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
In a post 9/11 world, big brother is watching us like never before. Walk into any business and you can bet you’re on camera being video taped. Same thing goes while walking down any city street for that matter. Indeed, many of us live in communities where there are security cameras all over the place…
Read: SMILE ---- YOU’RE ON CANDID CAMERA → Several years ago, our firm was involved in a lawsuit representing many condominium unit owners against their association, alleging that material alterations were made without a 75% vote of the unit owners before the material alterations were made. We alleged that the amount of the assessments for these…
Read: MATERIAL ALTERATIONS CLARIFIED ---- MAYBE → Today we discuss an often litigated topic, “material alterations.” As many of you know, a board of directors in a condominium can’t make “material” changes to the common areas unless a vote of the community is obtained. Usually, a 75% vote in favor of the change is required. You may be surprised to learn…
Read: MATERIAL ALTERATIONS – LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP → Originally, I was going to blog about resolutions that Board members should make for 2014, but that topic has been written about a million and one times. Everyone seems to have suggestions about how to be a better Board member. Let’s flip it around this time and resolve to be better unit owners, neighbors…
Read: A NEW YEAR AND SOME NEW RESOLUTIONS → Each year at this time the New Year’s Resolutions start flying. We promise ourselves that from now on we will do this or that to make us act better, look better and feel better. By around the 10th of the month we’re no longer exercising, we go back to eating unhealthy and we’re still drinking. But are there…
Read: A NEW YEAR. → This week, I simply write to say that I thank each and every one of you for sharing your Monday mornings with me for another year. It is truly an honor and a privilege to know that so many of you participate in reading our blog and enjoy posting your comments. Please know that each year I continue to learn…
Read: MERRY CHRISTMAS → We all know that in both a condo and an HOA board members serve without compensation. Suppose however that a member of the Board owns a business and that business wants to enter into a contract with the association? For example, let’s say the condominium needs a paint job. The condo President is a general…
Read: HAVE I GOT A DEAL FOR YOU → HOA owners who never heard of Florida’s Marketable Record Title Act, better known as MRTA, better get to know this topic well. To simplify what the Act stands for, it basically means that your governing documents in your homeowner’s association can literally expire and disappear after they have been…
Read: HEY HOA OWNERS – YOU NEED TO MEET MRTA → Now that Thanksgiving is over, there’s a race to get those Christmas decorations up. It’s no longer too early to start as recently suggested by one HOA. Twinkle the lights, plug-in the blow-ups, put up the signs, sprinkle the lawn with fake snow, place reindeer in the driveway and most of all, get in the…
Read: HOLIDAY DECORATIONS --- WHAT ARE THE LIMITS? → It’s the time of year when Boards are concentrating on passing the association’s new budget. In a Florida condominium, the budget must contain fully funded reserve accounts that shall go into effect, unless a majority of a quorum of unit owners vote to waive or reduce the funding of reserves. Reserves must…
Read: RESERVES: SHOULD WE FUND THEM OR SHOULD WE WAIVE THEM? → It’s that time of year again — number crunching time. Time to figure out if everyone is going to be paying a little more next year in their monthly or quarterly assessments. Here are some things to keep in mind: In a condo — when the budget is mailed to the owners, the budget must show the reserves as…
Read: TIME TO PREPARE THE ANNUAL BUDGET → Each year your condo association or HOA is required to pass an annual budget that in theory should pay all of the bills of the association. The statutes require this. Then a storm hits, or balconies start deteriorating and many Associations suddenly find themselves in desperate need to repair the common…
Read: CAN YOUR ASSOCIATION BORROW MONEY? → Every survey seems to confirm that people are simply fed up with politics and their elected politicians. Approval ratings have never been lower. Compromise is not an option and stalemate is the new norm. Perhaps until now. This year, at least as far as the few million owners in homeowner associations go,…
Read: THANK YOU FLORIDA LEGISLATURE → Let’s do the blog a little differently this week. Before reading on, click here and watch this report and then come back: http://www.clickorlando.com/news/kissimmee-hoa-walks-off-with-residents-trash-bins/-/1637132/21985458/-/66by62z/-/index.html Now that you watched the news report, I would love to get…
Read: ONE BOARD'S OBSSESSION WITH GARBAGE CANS → Let’s pretend that we’re taking a law school exam today. I’ll give the fact pattern and look for the answers from you. Facts: The Cheatem Blind Condominium needs a new roof. With no vote of its Board, directors Sam Shyster and Carlos Crook execute a contract with Carlos’ own roofing company. The…
Read: WHO CAN GET DISCIPLINED AND WHY? → Licensed professions in Florida each have their own set of rules that licensees are required to follow. For example, lawyers are required to abide by The Rules Regulating the Florida Bar. Community association managers also have rules to abide by and can be subject to discipline for doing any of the…
Read: BE CAREFUL C.A.M.S → Idon’t know if any of you heard yet, but a new Florida law has been passed that says: Public schools are no longer under an obligation to accept your children. Hospitals are under no obligation to treat you or your family medically. Florida business establishments can refuse entry to you and your family;…
Read: BROWARD'S NEW ORDINANCE → It’s September. Day camp is over for the kids. It’s starting to get dark a little earlier each day and the brutal summer heat is not as bad as it was a few weeks ago. This can only mean one thing……..it’s time to go back to school. I’m not talking about the kids. I’m talking to you Mr. or Mrs. Unit…
Read: IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL TIME →Read it. Then watch it.
