Florida condo & HOA news
Plain-English Florida condo and HOA law updates for owners, volunteer board members, managers, and everyone navigating community-association life.
Read the latest articles ↓From the front lines
Written by Eric M. Glazer · Florida attorney
This is the time of year when I’m at my busiest, typically running from annual meeting to annual meeting. So, what is supposed to occur at the annual meeting? Often times the answer is right there in your bylaws. The agenda is already prepared for you. Just properly notice the meeting and follow the…
Read: BEFORE YOU CANCEL THAT ANNUAL MEETING → Hard to believe that in two weeks it’s going to be 2020. Weren’t we all just worrying about Y2K? Was that really 20 years ago? Time flies when you’re having fun, and that is exactly what all three of us have each and every week when we get the opportunity to blog about new topics and share our thoughts with…
Read: 2019 - COMING TO A CLOSE → While the nation’s election may be over, the elections in your community associations are just about ready to get started. So, here are some things to know…… In a condo, you don’t need a quorum of owners in attendance at the annual meeting in order to have the election. As long as 20% of the eligible voters…
Read: STAYING WITH ELECTIONS → The question of whether or not an association may deny a proposed renter who seeks to live in a community may depend upon where the condominium of HOA is located. To simplify, Section 8 Housing is a government program that helps pay the rent for a family that can’t afford it. The government pays the rent…
Read: CAN AN ASSOCIATION DENY SECTION 8 HOUSING? → Talk about beating a dead horse. I have been asked over and over and over again, by unit owners all across the state if: They are entitled to a refund at the end of the year or; They can currently withhold portions of their monthly assessment, because the pool, restaurant, club, spa, gym, card room,…
Read: CAN I GET A REFUND? → No matter who you’re voting for in November, there is no doubt that the eyes of the nation are on Florida. Some of you might be eager put up your lawn signs or even signs in your window. But before you do………. by choosing to move into a condo or an HOA, know that you do so at your own risk. There’s no doubt…
Read: BEFORE PUTTING UP THAT ELECTION SIGN……….. → Unfortunately, it looks as if we will still need to social distance when it’s time for our annual elections. So how do we do this practically? In a condominium, it’s much easier than an HOA to run the election with social distancing because the procedures allow for mail-in ballots. The association must…
Read: SO HOW ARE ELECTIONS GOING TO WORK? → After living at Peaceful Paradise Condominium for 10 years and minding her own business, Darlys Dogooder decides that she hasn’t done enough volunteer work in her life and chooses to become a Board member. In fact, Darlys goes on to be a role model board member, devoting countless hours to her condominium,…
Read: A LABOR DAY TRADITION CONTINUES5 → As Rafael will tell you later this week, management companies will start working on the 2021 budget for your association when summer comes to an end. Remember, even in condos where reserves are despised, hated, frowned up and scorned, your budget must still include a reserve analysis, like it or not.…
Read: IT’S TIME TO PREPARE THE 2021 BUDGET AND IT MUST INCLUDE RESERVES IN YOUR CONDO → Florida Statute 718.112(2)(d)2. states: A board member may not serve more than 8 consecutive years unless approved by an affirmative vote of unit owners representing two-thirds of all votes cast in the election or unless there are not enough eligible candidates to fill the vacancies on the board at the time…
Read: DOES THE 8 YEAR RULE APPLY IN YOUR CONDOMINIUM? → Election season is approaching in community associations all across the state. We already learned that if the governing docs say “No signs” you can’t put out Trump or Biden signs on your property. But what about the people running for the Board in your own community? Can they at least campaign? Many…
Read: IS CAMPAIGINING ALLOWED IN YOUR ASSOCIATION ELECTION? → In light of the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday and the controversy surrounding filling the Supreme Court vacancy, I thought it best to discuss the procedures required by our laws when there is a vacancy on a condo or HOA board of directors. For condominiums and HOAs: Unless otherwise provided in…
Read: DOES THE 8 YEAR RULE APPLY IN YOUR CONDOMINIUM? → It’s the end of the summer. Millions of kids across our state have to suck it up and return to school. And if the kids have to endure school for the next ten months, all of you can endure a measly three hours. I’m talking of course about Condo and HOA Board Certification and Legal Update Course. There’s a…
Read: IT’S BACK TO SCHOOL TIME-PART 5 → Dominic Devoted has been the President of Broken and Bruised Condo for as long as he cares to remember. He longs for Labor Day because he knows that even the condo trouble makers understand what Labor Day stands for. Even they know not to bother him on what should be the holiest of holy days for board…
Read: A LABOR DAY TRADITION CONTINUES-PART 3 → As promised a few weeks back, we need to discuss some very interesting pitfalls associations sometimes fall into in the area of collections. In light of the fact that mortgage delinquencies are at an all-time high, rest assured that owners will in a short while begin falling behind on condo and HOA…
Read: MORE ABOUT COLLECTIONS → Irecently explained how lucky the banks are when they foreclose on a unit or a home and take back ownership. The law protects them, and despite how much the unpaid condo or HOA assessments are, the bank is only responsible for the lesser of one year of assessments or 1% of the mortgage. Many of you are…
Read: WAIT – IT GETS WORSE → So here is what you need to know in a nutshell: Mortgage defaults are soaring. In fact, homeowners stopped paying mortgages in record numbers in April. It was the largest one month increase ever recorded. Under Florida law, that spells financial disaster for our condos and HOAs. Keep this in mind as you…
Read: FORECLOSURES AND WHY OUR CONDOS AND HOAs MAY BE IN TROUBLE → In a few days it’s July 4th. Our country’s birthday. USA flags will be flying everywhere, even in our community associations and even if the Board in that association says take it down. With the political upheaval sweeping the country, this year I anticipate receiving complaint about owners or renters…
Read: CAN I FLY ANY FLAG →Read it. Then watch it.
