One local homeowner’s association recently said not so fast to Christmas flags being hung on people’s homes. A couple of homeowners in a Wesley Chapel neighborhood received a letter that said they were in violation of their community’s standards. Read the article……………………………..
Generally Board Members Cannot be Compensated (FL)
Q: Can the members of our board of directors receive a holiday bonus? Read the Q&A…………………………………..
Worker dies in fall at Jacksonville Beach condo complex (FL)
A man doing work at a condominium complex at the beaches died Wednesday morning when he fell 10 stories in an apparent accident, authorities and sources told News4Jax. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue said a person died at the Pelican Point Condominiums at 1901 First St. North in Jacksonville Beach, just south of Seagate Avenue. […]
Condo questions: Does the Florida Condo Statute trump declaration?
Q: I was under the impression that under the Florida Condo Statute maintenance and repair of common elements including limited common elements were always the responsibility of the association, but my condo’s declaration says that the owner is responsible for the repair, maintenance and replacement of its limited common elements. My question is if the […]
Disabled Bradenton Vietnam veteran struggles for neighborhood sidewalk access (FL)
In fact, Calderon says he’s brought the sidewalk issue to the attention of the Greyhawk Landing HOA on a number of occasions, so far to no avail. In late October, he says he was told the Association was drafting a letter to put residents on notice. He got no reply when he asked to see […]
Homeowners say there’s a hog problem in one Manatee County community (FL)
A Manatee County community says they have a growing hog problem. “It’s a little unnerving,” said Phil Pape, a resident of the River Club community. Pape says seeing wildlife in the neighborhood isn’t out of the ordinary, but it’s gotten worse. Read the article……………………………..
Ask a real estate pro: How do we deal with troublesome owner in condo? (FL)
Q: One owner in our condominium is a troublemaker. He uses profanity and threatens other residents, has removed signs, written on the elevator wall and even broke the lock on the bulletin board. What can we do to live in peace? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Board Makes Parking Rules
Q: Is it necessary for the board of my condominium association to get a vote from the owners to change parking rules? They want to restrict me from parking my third vehicle on the property. I have been living here for over a year with three vehicles and no problem. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Condos in South Beach add facial recognition to robust security platform (FL)
Built in 2002, Continuum in South Beach is a two-tower, 38-story resort-style oceanfront condominium located on the southern-most tip of Miami Beach in South Florida. Set on 12 acres of manicured grass, with three clay tennis courts, two pools and an outdoor restaurant, property prices range from $1.5 to $35 million for a unit. The […]
Records Inspection Rights Explained (FL)
Q: I asked my association’s manager for a copy of our community pool’s permit and was told to go get it from the Florida Department of Health myself. Is our manager required to provide a permit like this to the owners when asked for a copy? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Breed restrictions of pets do not apply to emotional support animals (FL)
Q: Our governing documents allow pets but prohibit pit bulls. A person has submitted an application to lease a unit and indicated that he has a pit bull but claims it is an emotional support animal. Can we deny the lease application on the basis that the pit bull violates our rules? Read the Q&A………………………………..
MASK FINE: Palmetto Place Condo Owner Fined $5100, She Says It’s Illegal (FL)
A Boca Raton Realtor who is selling her home in Palmetto Place — a large, upscale condominium building near Mizner Park — is fighting a $5100 fine she received for not wearing a mask in the building. Bobbi Engelke tells BocaNewsNow.com that the fine appeared on her estoppel statement which she just received as she […]
Deep hole appears between south Fort Myers homes, prompts evacuation (FL)
A deep hole formed between two homes on Hidden Estates Circle in the south Fort Myers Hidden Harbor community. The hole appears to be between 8 to 10 feet deep and 12 feet wide as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, and is at least six feet from the nearest home, according to San Carlos Park Fire […]
Fixing Ranchette roads not government job, commissioners say (FL)
Maybe it’s time to get out of Dodge, Charlotte County commissioners suggested at their latest workshop on fixing the roads in the Ranchettes. Public Works staff last week updated the commission on the status of fixing roads and drainage in the 2,226-acre dirt road subdivision just east of the Punta Gorda Airport. The workshop ended […]
Condo questions: Why push owners to obtain proof of insurance? (FL)
Q: Our board has always required vendors to provide proof of insurance before providing services at the association. There is a push now to require all owners to likewise obtain proof of insurance before allowing their vendors to perform work at the property. Why would we do this? Read the Q&A………………………………..
Ben Crump to Announce Suit Against Local Jacksonville HOA for Harassment Over Back Lives Matter flag (FL)
Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump; co-counsels Matthew Dietz and David Cronin; Keenya Robertson, National Fair Housing Alliance Chairperson; and Antoine Mickle will hold a virtual news conference on Nov. 24 at 11 a.m. ET to announce a federal lawsuit against River Point Community Association, River City Management Services, Shantell Hughes […]
Why West Palm offered condo owners $2.5M for sidewalk it already owned (FL)
Sometime in the distant past, the city made a mistake, a simple unforeseen slip in a complex series of agreements. The city made money off that mistake. Now, the city could be forced to pay millions. A still-unfinished proposal floated a year ago to resolve all the issues surrounding the Palm Harbor Marina and its […]
Firefighters put out high rise condo fire on Navarre Beach (FL)
Several fire departments responded Thursday afternoon to a high rise condo fire at Navarre Beach. The fire was on the 14th floor of the Summerwind Condos. No one inside was injured but a firefighter suffered minor injuries. Read the article……………………………….
Amending transfer fee charges (FL)
Q: Our community charges a transfer fee of $800 per sale. Our board wants to accomplish two goals: 1) increase the fee; 2) provide some exceptions to the fee. What is the best way to accomplish these goals? Read the Q&A……………………………..
Good Samaritan Saves Elderly Man from Orange County Condo Fire
An elderly man was rescued by a good Samaritan from his unit when a fire broke out at the Colonial Landing Condominiums Wednesday. The fire affected 16 units in all. Read the article……………………………..
NFL investigating Antonio Brown dispute with Florida HOA that began with landscaping issue: report (FL)
The NFL is currently looking into a dispute involving Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown and his homeowners association that began back in August over a landscaping issue. Read the article……………………………………
Condo questions: Can home modifications be denied based on HOA harmony rules? (FL)
Q: I am on the Architectural Review Committee of our homeowners association, and we just received a few applications for additions to homes. I assume this is because people are spending more time at home due to COVID-19 and want more space. If the additions are approved and constructed, these select homes would look very […]
Tivoli Lakes saga: Residents file lawsuit to block removal of 272 mahogany trees (FL)
The 272 mahogany street trees at Tivoli Lakes will be around for a while longer — at least until a judge decides whether they can be taken down. TREE (Tivoli Residents Environmental Enthusiasts) recently filed a lawsuit seeking a temporary injunction to block their removal, raising the contentious dispute at the west Boynton Beach retirement […]
Real Estate Q&A: Can HOA fine me for removing ‘Wear Your Mask’ signs? (FL)
Q: My condo association is fining me for flier removal and vandalism. They are accusing me of removing “Wear Your Mask” signs from our building’s main doors. I looked through our condo rules and documents and found nothing about flier removal. The condo president wants to make up some rules under his “emergency powers.” Can […]
Can one section ban rentals? (FL)
Q: I live in a condominium and there are several disruptive annual renters. There are six different sections but only one board. Each section is governed by their own declaration of condominium. Can one section approve an amendment to their declaration banning rentals even while other sections still allow rentals? Read the Q&A………………………………..
Condo questions: Is my 4-year-old approval for a metal roof valid without paperwork? (FL)
Q: I do hope that you can answer a question for me. I live in an HOA. Approximately four years ago, we made an application to the architect committee for a metal roof. Several months went by and we did not hear anything regarding our application/request. Eventually, we were told by a committee member that […]
Neighborhoods use police-linked license plate readers to monitor drivers in Hillsborough County (FL)
Tampa Bay residents are turning to license plate readers to keep an eye on who’s coming and going. A homeowner’s association in Temple Terrace says it’s an effort to keep homeowners safe and plans to install a system linked with police, just in case they have to share the information when a crime happens. Read […]
Outdoor grilling activists in Florida take protesting to a searing new level (FL)
If the culmination of last week’s election has created a void in your life, an empty spot where righteous protest used to exist, let me suggest an area of grievance you may not have considered. Outdoor barbecue grills. In Florida, residents of a Clearwater adults-only condo community are leading the way on this, taking to […]
Engineer services are exempt from competitive bidding process (FL)
Q: We are trying to interview engineers to provide some specifications for lake banks and oversee the restoration work. We have received a number of referrals for a particular engineer, but he is the most expensive. Are we precluded from choosing this vendor if he is otherwise our first choice? Read the Q&A…………………………………..
Condo questions: Does sharing membership’s personal info violate Florida law?
Q: Recently, at one of our board meetings, it was revealed that our property manager and board president allowed a member to access all of our membership’s personal information, including medical records, bank records, SSNs, driver’s licenses, sales and lease information, etc. That person reported that they were seeing medical records. Is this a violation […]
Jacksonville man says HOA told him to remove Black Lives Matter flag (FL)
An Arlington man says he’s receiving unfair treatment from his homeowner’s association. Antoine Mickel has lived in the Arlington community for 21 years. He said everyone living in his neighborhood are free to express themselves, flying American flags, seasonal flags and political flags. But he says the moment that he put up his Black Lives […]
Woman admits to spending thousands of HOA funds to pay her own bills, police say (FL)
A woman in Orange County is charged with grand theft after police said she took money from a Lake County homeowners’ association to pay her own bills. Police said Joan-Marie Baskett was elected secretary of the Ranch Club Homeowner’s Association, which is based at Eagle Run in Groveland. Read the article………………………………..
Voting on amending governing documents (FL)
Well, Tuesday will be the day folks will go vote in person for President of the United States. That is for those who did not already vote by absentee ballot. When the votes are counted anybody who did not vote is not counted at all in determining who will win and be our next President. […]
Firefighters extinguish fire at 8-story Perdido Key complex (FL)
Firefighters rushed to an eight-story Perdido Key condominium complex Thursday after black smoke began billowing from its upper floors. Read the article…………………………………
Condo questions: Is a director entitled to team members’ wage information? (FL)
Q: I am on the board of directors of a large homeowners association. We directly employ our management and maintenance teams. It is budget season, and the president will only provide the board members with a summary of total wages and salaries. She is refusing to provide us with a breakdown of the various staff […]
The giant hole in Pasco County has stopped growing (FL)
The hole, which is now 46-feet wide and 130-feet deep, was 38-feet wide and 70-feet deep as of Oct. 8. The hole is located on the private property of Varsity Club Sports Bar and the Spring Haven Homeowners Association. The private property owners will be working with engineers to fix the depression. Read the […]
Thousands of renters (in HOA) won’t have their water shut off, thanks to new plan (FL)
A water company has pledged not to turn off the water for thousands of residents despite a mounting debt and a previous threat to shut the spigot. Residents of the Ramblewood East complex in Coral Springs fell behind in paying their bills since March, and their homeowners association couldn’t keep up with almost $300,000 in […]
Crews respond to condo fire at Indian Harbour Beach (FL)
Crews responded to a condo fire in Indian Harbour Beach on Friday night. Firefighters with the Indian Harbour Beach Volunteer Fire Department said they were at the scene of the fire at Jamestown Condos on Palm Springs Boulevard. Read the article………………………………..
Condominium Insurance Explained (FL)
Q: We recently discovered that the air handler drain in the unit above us became clogged resulting in water damage to our unit. Our insurance covered some of the costs, but not all. We were not in the unit when this occurred and it was some time before we discovered it, resulting in mold. Would […]
Ruskin woman says HOA threatened to fine her $150 a day over ‘Keep America Great’ flag (FL)
Belmont is a sprawling community of new homes in South Hillsborough County. If you zero in on one home on Ivory Drive, you’ll see an American flag flying above another flag with three words. Those three words have caused quite the stir. Read the article……………………………..
Pembroke Pines neighborhood finally getting mail after weeks of confusion (FL)
For weeks, about 300 households in one Pembroke Pines neighborhood suddenly stopped getting mail – no bills, no checks and no election ballots. We first told you about this issue on Local 10 on Tuesday when neighbors in the Honeywoods subdivision told us they weren’t getting their mail after the postal service decided the community […]
Condo questions: Does an HOA board have to vote on every expenditure such as office supplies? FL)
Q: Our board is a lot, and I am proud we consider and vote on almost everything. The problem is we spend a lot of time voting on small expenditures such as office supplies. Is there a legal way to make this easier? Read the Q&A………………………………….
Lake Charlene residents flooded by Hurricane Sally seek to revive FEMA mitigation project (FL)
Last year, a tiny sliver of property in the Lake Charlene community became a political and ideological battleground. Last month, more than two dozen homes became casualties of that battle. Hurricane Sally caused severe flood damage to numerous homes in the Lake Charlene subdivision last month despite a fully-funded plan in place to improve flood […]
Residents of Pembroke Pines neighborhood concerned over closure of community mailboxes (FL)
Residents of a Pembroke Pines neighborhood are concerned because their mailboxes have been shut down. They are concerned that they aren’t receiving important documents, like their ballots. Read the article…………………………………
Betting on distress: Bulk condo website launches, aimed at investors (FL)
Miami-based Condo.com founder Richard Swerdlow and South Florida developer Bruce Goldstein are partnering to launch an online platform for bulk condo deals, The Real Deal has learned. They’re betting on the growing distress of condo markets across the country and developers’ desire to keep their offers confidential. Read the article…………………………………
Holiday Time in your Condo/HOA (FL)
As cold weather begins to invade the northern part of the country, folks are beginning to make plans to go south to take up residence in their winter homes, and guests are not far behind them. Your Association has likely established rules that, for now, may limit visitors because of COVID 19. Now is the […]
Can Political Flags Be Flown? (FL)
Q: I went on a walk in my community and saw at least 8 homes flying either Trump or Biden flags. Is it legal to fly a political flag on a home located in a homeowners association? Read the Q&A……………………………….
LAWYER: The Bridges HOA Refuses To Release Video Of Slip And Fall (FL)
A “Pure Bill Of Discovery” filed against the homeowner’s association of “The Bridges” claims the HOA’s management company possesses video of a slip and fall in the community’s clubhouse that led to significant injuries. The HOA refuses to release the video to the injured person or his attorney. Read the article……………………………..
Fire breaks out at South Ocean Boulevard condo (FL)
A fire broke out Thursday afternoon at a condo in the 2000 of South Ocean Boulevard, around the area of Sloan’s Curve. According to Palm Beach Fire Rescue Division Chief Sean Baker, there was heavy smoke and flames coming through the front door of the area, in addition to “extensive” water damage. Read the article………………………………..
Can political flags be flown? (FL)
Q: I went on a walk in my community and saw at least 8 homes flying either Trump or Biden flags. Is it legal to fly a political flag on a home located in a homeowners association? Read the Q&A……………………………..