Two adults and two children were transported to the hospital with smoke-inhalation injuries, according to the fire chief. “They jumped from the second (floor) to the first. And then there was a little bit of space between the ground and that balcony. There was a neighbor that was assisting the family to get their little […]
Refund Rights Run with Title (FL)
Q: My condominium association board assessed seven thousand dollars per unit right after the Hurricane Ian in 2022, which I paid. The board has now decided they do not need the funds and have voted to return them to the owners. I sold my condo unit after the refund decision was made, but before the […]
Neighborhood dispute has HOA calling foul on youth ball field in East Sarasota (FL)
The president of a Sarasota homeowners’ association is calling foul on a church’s youth baseball field where he says lights were installed without proper permits and county officials refuse to enforce regulations. After investigating the alleged violations, County officials dispute that they ignored zoning and building codes. Read the article…………………………….
Delray Beach HOA Goes To Real Court Over Sport Court (FL)
The Delray Beach gated community of Casabella is suing a Palm Beach County sport court installation company which allegedly took the community’s money and ran. Sport Surfaces of 7011 Wilson Road in West Palm Beach is the defendant. Read the article…………………………….
A few owners are holding up move to hurricane impact windows that would save condo money (FL)
Question: I am on the board of our condominium. I have been charged with reviewing our ever-increasing insurance costs. After a review, it has been determined that we need to upgrade to impact windows and doors or shutters to save a substantial amount on our annual insurance bill. Out of 20 units, roughly five owners […]
Florida tightens condo insurance claim deadlines to ease disputes
New legislation signed into law this week sets clearer, stricter deadlines for filing loss assessment coverage claims by condominium owners, aimed at reducing legal disputes and streamlining the insurance claim process. Read the article…………………………….
HOA Q&A: Does the selection of a contractor have to be done at a HOA Board meeting? (FL)
Q: When selecting a contactor to perform major work on the condominium buildings such as power washing or replacing roofs, does the selection of a contractor have to be done at a HOA Board meeting? Read the Q&A………………………………..
Recent court ruling threatens property rights of 2.5 million Florida condo owners | Opinion
More than 2.5 million Floridians enjoy the benefits of a condominium lifestyle. Multi-story towers allow residents to live close to beautiful views, their workplaces, their families, and/or fun recreational activities. However, owning a condominium unit also comes with a significant financial obligation. Read the article…………………………….
Automakers are revved up over condominium towers
It’s the hottest trend in the automotive industry, and it’s not electric vehicles or autonomous driving. It’s something far more prosaic and unlikely: the automotive-branded high-rise condominium tower. It started with the Porsche Design Tower, which opened in 2017. The Bentley Residences followed in 2022, Read the article…………………………….
Fire engulfs condo unit in Shell Point Wednesday (FL)
A Shell Point condo unit caught fire late Wednesday morning, according to the Wakulla County Fire Rescue. Once firefighters arrived, they encountered heavy fire, according to the fire rescue. Read the article…………………………….
Costly Condo Concerns: New Florida laws could increase fees. Will the market remain resilient?
For condominium owners or buyers in Florida, it was a one-two punch, a vicious combination that nevertheless failed to put the market down and out, despite gloomy recent news reports describing a slumping condo market, Realtors and analysts say. Read the article…………………………….
AFTER IAN: Still no insurance money for Bonita condos forced to spend upfront (FL)
It may look like paradise on Little Hickory Island, but for the residents of Dolphin Way of Hickory Point condominium complex the last year-and-a-half have been a disaster…..Then comes the battle with the insurance companies. Boehme says the Homeowners Association has filed claims with two different insurance companies for more than $17 million but have […]
“It’s shameful:” Condo board asks residents to pay more than $20,000 in special assessment fees
Owners at the Regency Gardens Condominiums got notices saying their board plans to pass a special assessment on May 15th. According to the notice, the smallest homes in the condo will need to pay $11,148.42 for the assessment, and the largest homes, are will need to hand over $22.104.69. …. According to the condo board […]
Laketown Wharf evacuation latest (FL)
Several residents remain vacated after Panama City Beach officials issued a mandatory evacuation for Laketown Wharf on Front Beach Road. Residents in 63 units have until Saturday at 6 p.m. to pack their belongings and relocate due to a safety hazard. According to officials they received a complaint on April 4th from a guest about […]
From condo to co-op: can owners avoid Florida’s structural reserves law by changing labels?
Question: Can we convert to a co-op to avoid these onerous regulations? Answer: Your question doesn’t specify which “onerous regulations” you are referring to. You simply labeled your question “condominium laws.” What I can tell you, though, is that cooperatives are governed by Section 719, Fla. Stat. (the Cooperative Act), which is extremely similar to, […]
Roofing Changes Usually Require Member Vote (FL)
Q: Our condominium association is thinking about changing roofing materials. Our bylaws say that a majority of the unit owners who participate in a meeting can decide any issue, “unless a specific voting percentage is stipulated in the declaration, these bylaws or law.” Does this mean that a majority of the unit owners can approve […]
Batiki West opens back up – Fort Myers Beach condo building one of few back in operation (FL)
Like many other condo buildings on Fort Myers Beach, Batiki West was uninhabitable for more than a year after Hurricane Ian. It needed a new roof. It still needs a new elevator. While many other buildings are still waiting to reopen though, Smith has been able to open Batiki West just in time for condo […]
Millionaires slam developer for building luxury condos that block sun (FL)
The millionaire residents of a gated community that live on a secluded island in Miami say their private paradise has been destroyed, after the city allowed a developer to build a huge 91-foot high, seven story block of condos that now blots out the sunshine and their waterfront views. Read the article…………………………….
Hillsborough crews put out large fire at Brandon condo complex (FL)
Crews were met with heavy fire on the roof of one building that was spreading through the attic to other attached condo units. After the third alarm was issued, firefighters set up aerial operations to battle the blaze from above and had the fire under control in less than an hour. Read the article…………………………….
Shotgun-brandishing Bayside HOA President arrested after threatening kids fishing and stealing their property (FL)
Police say that Kyle approached 3 kids who were fishing at a lake in the Stillwater Lakes subdivision in Palm Bay. The kids say he was bearing a shotgun and yelling at them to get off his property. According to the police, the property belongs to the HOA, and not Kyle. The report states that […]
HOA Q&A: Can board members group text to keep updated on association business? (FL)
Q: We have seven board members on our board. Can we all be on a group text or is this considered a quorum? Two of our board members want to use this form of communication to keep everyone updated on what’s going on. One board member feels this is against state rules. Read the Q&A………………………………..
HOA residents who couldn’t get mail after box fell over (FL)
Rachel Sykes says she could see it coming. Her HOA neighborhood mailbox was rusty and then it fell over in early March. She reported the issue to the post office, but getting a new mailbox has not been easy. After a month of complaining, they did take away the old box but left no box […]
4,800 Claims Handled by Unlicensed Adjusters in Florida After Irma, Lawsuit Says
In one of the suits, brought by a Miami condominium association, the plaintiffs produced records they said showed that after Hurricane Irma, almost 4,800 claims for Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co. were handled by unlicensed adjusters. Of almost 35,000 Heritage claims after Irma and Hurricane Michael, in 2017 and 2018, some 14% were handled […]
‘Everyone is selling’: Florida condo owners feel crush of rising insurance costs
The rising cost of home insurance for one Palm Beach County condo is a story that seems to playing out at condos all across Florida. “It’s shocking to watch in a few years to go from under $100,000 to pushing a half a million,” Christina Auer said. “It’s out of line.” Insurance experts tell WPTV […]
Florida’s Home Insurance Industry May Be Worse Than Anyone Realizes
Seven property insurers in Florida went bankrupt in 2021 and 2022. The bankruptcies left thousands of homeowners scrambling to get new coverage, which often came with a big increase in cost. Worse, many had outstanding claims for hurricane damage that had not been addressed. Read the article…………………………….
Months after partial ceiling collapse, Tamarac condo residents desperate for repairs (FL)
Some residents are living in a construction zone, months after rain and a beehive caused a partial ceiling collapse at the Bermuda Club Condominiums in Tamarac. The 55+ older condo community shows signs of little to no work done in a couple of units impacted by February’s rain when a drain blocked by a beehive […]
2 Articles on Florida’s Insurance Problems
Move, cut back or go bare: Florida seniors juggle skyrocketing costs, impossible choices Florida homeowners insurance is skyrocketing: Here’s what to know
More retired Floridians are returning to the workforce
Tampa Bay Times reporter Lauren Peace, who wrote about this issue, said some challenges facing Florida are an influx of newer residents and natural disasters. These have caused housing prices, insurance rates and home maintenance costs to rise. “And then the last piece of it is, following the Surfside collapse, legislators passed a bill to […]
Neighbor Cries ‘Fowl’ Over Chicken Ban (FL)
Q: My homeowners association inconsistently enforces its rules. Rules often overlooked include bans regarding permissible animals and owning chickens on the property – none of which have been properly enforced. The association issued a new owner a violation notice, even though other homeowners have been keeping chickens. Does this set a precedent for how these […]
Owner furious that condo’s no smoking at home policy ignored. Can neighbor be stopped? (FL)
Question: I live in a 55+ condo association. In 2015, we passed a strict “no smoking” bylaw. Smoking is not allowed on our property, including inside of units. When I was president, I had to get our attorney involved to get one renter who smoked in her rental condo to stop, even though she rented […]
HOA Q&A: Must a property manager have a Community Association Management license? (FL)
Q: If the HOA hires a property management company, what tasks require the manager to have a CAM license and is it illegal to hire someone without a license? We have been told the manager of our community is covered under the management company’s license. Read the Q&A………………………………..
Elderly man dies in condo fire on Jacksonville’s Southside (FL)
An elderly man died Friday morning in a fire at a condo complex on Jacksonville’s Southside, firefighters said. The fire broke out shortly before 4 a.m. at the Lakecrest Condominiums on Belle Rive Boulevard, just east of Southside Boulevard. Read the article…………………………….
State law passed after Hurricane Ian negates Sarasota’s move to control taller buildings (FL)
Aloophole in Sarasota’s development rules city officials closed last year has been reopened by a state law passed after Hurricane Ian, setting the stage for potential construction of the tallest building downtown and the opportunity for developers to build even more in coming months. Read the article…………………………….
Prepping for a nightmare scenario: What happens if there’s a condo collapse in Volusia County? (FL)
This week, some are training on how to respond to what would be a true nightmare: A condo collapse in Daytona Beach Shores. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is hosting the training at the county’s Emergency Operations Center at 3825 Tiger Bay Road Daytona Beach. Volusia County and chose the scenario. The county’s coastline is […]
Surfside condo collapse investigators provide key insights into possible causes of the disaster. Here are the top takeaways (FL)
Federal investigators on Thursday shared updates on their probe into the cause of the catastrophic 2021 condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, providing key insights into the factors that may have led to the deaths of 98 people under a mountain of rubble. Investigators have identified hundreds of possible points of failure in the building, eventually […]
‘My serenity is being invaded upon’: Neighbors consider suing over code violations (FL)
In a deed-restricted neighborhood in Hillsborough County, some residents say they’re out of options to get neighbors to follow county code and deed restrictions. In Hillsborough County, short-term rentals are allowed but must be rented out for at least seven days. One neighborhood in the county says it’s easy enough to find rental after rental […]
New law mandates condo inspections for older buildings (FL)
Charlotte County sent notices to owners of 168 condominiums built decades ago that are at least three stories high, informing them the structures must undergo comprehensive inspections under a new state law. Charlotte County Building Official Shawn McNulty explained what the new law means and how it came about during the Board of County Commissioners […]
Supplemental Claims Don’t Need to Include Damage Estimates, Fed Appeals Court Says (FL)
A federal appeals court has, at least for now, put an end to lingering questions about some property insurance claims litigation: The insured does not need to submit a competing damage estimate when filing a supplemental claim if the policy does not require it. Read the article…………………………….
Condo roofs are becoming nesting sites for threatened shorebirds. Here’s why. (FL)
As Florida’s wild natural beaches have become more and more scarce, beachside buildings with gravel rooftops have multiplied by the thousands. Shorebirds that nest in the sand have had to adapt. Several species, including black skimmers, least terns, roseate terns and American oystercatchers, have taken to nesting on the plentiful gravel rooftops of buildings near […]
Developers pay $102 million for Naples waterfront condo community (FL)
A pair of Florida developers have bought a 2.5-acre beachfront property near the Naples Beach Club and plan to build a luxury condominium tower on the site. BH Group and the Kolter Group, both from South Florida, paid $102.6 million for the property — which has 200 feet of beach frontage Read the article…………………………….
Ponte Vedra condo residents claim HOA is targeting them with thousands in legal fees (FL)
A select group of people living at the Belleza at Ponte Vedra Condominium complex reached out to Action News Jax questioning the HOA’s authority to charge them thousands in legal fees. Five residents living at Belleza tell Action News Jax the fees have been piling on for well over a year, claiming it all dates […]
Condo advisor lays out how Florida’s market got so dire
In the wake of a 2021 Florida law, condo owners are facing a variety of new requirements and potentially massive fees. Following the collapse of Champlain Tower in Surfside, the legislature passed a statute requiring, among other things, that buildings over 30 years old (20 years on the coasts) be inspected and collect reserve capital […]
Low condo reserves could lead to crisis for owners. What’s the best approach? (FL)
In the past, some would assume that the motivation for serving on a condominium board was to leverage a prime parking spot. The more recent reality is very different, with board members’ decision-making history now being put under the microscope for claims of mismanagement and breach of their fiduciary duty. The scrutiny is justified. Read […]
What can owner do condo as new state rules, insurance costs drive steep fee hikes? (FL)
Dear Readers: This week, I wanted to remind everyone that the December 31, 2024 deadline for condominiums to obtain a Structural Integrity Reserve Study, or SIRS, is fast approaching. For any budget passed on or after December 31, 2024, the reserve funds mandated by this required report cannot be waived. Read the article…………………………….
State legislators, Doral Mayor to have conference on new condo laws, issues (FL)
Florida State State Reps. David Borrero and Juan Carlos Porras and Miami-Dade State Attorney Assistant State Attorney John Perikles, division chief of the economic crimes unit, and Sgt. Carlos Luffi of the Miami-Dade Police economic crimes will participate in a day-long “information session” at the Doral Cultural Arts Center. Read the article…………………………….
Sarasota residents raise concerns about new FEMA flood zone map (FL)
Some Sarasota County property owners who didn’t need flood insurance have gotten notifications from their mortgage lenders — about 6,000 homes were impacted after they were moved into FEMA’s new flood zone mapping. Up to 1,000 along the Honore Avenue axis in Palmer Ranch are also included. Read the article…………………………….
Laketown Wharf Condominium Association’s response to evacuations (FL)
The Laketown Wharf Resort Condominium Association has responded to the mandatory evacuation of 63 units. The owner’s association attorney is Brandon Burg. Burg issued a statement Friday morning saying they’ve hired an engineer to inspect the 2-stairwells deemed structurally unsound by Panama City Beach inspectors. Read the article…………………………….
Is it safer? WPTV returns to community year after deadly alligator attack (FL)
Al Thomas and his family won’t forget what happened on the banks of a nearby retention pond on Feb. 20, 2023. Their neighbor, Gloria Serge, walked her dog when a large alligator lunged out of the pond. “He grabbed her leg, and he dragged her in, and they do that spinning,” said Thomas of the […]