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
No matter who you plan on voting for in a few weeks, we can probably all agree that this has been the nastiest campaign that most of us have ever witnessed. The mud slinging won’t stop until the last ballot is counted and we’re certainly none the wiser for it. It makes you think though what each would say…
Read more → An aggravated client of mine comes to me this week, complaining that numerous owners have installed washers and dryers over the years without permission from the association, and that as a result, the owners who don’t have washers and dryers object to paying the water bill as part of the common expenses of…
Read more → The common complaint about a Board member is that of the typical “condo commando” who is more or less a drill sergeant, and who tries to run the place like an army barracks, inspecting every nook and cranny and looking to pick a fight with any willing participant. While that may be the stereotypical…
Read more → The first thing a Board member must do, before learning all the laws, reading your docs and memorizing the rules is to immediately grow a thicker skin. Often times, Board members hear residents say things like “so where has all our money gone” or “if you knew what you were doing, we wouldn’t need another…
Read more → Iknow what you’re thinking after reading the title of the blog today. Has Eric lost it? Is this a serious question? Obviously, much more important to me is the election of the President of the United States. The owner of unit 3N vs. the owner of unit 11B simply doesn’t match-up to Obama v. Romney. Wait.…
Read more → To simplify, I like to say that any document that could be, might be or appears to be an official record of the association probably is. To further simplify, every unit owner in both a condo and an HOA can see all the official records with very few exceptions. (Even the accounting ledger for your unit)…
Read more → Ah………………..the first week of July is approaching. Our thoughts turn to backyard bar-b-cues, baseball, fireworks and if you live in a Florida community association, lots and lots of fights over how, when and where to fly the flag. It seems like each year we hear and read about so many battles between…
Read more → There is a huge debate going on about whether or not a “no pet” community association can actually remain “pet-free” simply because the governing documents say that it is. Despite the fact that so many communities have language in their governing documents that specifically prohibit owners or renters from…
Read more → It’s been a while since I felt strong about a particular political candidate. The two party system has simply destroyed the opportunity for any candidate to do anything other than toe his party’s platform. If he or she deviates from the platform, the party casts them to the wind until another robot comes…
Read more → As we know all too well now, it’s an election year. The commercials and the propaganda have already started and no doubt it will get more and more annoying as November gets closer. To get elected, candidates will be making promises by the boat load. Indeed, on yesterday’s Condo Craze and HOAs show, Randy…
Read more → Ihave often been asked if an association has the right to prevent an owner from smoking in their unit. Certainly, all of you are aware that the association can prevent a unit owner’s behavior from becoming a nuisance or source of annoyance to other unit owners. Every declaration contains a nuisance…
Read more → The Florida Condominium Act mandates that the developer provide warranties to the association regarding the common elements, even in those communities that are converted from rental housing to condominiums. The HOA statute however never provided similar protection to homeowner associations and the law was…
Read more → First thing first….I honor all those who served our country on this Memorial Day and thank them for their service. I always am amazed about how many former service men and women serve on association boards after their service to this country is completed. In fact, one former pilot recently told me at one…
Read more → Last week’s column about what sort of relationships may constitute a family, sure drew the ire of some of our readers. People were outraged that their association was able to determine who can and who cannot live in or occupy a home that they own. Some of you thought that just because you move into a…
Read more → As we know, Mother’s Day is all about family. In a community association however, one person’s definition of “family” may differ with how their governing documents define “family.” The result may lead to certain people being allowed to have their “family” live with them in their condominium while their…
Read more → The Florida condominium statute provides that: Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, the officers shall serve without compensation and at the pleasure of the board of administration. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, the members of the board shall serve without compensation. The Florida HOA statute…
Read more → Although it may be hard to believe, there may be more complaints by associations about management companies than complaints by associations against the lawyers who represent the associations. At a minimum though, board members should be aware that the contracts between the management company and the…
Read more → When I sat down to write this column, I was going to initially write about the potential liability that the association may or may not be facing as a result of George Zimmerman shooting and killing an unarmed Treyvon Martin. If you listened to the Condo Craze show yesterday, you know that I’m not yet…
Read more →Read it. Then watch it.
