A Collier County judge’s decision in a case involving the alleged embezzlement of possibly millions from nearly three dozen Collier and Lee county communities didn’t go far enough for some in those communities. A hearing Friday before Collier County Court Judge Lauren Brodie dealt with an emergency motion by 35 homeowner and condo association communities […]
Compass Lake in the Hills POA member speaks of letter’s intent (FL)
Compass Lake in the Hills Property Owners Association member Arty Penello reached out Monday to talk about a story that appeared in the Jackson County Floridan last Saturday regarding the Jackson County Commissioner’s upcoming executive session. Read the entire article……………………………….
Editorial: Palm Beach Town Council right to hit pause on condo safety regulations (FL)
It’s time to “pump the brakes.” Following the Surfside condominium collapse last summer, there was a call to action: Implement a building inspection program as quickly as possible so the horrors associated with the loss of Champlain Towers South do not happen again. Read the entire article……………………………….
Many boards have broad powers to pass special assessments (FL)
Q: Can our board assess the community $10,000,000 payable over ten years without a vote of the membership? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Champlain Towers Engineer Settles With Collapse Survivors (FL)
The structural engineering firm overseeing restoration of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Fla., prior to its deadly 2021 collapse has agreed to a tentative legal settlement with survivors of the 98 residents killed in the disaster. Read the entire article……………………………….
Bradenton police search for men accused of posing as pest control workers to commit burglaries (FL)
The Bradenton Police Department is searching for two men they say posed as employees of a pest control company to rob homeowners. According to police, the burglaries occurred between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Feb. 24 in the Ironwood/Pinebrook neighborhood and at the River Oaks Condominiums. Read the entire article……………………………….
Questions about Florida community association law
Q: Our Board of Directors would like to merge with another condo association. Do all members of the merging association need to be in agreement to do this merger and, if we have people who are not for the merger, do they need to pay the attorney’s fees to do this merger even though they […]
Hammocks Homeowners Fight HOA Fee Hike (FL)
Thousands of residents who live in the southwest Miami-Dade community of The Hammocks say they were blindsided by a massive hike in HOA fees and will now have to pay hundreds more a month. “I got really upset, I got mad. We paid $88 dollars a month and now this month we have to pay […]
The Florida Legislature is backing more condo building inspections after the collapse in Surfside
With the House poised to pass its version of the bill Thursday, a Senate panel moved forward Wednesday with a measure that would place inspection requirements on condominium buildings after the deadly collapse last year of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside. Read the entire article……………………………….
Survivor of Surfside condo collapse frustrated as attorneys work on settlements for victims
Attorneys are working on a potential payout for the victims of the Surfside condo collapse, but for some residents, the process is only adding to their pain. Champlain Towers South partial collapse survivor Alfredo Lopez said on Wednesday that he is desperate to move on with his life. Read the entire article……………………………….
Insurers representing engineering firm agreed to settle all claims related to Florida condo collapse
The insurers representing Morabito Consultants have agreed to settle all claims involving the structural engineering firm related to the deadly 2021 condo collapse in Surfside, Florida. Read the entire article……………………………….
Local HOA Refuses To Hold New Election, Defying State Of Florida Order (FL)
A Palm Beach County Property Owners Association, ordered to hold a new election due to problems with an election it conducted, is refusing to abide by the order issued by an arbitrator for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Read the entire article……………………………….
Deployed soldier battles HOA over roof tiles (FL)
A South Florida soldier about to be deployed says his homeowner’s association is delaying the sale of his home. Frustrated and furious, he reached out to 7 Investigates for help. Eric’s house is easy to spot. It’s the only one on his street without a finished roof. Read the entire article……………………………….
Sandpiper Residents Stop $318K Sidewalk Plan in Its Tracks (FL)
More than $4.3 million in concrete will be laid down for sidewalks in Lakeland this year but not a penny more will be spent on one planned project after residents convinced city commissioners Monday there is overwhelming opposition to installing sidewalks along Sandpiper Drive. Read the entire article……………………………….
Findings delayed in Surfside condo collapse (FL)
Eight months after images of a coastal condominium crumbling to the ground shocked and horrified the nation, one of the experts investigating the tragedy said he will not be able to provide any conclusions by the year anniversary this June. Read the entire article……………………………….
Declaration will determine whether a parking space is attached to a unit (FL)
Q: I bought a condominium unit, and the deed stated that it came with a parking space that is appurtenant to the unit and for the unit’s exclusive use. After using the very same parking spot for 12 years and without any notice or justification, a week ago my association decided to misappropriate the parking […]
Sarasota neighborhoods ‘Unite Against Hate’ after anti-Semitic incident (FL)
Neighbors are rallying together after anti-Semitic fliers were littered in several Sarasota neighborhoods. They refused to stay silent. Instead, they passed out yard signs reading “United Against Hate.” An action intended to cause hurt is being met with solidarity. Read the entire article……………………………….
$100,000 in water damage at Berkman Plaza condo (FL)
It’s one of the premier residential buildings in downtown Jacksonville, but one condo owner at the Berkman Plaza has major issues with Berkman’s Condo Association. After fighting for more than a year, Nick Rosado reached out to First Coast News for help after he felt ignored by the organization he pays to maintain his building. […]
Condo term limits explained (FL)
Q: In the past you have written articles concerning the term limits provision added to the Condominium Act. I was wondering if there have been any updates on that issue and how the term limits now apply to current board members? Read the Q&A…………………………………
Surfside collapse exposes an overlooked threat: Saltwater rising from underground
Not long after a condo tower collapsed in Surfside, Florida, last June, Randall Parkinson had what he calls an epiphany. Parkinson, a coastal geologist who studies the impact of climate change at Florida International University in Miami, wondered whether rising sea levels had driven saltwater into the ground beneath the tower, corroding its concrete foundation. […]
Condo questions: Is it important to return proxy sent out about annual meeting notice? (FL)
Q: I live in a homeowner’s association. This year, we are having an election for two board member positions. It is a contested election with six people running for the two board of directors’ seats. Read the Q&A………………………………..
Seven Bridges Delray Sues GL Homes For Shoddy Workmanship (FL)
At issue: shoddy workmanship that the HOA claims GL left behind when it finished Seven Bridges a few years ago. GL Homes has, according to the suit, refused to fix the problems, leaving the HOA to pay for fixes itself. The problem with GL is not new. Other GL communities have also been left to […]
American Express files $300K suit against Naples property management service (FL)
A property management company staring down a lawsuit by 35 Collier and Lee county condo and homeowner associations focusing on alleged fraud now faces legal action by a credit card company over a nearly $300,000 unpaid balance.
Preventing another Florida condo collapse
Florida lawmakers are moving quickly to prevent another deadly condo collapse. Legislation in the House and Senate would subject older condominium buildings in Florida to regular inspection, with the House measure going further to help ensure that structural problems are actually addressed. These are essential starting points in improving safety for millions of residents. Read […]
The Legislature is moving condo safety in the right direction (FL)
Florida lawmakers are moving quickly to prevent another deadly condo collapse. Legislation in the House and Senate would subject older condominium buildings in Florida to regular inspection, with the House measure going further to help ensure that structural problems are actually addressed. These are essential starting points in improving safety for millions of residents. Read […]
Boca Lakes Sues Woman Who Allegedly Flooded, Torched Home
The Boca Lakes Condominium Association wants Ann Potter out. The resident of 8916 Warwick Drive was arrested Monday and charged with arson after allegedly trying to burn down her apartment building earlier in the day. It was the second time she apparently tried to do this — she also is accused of setting a fire […]
Condo Q&A: Can HOA Ban Flags on Trucks? (FL)
Question: Our HOA Declaration prohibits “signs, banners, advertisements and posters from being exhibited, displayed, inscribed, painted, or affixed, in, on, or upon any part of the Properties without prior ARC approval.” It also provides that this prohibition includes “signs inside of Living Unit windows or the windows of motor vehicles.” Read the Q&A……………………………….
No minimum quorum in a condominium (FL)
Q: What is the minimum percentage of members needed to obtain a quorum for approving an amendment to a declaration of condominium at an annual meeting? At our recent annual meeting the chairperson announced that we did not have a quorum. The meeting was then suspended with the announcement that those who did not attend will […]
INVESTIGATES: Historic Jacksonville condo hit with two major fire code violations (FL)
In an Action News Jax investigation, Action News Jax Ben Becker discovered that the City of Jacksonville’s Fire Marshal slapped the Park Lane condo with two major fire code violations in November 2021. Read the entire article……………………………….
Board decides how to present amendments (FL)
Q: My condominium association recently voted on several amendments to the condominium documents. They presented the amendments as one vote, either in favor of all of the changes or against all of the changes. Is this permissible? Shouldn’t we be allowed to vote on each change? Read the Q&A………………………………..
Community Law (FL Q&A)
Q: Our homeowners’ association (HOA) is a gated community that uses an automatic entry system. Recently, one of our member’s teenagers became frustrated when the gate did not open automatically and used his vehicle to force the gate open. The gate strike caused significant damage to the gate which the association paid for. Can the […]
Tentative Settlement Reached in Surfside Condo Collapse Lawsuit (FL)
Lawyers for victims of the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside have reached a tentative agreement that would split $83 million among those who lost property in the tragedy. Read the entire article……………………………….
Exec: Aging condos like the one that fell in Surfside need financial watchdogs
Aging condos in Florida should be certified as safe every three years, not every 10 and certainly not every 40 as required in current law, said an executive with the finance company that warned of impending disaster before the June 2021 collapse of a 12-story condo in Surfside. Read the entire article……………………………….
Priced Out of Paradise: Condo owners, buyers face sticker shock following Surfside tragedy (FL)
After the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside last year, the cost of living safely in a condominium has never been more of a focus in Florida. Read the entire article……………………………….
Florida House Backs Condo Requirements After Surfside Collapse
With the sponsor saying the changes are “long overdue,” the Florida House started moving forward Thursday with a plan for new condominium requirements after the deadly collapse last year of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo questions: Can a director’s company be awarded contracts? (FL)
Q: Our homeowner’s association recently decided to look for a new landscaping company and requested bids from various vendors. One of these companies is owned by one of our directors. Read the Q&A………………………………….
Citrus County tells homeowners group to pay for U.S. 98 median sod (FL)
A Citrus County community is on the hook for paying the county to sod a mile of U.S. 98 median after a landscaping agreement fell apart. Citrus County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to bill the Oak Village Homeowners Association the cost, estimated at $36,000, to re-sod the median after the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) […]
County toughens building recertification process to improve condo safety (FL)
Last week, Miami-Dade County commissioners unanimously approved a motion on the first reading of an ordinance that revises procedures and bolsters the existing building recertification code, providing an increased layer of safety to condo residents. Read the entire article……………………………….
Owners must be allowed to speak at board meetings (FL)
Q: At our last board meeting – held via Zoom – the owners were muted and the “chat” feature was disabled. Is this legal? Read the Q&A………………………………….
Bill takes small steps to curb future tragedies like the Surfside condo collapse (FL)
It took Hurricane Andrew in 1992 to get Florida to address lax building codes and inadequate inspections. Thirty years later, a building disaster that occurred in the same part of the state has lawmakers looking at new standards to shore up aging coastal high-rises. Read the entire article……………………………….
Woodlands Development Supporters and Opposition Face Down at WHOA Elections (FL)
The upcoming Homeowners Association elections in the Woodlands community have split residents into those who support the 13th Floor Homes development of the former golf course and those who vehemently oppose it. Read the entire article……………………………….
Community Association Bills as of 2/2/22 (FL)
As you read the bill summaries discussed below, please remember that these are NOT new laws and some of these bills have already been determined to be going nowhere. Most of the bill consolidation occurs the last week or two of Session which is currently scheduled to end on March 11. Read the entire article……………………………….
I-Team: Condo safety changes and concerns in the wake of Surfside (FL)
For the past several months, the CBS 12 News I-Team has been working on a series of reports about condo safety and the changes that could be coming to state law, on the heels of the Surfside tragedy. Read the entire article……………………………….
Watch this: Mail thief has regular stop at South Beach condo, residents say nothing’s been done
A person is caught on video taking mail from a South Beach condo building and stuffing it in a bag, but he’s not a mailman. In the video, the mail thief looks around to see if anyone is watching and then dumps more mail in a bag. It has happened more than a few times at […]
‘It’s Unscrupulous’: Homeowners in SW Miami-Dade Community Upset Over HOA Fee Hike (FL)
Neighbors who live in the Hammocks, a large southwest Miami-Dade community, are up in arms. They say their monthly association fees will increase astronomically. “They’re basically pricing people out of their homes,” said resident Alan Chevel. Chevel and his Cedar Landing neighbors are bracing for a major monthly hike in their HOA fees. Read the […]
Q&A: What’s Condo Law on Charging Stations? (FL)
Question: An owner in our condominium has requested permission to install an electric vehicle charging station in his parking space. We reviewed the law and have several questions about this. Read the Q&A…………………………………..
Residents of aging Shoreline Towers condo throw out HOA ahead of multi-million dollar renovations (FL)
Residents of Shoreline Towers Condominium complex have succeeded in their effort to remove the majority of members from the building’s homeowner’s association governing board. Read the entire article……………………………….
Allied Asks Court to Bar Coverage for Florida Law Firm in Condo Collapse (FL)
The insurer for a South Florida law firm that represented the collapsed Surfside condominium – lawyers known for fighting off attempts to reform condo safety laws – has asked a judge to absolve the carrier of coverage responsibility for the law firm. Read the entire article……………………………….
Can Condo Owners Request a Resident Master List? (FL)
Answer: You are correct that pursuant to Section 718.111(12)(a)(7), Florida Statutes, a current roster of all unit owners, and their mailing addresses, unit identifications, voting certifications, and, if known, telephone numbers, are official records to be maintained at all times by all Florida condominium associations. Read the Q&A…………………………………..