.  When HUD was contacted later and asked to change the web site misleading language, they refused.

At the following election the remaining Board members were removed in the Association election.  And that was another Denny Wood mission. The new Board members then got a little nasty with Denny Wood with their new found Director status. Some of their tactics were down right "tacky", but they were no match for Denny Wood. Things have simmered down for now, but Denny is on guard to expect anything, for this is the way of condominium living.

The bottom line is the case was recently settled. The insurance company lawyers insisted on a confidentially clause, which Denny reluctantly agreed to. Denny has been swimming almost every day, working to build up his endurance. He uses a mask and snorkel when swimming  on his belly and no mask when swimming on his back. He learned to use the mask and snorkel i n 1969 when he became the first paraplegic certified scuba diver. He attended the scuba classes in a three story YMCA building, with the help of Philip Kulakowski, now a Toledo, Ohio police detective. The classes were on the 3rd floor and the pool was in the basement. Phillip will never forget getting the wheelchair up and down those stairs.

The Aquatic Access pool lift is a marvel. A simple transfer, turn on the water valve and hit the enter lever and a 180 degree swing drops you slowly into the water.  When the swim is over the lever takes you up, and the 180 degree turn puts you next to the wheelchair seat.

Denny is unaware of any such Federal Fair Housing Law Suit. Hopefully,  it will be the last one, but Denny doubts it as the Insurance Companies Board Insurance Policy is an incentive and "license"  to violate the Fair Housing Law.

Did the new Board of Directors learn a lesson? Denny thinks not. Already two of them have set themselves as a screening committee for new applicants. One such screening barred resident Denny Wood from attending. The applicant was black and he was being screened by two white Board members. We have several black residents who could have participated on this committee, which is not in our condominium documents or even the by-laws. And it has never came up as a Board Meeting item. Denny knows as he attends every Board meeting with a tape recorder.

If you are a person with a disability in Miami and want to see the pool lift give Denny a call at 305-253-2563 and be his guest.  Bring your swimming suit, mask and snorkel.

" Click on photo below to enlarge! "

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