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
Idon’t know why some people feel a need to bring their concealed weapon to the poker table or mah-jong game in the clubhouse, but you would be surprised how many times I have been asked whether or not the Board has the right to make a rule that would simply prohibit guns in the common areas. Here’s the funny…
Read more → Four years ago, I wrote a column about how difficult it is to be a community association manager. The amount of hats that a community association manager often has to wear is amazing. Simultaneously, he or she needs to serve as the number cruncher, interior designer, police man, collection agency, master of…
Read more → It’s our nation’s birthday today. Unfortunately, it seems as if the political climate of our country makes it seem that we are as divided today as we were since the 1960s, and it’s not one big happy birthday party. The tragedy in our own state has left scars that won’t heal any time soon. I haven’t met one…
Read more → Over the years, our firm and I’m sure many other law firms that represent community associations have been fired or simply not hired for telling it like it is and giving answers or instructions to Boards that they simply may not want to hear. Even with all of the education now available, it still amazes me…
Read more → All of you who live in a condominium are now certainly aware that by December 31st, if your building is 75 feet or higher, you will be required to install a fire sprinkler system in your condominium, unless the unit owners vote to opt out. Many of you have already done so. A few weeks ago, I wrote in my…
Read more → Some justice was done in an Orange County courtroom last week. The firm’s client was sued by her association because she started a website that included the name of the association in the website address. The website was also critical of the association and the Board. Other members of the community had…
Read more → As much as I would like to move on from the politics of the election, it’s difficult to do when faced with a recent decision of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It’s yet another example of political correctness gone crazy and the government interfering with your rights to decide who and…
Read more → Each and every year, without fail, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is deluged with arbitration petitions filed against condominium associations, alleging that the association failed to properly conduct its elections. Knowing some basic law can go a long way toward finding your…
Read more → Each and every year, without fail, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is deluged with arbitration petitions filed against condominium associations, alleging that the association failed to properly conduct its elections. Knowing some basic law can go a long way toward finding your…
Read more → Ialways get lots of e-mails from people complaining that the Board is spending their monies wildly and out of control, for things they don’t want, don’t need and for which there was no mention in the association’s budget. As we know, the Board must pass a budget to pay the association’s “common expenses.”…
Read more → As you all know by now, condo and HOA directors must get certified within one year prior to getting elected or appointed to the board or within 90 days of actually getting elected or appointed to the Board. They can do so in one of two ways. The first way is the chicken’s way out and quite frankly is an…
Read more → There’s plenty of talk this election season about water and energy conservation. There’s even a proposed constitutional amendment in Florida which would guarantee the right to use solar power in your home. Up until now, has Florida law encouraged us to conserve water, conserve energy or given any…
Read more → Normally, when we talk about lawsuits in this blog, it’s between unit owners and their associations. Not this week. Today, learn about a lawsuit filed by the arbitrators that decide your cases against their employer, The Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Read about what the DBPR did…
Read more → Last year we blogged about a long awaited decision by The Florida Supreme Court regarding what a licensed community association can do, without being accused of practicing law without a license. It bears repeating. The Florida Bar tried hard to curtail what community association managers can do without a…
Read more → Well….. after eleven years, our luck ran out. We finally rolled a seven. We had a great run though. Unfortunately, it’s now time to deal with the disaster and clean up the mess. I can tell you one thing for sure and for certain. Those associations that put away money for a rainy day will recover a lot…
Read more → As we all know, a quorum of directors is necessary in order to have a valid meeting of the Board of Directors. But, how is a quorum determined? The first thing you need to do is look at your bylaws of the association and determine how many directors are required to serve on the Board. Remember, that as for…
Read more → Tonight may prove to be the most watched debate in the history of politics. People are going to tune in in record numbers, many of whom having never even voted in an election before. The amount of interest being generated is amazing as everyone wants to hear what their candidate has to say, while hoping…
Read more → Boy what a difference a few years makes. Remember the days where foreclosures were the talk of the town? Remember when a large percentage of the units or homes in your community were not paying their assessments and the association was struggling to pay its bills? Remember when banks began owning units in…
Read more →Read it. Then watch it.
