Question: Is it legal for 3/4 of the HOA board to be Canadian and to live out of the country six months of the year? Is it even legal to have Canadians on the board at all? Read the Q&A…………………………………
HOA Q&A: What happens if there aren’t enough members willing to serve on the board? (FL)
Q: My condominium association does not have enough members willing to serve on the Board of Directors for our association. If there are not enough members to fill the Board positions, will our current Board members be required to stay on the Board, or will it get turned over to a receiver? In the event […]
Boca condo board loses federal records suit, sanctioned for ‘frivolous’ claims (FL)
The Boca View Condominium Association has lost another court battle in its long-running fight to prevent a unit owner from exercising her right to inspect its financial records. On Tuesday, a federal judge in West Palm Beach dismissed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a 2010 Florida law that prohibits condo and homeowner associations […]
“So screwed up”: Senior condo complex in Miami-Dade is an alleged hotbed for grift, hefty assessments (FL)
In lawsuits filed against the association and in interviews with The Real Deal, unit owners claim association leadership illegally imposed $3 million in special assessments, but failed to make promised and required repairs. Unit owners suspect some former and current association leaders of a self-enrichment scheme, as many of the 17 buildings remain in poor […]
Rift between Gran Paradiso and West Villages district in North Port widens over Ian cleanup (FL)
But underlying tension between homeowners and the mostly developer-appointed board that oversees infrastructure in the area led to the moment Board of Supervisors Chairman John Luczynski called for a 10-minute recess and subsequently had Gran Paradiso treasurer Pam Kantola escorted from the meeting in North Port City Hall Sept. 14. Read the article…………………………..
‘Nothing more than a bait and switch’: Kalea Bay developer wins right to build higher tower (FL)
After a surprise compromise, the developer of Kalea Bay won the right to build its final residential tower even higher in North Naples. On Tuesday, Collier County commissioners voted unanimously to allow Detroit-based Lodge Abbott & Associates to add three more floors and 10 more condos to its fifth tower, bringing the building’s height to […]
Electrical fire forces residents to evacuate condo in Northeast Miami-Dade (FL)
A condominium complex in Northeast Miami-Dade caught fire Tuesday morning causing residents to evacuate the building. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said a fire broke out inside a building at Wilshire Condominium, located off Northeast Miami Gardens Drive near 14th Avenue. Read the article…………………………..
Conflict of interest or business as usual? Resident questions HOA president’s multiple jobs (FL)
Question: Our homeowner’s association is situated within a property owner’s association. The POA governs several HOAs within a planned unit development. The president of our HOA is also the president of the POA. Read the Q&A…………………………………
The 1st Step in becoming an association board member? Education (FL)
Running a residential Owners Association in Florida is a business, not a social function. Condominium and Homeowners Associations are corporations structured similarly to well-known public and private companies in which the Board of Directors has specific responsibilities and obligations. Read the article……………………………….
HOA Q&A: What’s the difference between a town hall meeting and a board meeting? (FL)
Q: At my condo, the board had a meeting in which they called it a town hall. The condo management stated that the town hall was not taped due to it being called a town hall. The meeting/town hall was live and video conferenced. Read the Q&A…………………………..
Ask a real estate pro: Can HOA ban guns, even in people’s homes? (FL)
Q: Our homeowners’ association is considering banning guns everywhere in the community, including in the residents’ homes. Many of the residents are upset about this, while others are in favor of it. Is the association even able to enact this rule? Read the Q&A…………………………………
Hurricane Ian — One Year Later: Still recovering (FL)
One year after Hurricane Ian left Fort Myers Beach looking like a war-torn village with 16 dead and hundreds of homes destroyed, the island remains almost unrecognizable. Sometimes referred to as Lee County’s playground, the island has been working nonstop to recover from utter devastation. Read the article……………………………..
Florida law known as the “Homeowners’ Association Bill of Rights” takes effect
The Florida law known as the “Homeowners’ Association Bill of Rights” took effect on October 1st. “We had one of the most ambitious projects in regard to attaining more accountability and transparency for the HOA and the residents who live in these communities,” said state Rep. Juan Carlos Porras who sponsored of HB 919. Read […]
Can condo association ban pet snake? Expert weighs in (FL)
Question: Can condo owners bring snakes as pets into a condominium without board approval? Are there any Florida statutes concerning this matter? Read the Q&A………………………………..
Hurricane Ian – One Year later: Bonita condo owners face steep bills, no access to units (FL)
There are shortages of workers, back orders of parts, tangles with insurance companies, slow permitting and more that keep delaying work and forcing residents to stay away from their homes. Read the article…………………………..
HOA Q&A: What are our options when common area renovations become unwieldy? (FL)
Q: My condominium association is undergoing a large common area renovation. At the beginning of the project, the Board and the management company announced that we had enough reserves and other operating funds to undertake the renovation without a special assessment. Read the Q&A…………………………………
Surfside commission approves luxury condo plan at Champlain Towers collapse site (FL)
The Surfside commission voted 3-1 in favor of approving a luxury condo site plan for the location once occupied by the ill-fated Champlain Towers South. The contentious meeting saw intense exchanges between Commissioner Nelly Velasquez and Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger, who has been accused of voicing racially insensitive comments towards Velasquez. Traf the article…………………………….
Citizens Property is shifting policies to private insurers (FL)
As it tries to move customers into the private market after three years of massive growth, the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. could start to see its number of policies decrease. Read the article………………………………….
Kings Point Delray Beach Sued After Shooting (FL)
The victim of a high-profile shooting at Kings Point in Delray Beach is now suing Kings Point, security company “Universal Protection Service,” the Kings Point management company “Vesta Property Services,” and the alleged gunman, Robert Levine. Read the article………………………………
Artificial intelligence being used in massive condo building construction in St. Pete (FL)
Construction on the massive condominium building in downtown St. Petersburg is coming along, and part of what makes the project unique is it’s being built with the help of artificial intelligence. Suffolk Construction is using artificial intelligence and 3D modeling Read the article……………………………..
Condo owners fighting hefty HOA assessments for hurricane damage still under repair (FL)
Nearly one year after flooding from Hurricane Ian, dozens of condo owners say they are still waiting for their homes to be repaired. And those repairs could come at a very high price. Read the article………………………………
Condo Wars: Boards can use defamation laws to stifle dissent | Investigation (FL)
A months-long investigation by the South Florida Sun Sentinel found that condo and homeowner associations regularly use Florida’s defamation laws to silence critics. The laws were written to allow a victim to recover financial damages from someone who spreads lies about them and harms their reputation. Read the article……………………………..
Condo owners face depressing triple whammy (FL)
As homeowners’ associations, condos and cooperative boards head into fall budgeting season to determine how much maintenance fees need to be increased for 2024, and whether special assessments need to be levied, they are facing a gigantic triple whammy. Read the article…………………………….
License plate readers popping up in St. Johns County as an extra layer of security (FL)
“It can catch cars up to like 50 miles per hour. It gets a clear shot of them and their license plate,” Gran Lake Homeowners Association President Paul Proios said. “They’re hard to bypass, they’re very accurate.” Read the article………………………..
When condo and homeowner associations report to master association, what are the rules? (FL)
Question: Our master association is a nonprofit, not an HOA. Does that make any difference? The master seems to feel that it can do what it wants, even if contrary to the HOA’s majority. Elections require a 50% quorum, which is impossible to obtain without electronic voting (which the master association will not implement). Read […]
HOA Q&A: Is an association member with an emotional support dog subject to our pet fee? (FL)
Q: One of the owners in my condominium association has an emotional support animal. The board is considering charging this owner a pet fee. This fee is charged to all owners who have pets in the Association. Can they do this? Read the Q&A………………………………….
Orlando condo owners fight against assessment increase from damage caused by Hurricane Ian (FL)
Some owners at Dockside Condominiums in Orlando’s Conway neighborhood are finally returning to their homes after Hurricane Ian forced them out. Others are still waiting on repairs Access Residential Management estimates will cost $160,000 per unit. The whole neighborhood was underwater during Ian. Everyone living inside the 133 first-floor units was forced out by flood […]
Condo association for Caribbean Isles Villas in Miami-Dade under investigation for neglect, handling of funds
A community in disrepair demands change. The board president of Caribbean Isles Villas responds to those concerns. At the same time, Miami-Dade police confirmed to CBS News Miami its Economic Crimes Bureau is investigating the Association’s handling of funds. Read the article………………………..
RE Q&A: Who Fixes Electric Issues in Shared Walls?
An apartment building was converted to condos decades ago, and a recently discovered problem arose: Some electrical connections serve two different owners. What now? Read the Q&A……………………
Some Florida condo owners may be hit with rising insurance and inspection costs
Condo owners in the Tampa Bay area may be facing a double whammy in the coming months between homeowners insurance and inspection costs. Read the article………………………..
Hammocks wins $2M settlement in suit claiming ex-HOA leaders allowed massive fraud (FL)
The Hammocks won a $2 million settlement in a case accusing former board members of turning a blind eye to an alleged massive fraud that plundered millions of dollars from association coffers. Read the article………………………..
One Park vs. Block 6 condo conflict awaits judge’s decision (FL)
A whirlwind of activity swirled around the proposed One Park condo development in The Quay last week. A hurricane-disrupted trial concluded, the scheduled Planning Board public hearing is set to resume, and a Sarasota city commissioner filed a misconduct complaint with the Florida Bar. Read the article………………………..
‘We’re a little scared’: Miami condo owners say dangerous construction debris is falling on property (FL)
People who live in a Miami condo say they’re concerned for their safety from what they say is dangerous debris coming from a luxury building being built nearby. Miami’s newest luxury condos Aria Reserve are under construction Read the article………………………..
Older condos subject to stricter regulations in unincorporated Bay County (FL)
Condos in unincorporated Bay County now have stricter standards. County commissioners approved a mandatory structural inspection ordinance at Tuesday’s meeting. It’s similar to an ordinance in South Florida that was passed after the Surfside Condo collapse killed 98 people. Condos more than three stories tall and at least 25 years old will be visually inspected. […]
Condo resident: Can association force lone holdout in building to get hurricane shutters? (FL)
Question: Our association documents do not require shutters. Every unit in our ocean front building has them except one. We are three different building stacks, each with separate assessments. What would be required for the association to pass a requirement for all units to install and maintain hurricane shutters? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Condo owners in good standing fear eviction in Pembroke Pines (FL)
Property owners paid mortgage, insurance and homeowners association fees but still fear being put out at Heron Pond Condominiums. Pembroke Pines code inspectors found structural problems threatening safety in several buildings earlier this year. Read the article………………………..
Real estate Q&A: Condo’s AC went out and temporary fix is hiking the bill. Can I be reimbursed? (FL)
Q: Air conditioning is included in our condo’s monthly maintenance fees. The chiller that cools the entire building stopped working on July 20, and we are still awaiting replacement/repair, which has been postponed twice thus far. We were provided with portable AC units. However, running these portable units has drastically increased my electricity bill. There […]
Elderly woman who accused condo manager of antisemitic attack upset after Broward State Attorney opts not to pursue case (FL)
An elderly Fort Lauderdale woman is upset following a decision by the Broward County State Attorney’s Office not to press charges against the condominium manager who, she claims, attacked her and mouthed an antisemitic slur. Read the article………………………..
Former condo association president accused of getting $33,000 kickback (FL)
According to the Miami-Dade police arrest report, Dvir is accused of getting a nearly $33,000 kickback from a vendor doing work in the building. Read the article………………………..
Shaker Village Resident Sues HOA to Block Sale of Clubhouse Property (FL)
Shaker Village resident Tonya Nesbitt is seeking an emergency temporary injunction and declaratory judgment to prevent Shaker Village from selling the property on the north side of Commercial Boulevard west of Florida’s turnpike until Association members have voted on whether to authorize the sale. Read the article………………………..
Orange County Community Conference: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (FL)
On October 14, 2023, Orange County will host its in-person Community Conference, an annual event that provides residents an opportunity to learn about innovative ways to improve neighborhoods. This year’s workshops will offer a well-rounded blend of topics for individual citizens, voluntary neighborhood organizations, homeowners associations and other community groups. Read the article………………………..
Families fume over plans taking space from Surfside condo collapse memorial (FL)
Plans to include garbage collection and a loading dock on the same street as a proposed memorial site for the 98 people killed in the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside have angered and outraged relatives of some of the victims, along with former and current elected town officials. Read the […]
Attorney: Former Key Biscayne condo manager will plead not guilty in alleged fee theft (FL)
The former EmeraldBay condominium manager Maria Ferrer Rodriguez plans to plead not guilty and go to trial on charges of stealing maintenance fees from a unit owner, her attorney said in court Monday. Read the article………………………..
Condo insurance market tightens, posing more challenges for residents, boards (FL)
Question: Our condo board says we cannot get insurance bids and that we have to stay where we are. Is that true? Read the Q&A……………………………….
HOA Q&A: Does Florida law supersede an HOA’s restrictions on having a flagpole on a lot?
Q: I live in a homeowner’s association. I have been thinking of installing a flagpole on my lot and flying various flags. My homeowner’s association has restrictions about flagpoles. But, I heard that the right to have a flagpole and fly certain flags is protected under Florida law. Is this true? Read the Q&A……………………………….
LOCAL NEWS Miami condo owners say they’re being forced out of their homes (FL)
Condo owners at Biscayne 21 received a notice last Friday that their building services would be discontinued. The development demanded the remaining residents move out by Friday, but they refused to leave without a fight. Read the article………………………..
Imperial Lakes could see work started on short-term flooding relief this weekend (FL)
Polk County Commission Chairman George Lindsey says a there could be some relief soon for persistent flooding problems in Imperial Lakes that have blocked roads and kept some residents from their homes. Read the article………………………..
Probe of Surfside building collapse that killed 98 to be completed by June 2025, US investigators say (FL)
The probe into the 2021 collapse of a beachfront condominium building that killed 98 people in South Florida should be completed by the fourth anniversary of the disaster, federal officials said Thursday. Read the article………………………..
Pinellas accounting manager stole over $700,000 from HOAs, deputies say (FL)
A Tarpon Springs woman is back behind bars after she was accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from homeowners associations in the Tampa Bay area. Read the article………………………..
Board Term Limits Questioned (FL)
Q: I recall that a few years ago there was a lot of discussion regarding term limits for board members. I have not heard anything about term limits recently and know that a number of board members in my community have served for a long time. What is the term limit for condominium association board […]