The growing tension between tennis and pickleball players at Valencia Shores, a 55-plus community west of Boynton Beach, led to the rejection of a plan to convert another tennis court into pickleball and bocce facilities. The referendum, which required a two-thirds majority, failed to secure enough votes, leaving the community divided over the issue. Read […]
Developer of La Clara condo in WPB allegedly replaced luxe amenities with cheap alternatives (FL)
The developer of a West Palm Beach waterfront condominium billed as the ultimate in luxury is being accused by its association of a bait and switch scheme where promised high-end finishes and amenities were replaced by cheap alternatives or not delivered at all. According to a nearly 500-page legal complaint filed Feb. 5 in Palm […]
Sandoval wants city to take over Heydon Lane (FL)
Although Cape Coral City Council did not support a petition from the Sandoval Community Association to take over one of its roads, the request remains under consideration. The association asked for Council to consider the transfer of Heydon Lane to the city. Read the article…………………………….
Do garages count as a ‘story’ when it comes to condo building inspections in Florida?
Question: Does the three stories or higher new inspection rule count a parking level below the three living levels of a condo, thus actually making the building itself four stories? — Read the Q&A………………………………..
HOA Q&A: When contract considered at board meeting, must a copy be attached to the notice? (FL)
Q. I understand there is a new law for condominiums that when the Board of Directors considers a contract at a board meeting, a copy of the contract must be attached to the meeting notice. Is this true? Read the Q&A………………………………..
‘Total control:’ $1 million Florida condo scandal sparks manhunt, fee spikes for residents (FL)
A former condo president in New Smyrna Beach has been accused of taking about $1 million from a condo association, leading to huge fee hikes for residents, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. In a news release, deputies said that an investigation into the theft began after the sheriff’s office received complaints in April 2024 […]
Florida budget includes over $600 million for home and condo risk mitigation programs
Florida’s 2025 to 2026 budget includes more than $600 million for home and condominium risk-mitigation programs, in addition to funding requested by the Office of Insurance Regulation, according to a report from AM Best. The funding would allow the My Safe Florida Home grant program to clear a waitlist of 45,000 property owners and add […]
Florida’s Aging Condo Crisis: Fallout of Post-Champlain Tower Reforms Hits Older Condos Hard
The catastrophic collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, on June 24, 2021, which killed 98 people, was a wake-up call for the state’s aging condominium infrastructure. In the wake of the tragic Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, Florida, the state government swiftly enacted Senate Bill 4D (SB-4D) to address building safety concerns. […]
Sunrise condo owners crowdfund after HOA board resigns, leaving bills unpaid (FL)
When the entire homeowners association (HOA) board at Grenadier Lakes at Welleby in Sunrisa abruptly resigned, dozens of condo unit owners were left in financial limbo, forced to pay twice for insurance because state law delayed the election of new leadership. With no board in place to authorize payments, the community’s insurance provider demanded more […]
Why a pickleball vs. tennis war has torn apart one 55+ community west of Boynton Beach (FL)
The pickleball-tennis wars have reached a feverish pitch at Valencia Shores, a 55-plus development west of Boynton Beach whose board was looking to take away another tennis court to accommodate the growing demand for pickleball. Read the article…………………………….
How a group of Hollywood condo owners stopped a $56 million special assessment (FL)
NBC6 was there in December when residents at the Summit Towers Condominiums in Hollywood questioned a multi-million dollar proposed special assessment they were facing, even though they said their building had recently completed and passed their 40-year recertification. Read the article…………………………….
Insurance, repairs and market slump driving some condo owners to the brink (FL)
The 2021 Surfside Condo collapse spurred the Florida legislature into action, in an effort to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again. Laws passed have increased scrutiny on maintenance and forced residents to make much larger financial commitments to reserve funds, so that condo associations can make repairs when needed. However, there is a growing […]
Insurance, repairs and market slump driving some condo owners to the brink (FL)
The 2021 Surfside Condo collapse spurred the Florida legislature into action, in an effort to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.Laws passed have increased scrutiny on maintenance and forced residents to make much larger financial commitments to reserve funds, so that condo associations can make repairs when needed. Read the article…………………………….
Bay Isles Association sued over alleged inequity in assessment collection (FL)
When a group of Bay Isles Harbor residents took a closer look at their association fees in 2022, disparities in how their properties were assessed stirred up concern. That led to the civil suit filed in late 2023, and litigation for the trial is still ongoing. A group of nine residents in Bay Isles Harbor, […]
Florida’s condo crisis at its breaking point. Tallahassee lawmakers must act
A quality of life that for so long has been attainable for those of us of moderate income now threatens to slip beyond our reach. Condo living, which for decades has drawn millions of out-of-staters to Florida’s warmth and coastal bounty, is increasingly too expensive to sustain, particularly for retirees. Read the article…………………………….
Bills propose changes to condominium participation in My Safe Florida Home
Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, and Rep. Christine Hunshofsky, D-Parkland, filed a proposal (HB 393) on Tuesday aimed at expanding participation among condominium associations in the My Safe Florida Home program. Current law requires unanimous votes of condominium unit owners to participate in the program. Read the article…………………………….
Man Arrested for Extortion Amid HOA Dispute Over Special Assessments (FL)
A contentious dispute over community special assessments has led to a resident’s arrest on extortion charges. Margate Police Department records, Gary Steinberg, 63, a resident of Margate’s Fiesta Townhomes community, was taken into custody on January 31 following an investigation into an email he sent demanding monetary compensation in exchange for withholding personal information about […]
HOA: Spectrum deal will raise nearly $3M for Suntree (FL)
An agreement with cable and internet provider Spectrum is expected to produce nearly $3 million in revenue for the Suntree area spanning 10 years, the Suntree Master Homeowners Association Board of Directors explained in a January online notice to residents. Read the article…………………………….
Don’t ruin my view, say Marco Island residents who live on beach, oppose dune rules (FL)
Condo owners including Remick asked the City Council to let their homeowners associations have the permits they need to trim vegetation on the dunes down to what has been allowed for decades. Permits have been held up waiting for owners to supply required information. Read the article…………………………….
Ideal Board Composition Questioned (FL)
Q: During our recent condominium association board meeting, we received questions about how the number of board members impacts our effectiveness. Is having an odd number of members important to avoid tie votes? And, does having an even number, whether due to vacancies or not, create challenges for decision-making? Read the Q&A………………………………..
Florida Condo Fees Crisis Could Trigger ‘Next Wave of Homeless People,’ Lawmaker Says
Florida condominium owners are begging for relief after a new building safety law passed in the aftermath of the deadly Surfside collapse burdened them with staggering fees—and one lawmaker is warning that it could trigger the “next wave of homeless people.” The issue of condo safety has become a lightning rod in Florida since Senate […]
Without beach access, Palm Beach dune nourishment project risks yearlong delay, staff warn (FL)
If the town finds a willing condominium that has enough room to host the staging area, Palm Beach could move the sand onto the beach one of two ways, he said. The town could have trucks pick up the stockpiled sand at Phipps Ocean Park and have them dump it over the condominium’s seawall, after […]
Condo owners mount personal cameras pointed at community pool. Is that even legal? (FL)
Question: We are a small condominium with a camera at our pool. All owners used to have access to the pool camera through the association website. That camera broke, so they put in a new one — but only the board has access to it (which is fine with me). Now a resident has put […]
New Florida law governs oversight, brings financial bite
A new law has transformed the condominium market in Florida, forcing owners to change their financial plans. The laws have been prompting many owners to sell their condos now, because the bills have come due and they cannot afford to pay them. Read the article…………………………….
From boom to correction: 5 reasons Florida’s housing market has weakened
Condo prices are declining in 92% of Florida’s housing markets, while single-family home prices are falling in 66% of Florida’s housing markets. Here’s why. Read the article…………………………….
HOA Q&A: Can we change the size of our association board? (FL)
Q: I currently sit on my Associations Board, we are considering changing the size of our Board, can we do this? And if so, how? Read the Q&A………………………………..
Neighbors still displaced one week after mother, two children die in Palm Bay condo fire (FL)
There’s still a big unanswered question one week since two children and their mother died from a fire. Friday, a fire adjuster at the Country Gardens condos updated News 6 reporter James Sparvero the cause of the fire is still under investigation. “The exact cause, they’re not sure of yet,” John Schartrand of Strategic Claim […]
Bristol developer wooing residents of two aging waterfront buildings in West Palm Beach (FL)
Power developer Al Adelson is courting the aging Portofino waterfront condominium in West Palm Beach with a $150 million offer that some owners call a life-changing windfall and others an unwanted eviction. Adelson, who built the ultra-luxury Bristol condominium on the city’s Intracoastal Waterway, has touted Portofino’s North Flagler Drive location because it also sits […]
Sunrise condo residents fight back after eviction threat over structural issues (FL)
Residents of a Sunrise condominium complex facing possible eviction due to structural concerns said they are relieved to have received an 11th-hour reprieve and they are now taking action to ensure long-term changes. Read the article…………………………….
Real estate Q&A: Can HOA stop us from smoking in our home? (FL)
Q: Our association adopted a rule banning all smoking anywhere on the premises, including inside individual units, except for a small, designated area outside. The rule was passed by a vote at our annual membership meeting and passed. We have owned our home here for 25 years, and no one ever complained about my wife’s […]
Could your condo be a takeover target? Know the signs that could attract a developer ((FL)
Condo takeovers increased in 2024 — a possible escape for owners who face mounting monthly fees and spiraling special assessments. Condo buyouts or terminations need 80% of owners to agree to sell to a developer. The Miami Herald spoke with three real estate experts who are at the forefront of these deals, Read the article…………………………….
‘We got about a month’s notice’: St. Pete condo owners priced out amid rising fees (FL)
Special assessments and rising association dues continue to hammer condo owners and a group of residents in St. Petersburg are taking a stand. “Insurance goes up every year,” said Diana Smith. “However, we don’t know what insurance is going to pay for.” Read the article…………………………….
Who is responsible when your condo is damaged during recertification or regular maintenance? (FL)
His condo was going through recertification and restoration like many are. Then, when the shutters on his unit were damaged, he was told he had to pay to replace them. Or does he? Let’s bring in Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser to find out. Normally, when a viewer calls us about their condo building, […]
Important Insights from Florida’s Former Condominium Ombudsman
Today’s episode takes us further on that path as host Donna DiMaggio Berger sits down with Spencer Hennings, who brings firsthand knowledge as Florida’s former Condominium Ombudsman about the types of owner complaints he saw time and again while serving in that role. Appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2020, Spencer served in this critical […]
Condo Rising on the Site of Collapsed Surfside, Florida, Tower Launches Sales of Uber-Luxury Units
Developer Damac Properties is launching sales at an uber-luxury condominium building in Surfside, Florida, that will replace the collapsed Champlain Towers South, with units at the new project starting at $15 million, the company announced Tuesday. Read the article…………………………….
Sunrise condo owners in limbo amid $4.5 million assessment controversy (FL)
A state senator has accused engineers hired by a homeowners association of causing unnecessary panic after inspection reports labeled several condo buildings in Sunrise as “unsafe,” nearly leading to evacuations. Read the article…………………………….
What can a condo association do when owners misbehave? Here are details of one case (FL)
Living in a community with an association requires abiding by the rules, obligations and restrictions found in its governing declaration, which is akin to a contract that is agreed upon by all prospective buyers prior to their becoming owners and members. Enforcing those provisions can represent a delicate balancing act for associations and their boards […]
Florida condo sales hit 15-year low as new safety laws and insurance crisis deter buyers
Florida realtors are sounding the alarm on a growing issue: condo sales. A new report from the Florida Realtors Association finds condo sales in the state had their worst decline in 15 years. Read the article…………………………….
Orange County leaders to decide fate of troubled condo complex (FL)
Commissioners in Orange County will meet Tuesday to discuss a troubled condo complex. The Tymber Skan on the Lake condos has been plagued by public safety concerns for over 20 years. Officials said only eight of the 49 original buildings remain at the complex near South Texas Avenue, east of Lake Catherine. Read the […]
Pines owners offer to sell to homeowners for $75 million
In a Jan. 27 letter to the Pines Trailer Park Homeowners Association (HOA), Pines Park Investors LLC offered to sell the mobile home park to the residents for $75 million. At that price, each of the 86 mobile homeowners would be responsible for $872,093.02. “This has got to be a joke,” said one Pines resident, […]
Resident complaints emerge as lawsuits prompt bankruptcy filing for Polk vacation resort (FL)
Garrett Kenny drove along the street bearing his name, Kenny Boulevard, the main drag through Balmoral Resort Florida, the place he created. Kenny’s pride of ownership showed as he pointed out elements of the vacation rental neighborhood. Speaking with an Irish brogue, he talked of plans to construct 186 condominium units, along with a hotel […]
Most condo buildings in Boca Raton are keeping pace with new state condo safety law (FL)
Slightly more than half the condo buildings in Boca Raton have complied with a strict new state law that requires condo associations to have sufficient reserves to cover major repairs, say city officials. Of the buildings organized in specific zones, more than half — or 54% — have complied with the recertification process, Boca Raton […]
New Hurricane Protection Law Questioned (FL)
Q: What is the penalty, if any, for a Florida condo association that refuses to adopt hurricane protection specifications? We have none and there is no interest in doing so. Seems to fall into “they won’t find out about us.” Read the Q&A………………………………..
Quebec snowbirds fleeing Sunshine State in droves due to high costs, weak loonie
Many Quebec snowbirds living in Florida are listing their properties for sale, citing the high cost of living and a beneficial exchange rate due to the declining value of the Canadian dollar. Jasmin Gosselin has been escaping Quebec’s freezing temperatures for over 20 years, seeking refuge in his Boynton Beach condo, nestled in the Sunshine […]
Temporary repairs complete at Sunrise condo after buildings deemed unsafe (FL)
Days after residents in a Sunrise neighborhood were forced out of their homes after the city deemed some buildings to be unsafe, they are now allowed to come back. According to the city, the Grenadier Lakes at Welleby engineer said the units that were identified as unsafe to live in were temporarily strengthened and are […]
Who pays for maintaining neighborhood drainage ponds, neighboring nature preserves? (FL)
Question: Who is responsible for maintaining the land area around the more than 50 drainage ponds in our HOA? Some areas are preserves — who is responsible for those areas? Our HOA pays to maintain the ponds and cut the grass around the ponds. Read the Q&A………………………………..
Florida Legislature Convenes For Special Session Called By Governor DeSantis
The Florida Legislature will convene a special session Monday at the behest of Governor Ron DeSantis, despite objections from legislative leaders. Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez announced the session in a joint memo on Friday but offered no details on how lawmakers would address the Governor’s agenda. Read the article…………………………….
The list: Did your condo association fail to turn in its Phase One inspection report? (FL)
If your condo building hasn’t turned in its Phase One safety inspection report, you could be facing some serious financial penalties in addition to the possible assessments if your building were to have structural issues. As of Jan. 14, 91 buildings, with approximately 3,200 units, in Palm Beach County covered by the state’s new safety-inspection […]
Insurers are dropping HOAs, threatening the condo market
Insurance is getting harder to find and more expensive in much of the country. Just ask homeowners’ associations. Mirroring trends in the single-family home market, insurers are boosting premiums or exiting the business of covering HOAs’ common property entirely, citing rising losses from extreme weather and aging buildings. The steep premium hikes usually end up […]