Balconies in all 19 buildings on the property were shut down in January. Then in July, Pembroke Pines Police reported all buildings also showed signs of structural deterioration and potential unsafe conditions. Residents of buildings two, three, and 10 were put on notice they had 10 days to move out. Read the article………………………..
Florida report on insurance failure raises more questions than answers
After Sawgrass Mutual Insurance Co. went under in 2018, Florida regulators were supposed to do a financial autopsy to determine what had gone wrong. But they didn’t hire forensic accountants to dig into Sawgrass Mutual’s finances, as they had in previous insolvency cases. Read the article………………………..
Defrauded HOA Trying to Unravel the Mess (FL)
At the Hammocks in West Kendall, 6,500 homeowners are anxious for a return to self-rule after seven years under the thumb of a tyrannical, secretive board of directors that is accused of stealing millions in monthly fees from their neighbors. Read the article………………………..
Residents of University Club Condominiums Mobilize for Legal Action Amid Unforeseen Assessments (FL)
A conflict has arisen at University Club Condominiums due to unexpected assessment fees and a lack of reserve funds, leading residents to seek access to booking records and consider legal action. Read the article………………………..
Spectrum Sues a Homeowners Association After It Tries To Switch Providers (FL)
Spectrum Sunshine State, LLC, the local affiliate of Charter Communications and Spectrum Cable TV, filed a lawsuit against a local homeowners association in Florida. At issue here is the local HOA signing a new contract with Blue Stream Communications to replace Spectrum TV and internet services. Read the article………………………..
Florida insurance regulators order Citizens back to drawing board on rates
Regulators have ordered the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to revamp — and trim — proposed rate increases. Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky signed an order Friday that took issue with parts of a Citizens rate proposal that included increasing rates by 12 percent for homeowners with the most-common type of policies. Read the article………………………..
Legislature Limits HOA Rental Amendments (FL)
Q: Is a homeowners’ association permitted to adopt amendments changing the leasing rights of owners in the community? I was recently told that the statute was changed, and rental restriction amendments are no longer permitted. Is this correct? Read the article………………………..
Their mangroves are clogging the canal, but who pays to clear waterway? (FL)
Question: I live in a small community governed by an HOA. We have one natural canal that was enhanced and bullheaded. There are five homes that border the canal. The canal is being blocked by mangroves that are rooted in owners’ properties, hanging over the canal and creating a boating obstacle. Read the Q&A…………………………………
HOA Q&A: Is lengthy advance notice needed for budget board meeting? (FL)
Q: My homeowners’ association just posted a notice that the Board meeting to approve the 2024 budget will be held at our clubhouse in five days. I thought that the homeowners’ association was required to post and mail the notice of a budget Board meeting and the proposed budget to all owners at least 14 […]
Audits at Boynton Beach HOA question its finances; board president awarded contracts (FL)
Nautica’s HOA budget is more than $600,000 a year. Previous audits have also identified problems and one homeowner said she had to file complaints with the state to see HOA documents. Read the article………………………..
‘Where is all this money going to?’: Sunrise condo residents furious over special assessment fee (FL)
Seniors at a Sunrise community were furious Wednesday after learning their homeowners association approved a special assessment fee despite overwhelming opposition. Sunrise Lakes Phase II — a 55 and older community in the heart of Sunrise — is at a crossroads and in crisis. The HOA board held a special assessment meeting Wednesday before a […]
More residents ordered to leave after 3rd Pembroke Pines condo building deemed unsafe (FL)
Another building of a Pembroke Pines condominium has been deemed unsafe Wednesday, and residents living there have 10 days to vacate. The city posted notices on building two of the Heron Pond Condominiums on 100 SW 83rd Way ordering the building needed to be vacated by Aug. 26. Read the article………………………..
When will they pay? Floridians say state not holding insurance carriers accountable post-Ian
It started in the master bedroom. The night Hurricane Ian threw itself against the edges of Southwest Florida, battering homes and sheeting down rain, its 145-mile-per-hour winds lifted the roof from the home where Sara Alvarez and her husband, Justin Jackson, sheltered. Read the article………………………..
Massive fire destroys 2 Treasure Island homes, damages nearby condo building: Officials (FL)
A massive fire burned through two homes and caused damages to a nearby condo building in Treasure Island Tuesday afternoon, officials said. Read the article………………………..
‘I live in filth every day’: Sarasota nurse waiting months for Hurricane Ian repairs, blames HOA (FL)
A nurse in Sarasota is beyond frustrated, telling 8 On Your Side she can’t repair the inside of her house until her HOA repairs the outside of her house. Kelly Roberts says she feels like she’s being forced to live in a construction zone as the damage from Hurricane Ian continues to fester. She says […]
Residents at condominium in Pembroke Pines told to evacuate after 2 buildings deemed unsafe (FL)
Several tenants only have a few days to move out of their apartments after their building was condemned. Residents at the Heron Pond Condominiums, located at 8400 SW 1st St., were instructed to move out of their units after two buildings were found to have structural issues Read the article………………………..
4 families displaced after fire breaks out in Pembroke Pines condominium (FL)
A blaze inside a Pembroke Pines condominium has left four families displaced, Monday. Around 11 a.m., Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue arrived at the scene after a fire broke out in a unit on the second floor of the New Hampton building at Century Village Condos, located at 301 SW 135th Ave. Read the article………………………..
Association Borrowing Questioned (FL)
Q: The board of directors of my condominium association has been discussing taking out a loan to pay for major repairs to our condominium building. To my knowledge, our association has never borrowed money before. It seems to me that for such a serious undertaking, a vote of our owners should be required. Is a […]
Residents displaced after Clearwater condo fire, officials say (FL)
Clearwater Fire & Rescue are investigating after a condo complex caught fire Sunday afternoon. It happened at the Fountains at Countryside Condominiums on Winding Creek Boulevard around 3 p.m. Read the article………………………..
Couple trusted EmeraldBay’s property manager. Now she is accused of stealing their money (FL)
A veteran employee who rose from an administrative assistant to property manager at Emerald Bay, residents turned to Maria Rodriguez when they needed to solve any number of problems. They trusted her with their money, handing over checks for maintenance fees, parking spots. Read the article………………………..
Louisa Conway testimony sought in Key Biscayne condo suit (FL)
Louisa Conway, a politically active Key Biscayne condominium leader, is facing a demand to testify in a civil deposition later this month in a lawsuit between warring condominium associations in one of Miami’s toniest apartment complexes. Read the article………………………..
Condo board refused to update insurance when owners balked at cost. Is that even legal? (FL)
Question: I am trying to sell my condo to the renter who has been renting the unit from me for many years, but they are running into financial issues. The financial company states that the condo group is under-insured, and they don’t want to give them a loan. Read the Q&A………………………..
HOA Q&A: Is there a term limit to how long someone can be on the board? (FL)
Q: Our condominium association has a member on the board of directors that has been on the board for more than 10 years. Isn’t there a term limit to how long someone can be on the board? Read the Q&A………………………………..
“I’m not sleeping at all,” more Hollywood owners said to be blindsided by steep condo fees (FL)
Carriage Hills residents in Hollywood are facing special assessments that will cost them tens of thousands of dollars. It’s a story many across South Florida can relate to. Read the article………………………..
St. Petersburg condo may need $45 M renovation, post-Surfside review finds
A luxury condominium on the affluent stretch of Beach Drive in downtown St. Petersburg that’s been home to some of the city’s most prominent residents, including former Gov. Charlie Crist, is facing millions of dollars in repairs after engineers discovered a host of major issues. Read the article………………………..
Condo board member: More fraud at EmeraldBay (FL)
A second unit owner at a ritzy Key Biscayne apartment building told condominium officials that he too was defrauded by a longtime property manager who was arrested this week on fraud and grand theft charges involving another owner, according to a member of the EmeraldBay board of directors. Read the article………………………..
How robot lawn mowers in one West Palm Beach community help fight climate change
Named after The Jetsons housekeeper, Rosie, the Husqvarna 550 H Epos autonomous electric mower is outfitted with a wireless control system, satellite mapping and 3-inch-long pivoting razor blades. Read the article………………………..
Neighbors at one Dania Beach community “tired of it” after $5K-$12K HOA special assessment (FL)
As hot as it is outside, tensions were blazing inside a HOA board meeting in the Oakbridge neighborhood Wednesday night. “We’re tired of it,” said resident Kim Cotugno. Read the article………………………..
Orlando condo fire investigated as possible arson (FL)
According to the Orlando Fire Department, the fire started on the back porch and extended into the condo and reached the second floor. Read the article………………………..
St. Petersburg condo may need costly fixes, post-Surfside review finds (FL)
It’s been two years since the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside collapsed in the early morning hours, destroying half the building’s units instantaneously and killing 98 people. Read the article………………………..
‘The smell of death’: Residents complain of large amounts of dead fish in Plantation lake (FL)
Residents in a Plantation neighborhood were dealing with a smelly situation after they said a large amount of dead fish showed up in a lake near their homes. Read the article………………………..
Insurance Proceeds Should Be Bonded (FL)
Q: My condominium association is in the process of renewing its insurance policies and our insurance agent advised that we needed a fidelity bond policy with a higher limit for the coming year because of the insurance proceeds the association received following Hurricane Ian. Why would we need higher limits on our fidelity bond? Read […]
Car crashes into Key Biscayne condo causing brief evacuation (FL)
An SUV rolled over a concrete parking block and crashed into a first-floor unit at a Key Biscayne condominium Saturday evening, causing a brief evacuation of nine units until the structure was cleared by Village authorities. There were no injuries, officials said. Read the article………………………..
Expert says new law muddies what associations can forbid owners put in their backyards (FL)
Question: I live in an HOA community that is a sub-village of a master association. We have our own governing documents. These regulations restrict the construction and installation of above-ground pools. We have a homeowner who constructed an above ground pool, prior to the new law (F.S. 720.3045) and without HOA approval or city permits. […]
HOA Q&A: Are a condo association’s ledgers private in regard to assessment delinquency? (FL)
Q: I live in a condominium association. One of the owners has requested to see the ledgers for two homes that we believe are delinquent in the payment of assessments. However, our Board has cited privacy concerns and has refused to provide access to the ledgers. Is the Board’s position correct? Read the Q&A……………………………….
$19K-28K HOA special assessment has some wanting to sell at one Hollywood community (FL)
The people living at Carriage Hills tell CBS News Miami they are frustrated, confused, and concerned about their immediate future. Some say they plan to sell their homes following a hefty special assessment imposed by the association. Read the article………………………..
How Florida let a top insurer abandon homeowners in their time of greatest need
The couple, in their late 60s, are frozen in this “hell,” Ed says, because their insurance company, United Property and Casualty, ignored their claims for months after the hurricane and then severely underpaid them, before going insolvent earlier this year. Read the article………………………..
Real estate Q&A: Who pays for common services if only one owner is responsible for issue?
Q: We live in a single-family home where our homeowners’ association takes care of some items customarily left for individual owners. The monthly dues cover water, landscaping, and even house painting every few years. It makes life easy, but I can see where it could lead to problems. If one owner uses too much water […]
Resident wants change in decades-old metal roof ban, but HOA president blocking vote (FL)
Question: Our HOA has refused to allow metal roofs (except for metal shingle roofs). When questioned, the HOA president advised me that the original declaration of covenants and restrictions prohibits metal roofs. I told him I understood, but since the HOA was established in 1995, before metal roofs became popular and were proven to be […]
HOA Q & A: What are the changes in the law allowing flags to be flown? (FL)
Q: I understand there have been some changes in the laws allowing flags to be flown. Can you explain the new laws? Read the Q&A………………………..
Surfside bill means higher costs for condo living (FL)
It’s been two years since the condo collapse at the Champlain Towers in Surfside, Florida. Since then, lawmakers have passed laws to try and stop it from happening again.The new requirements include structural inspections by engineers or architects for condominiums 30 years old, and recommended fixes must be made. Read the article………………………..
Ask a real estate pro: Who pays for common services if only one owner is responsible for issue? (FL)
Q: We live in a single-family home where our homeowners’ association takes care of some items customarily left for individual owners. The monthly dues cover water, landscaping, and even house painting every few years. It makes life easy, but I can see where it could lead to problems. If one owner uses too much water […]
Florida couple in dispute with Avalon Park HOA over decorative stones in yard
The Avalon Park Property Owners’s Association says the white rocks around Demeris and Jose Heinsen’s home violate the neighborhood by-laws. The couple got a letter saying they have two weeks to remove the stones, which the couple said was part of more than $10,000 worth of landscaping work. Read the article………………………..
Family of man allegedly stabbed by model believes condo security could have prevented killing (FL)
Attorneys also allege security was called to the apartment and stood outside for 12 minutes during the deadly attack. “All they did was send a security guard to stand outside that unit when they should have gone into the unit and stopped this tragedy from occurring,” Wald said. Read the article………………………..
Will Meadowcrest residents vote for a gated community? (FL)
The 665 residents of Meadowcrest will be sent a survey later this summer asking them if they want to start the process to gate their Crystal River community. “If it comes back with the majority saying they’re not interested, that’s it – it’s over,” resident Dave Asher said. “But if 51 percent say they want […]
Cape Coral woman living without AC since January (FL)
A woman with a disability has been living without air conditioning since January, and right now, in the middle of a record-breaking summer, that makes her condo a no-can-do. She and her contractor have come up with multiple ways to fix it, but she said that the HOA has shut them down. Read the article………………………..
Hammocks receiver sues former HOA attorneys for $9M over allegedly aiding fraud (FL)
As four former Hammocks board members await trial over claims they defrauded the residential community from $2 million, civil lawsuits are taking aim at attorneys for allowing and aiding the alleged grift. Read the article………………………..
Deteriorating Condo Building in Residential Coral Springs Neighborhood Will Be Demolished (FL)
A dilapidated condominium building in a residential neighborhood in Coral Springs will be demolished, a city board decided last week. The city’s Unsafe Structures Board voted unanimously Friday to order the demolition of the two-story, 16-unit complex at 3990 Woodside Drive, which is between Wiles Road and Sample Road. Read the article………………………..
Seniors at Miami Beach condo go without air conditioning for weeks (FL)
A Miami Beach condominium building for seniors has been without air conditioning for the past few weeks. Residents at Council Towers South on Collins Avenue said the air conditioning has been out for about a month. Resident Maria Ramirez Fernandez said management went door-to-door, offering to take residents to a hotel or provide fans or […]
Farmers Insurance is closing its doors to thousands of customers for one troubling reason: ‘[This] decision was necessary’ (FL)
Farmers Insurance is the latest insurer to completely pull out of Florida, citing concerns about natural disasters made worse by Earth’s rising temperature, CBS News reports. Read the article………………………..