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
Before you know it, The Florida Legislature will be in session. In terms of legislation for condominiums and homeowner associations, 2019 was a complete bust. There wasn’t a single change to Florida Statute 718 or 720. For reasons beyond my comprehension, there are differences between these two statutes…
Read: DUMBFOUNDING DIFFERENCES → If you ever tried to remove a tree from your condo or HOA community, you know how difficult, expensive and impossible it can be. There are applications to fill-out, inspections to be made, fees to be paid and promises made to put a new tree back somewhere on the property or in the municipality. Well, thanks…
Read: IMPORTANT NEW LANDSCAPING LAW → Every year at this time we head into the peak of hurricane season hoping that “the big one” stays away for another year. In my 30 years now in South Florida there have been three or 4 named storms that wreaked some havoc on our communities in South Florida and even more on the west coast and in the…
Read: HURRICANE HEADACHES → As I write this blog, there is a threat of a tropical storm forming off the coast of Florida and there’s another potential storm brewing in the Atlantic. So, we are entering the peak of hurricane season. Get ready. Be prepared. I’m happy to say that after being without electricity after Wilma and Irma,…
Read: TIME TO GENERATE A NEW LAW → Many of you live in condominiums that have a “Master Association.” But what is a Master Association? Is it a condominium association? Is it a homeowner’s association? Is it neither? This question was recently addressed by the Third District Court of Appeal in Dimitri v. Commercial Center of Miami…
Read: SO JUST WHAT IS A “MASTER ASSOCIATION?” → In three 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. Why then are there fights ever year on the news about Boards attempting to force owners to take the flag down? The…
Read: NO MORE FLAG FIGHTS PLEASE! → If there is one discrepancy between condominium and homeowner association law that makes absolutely no sense, it’s the laws regarding...
Read: WHERE DO WE START? IN COURT? MEDIATION? ARBITRATION? → We have all been in circumstances where someone promised something, reneged on that promise and we wished we had the original promise in writing. “Getting it in writing” can also be crucial in the condominium and HOA context. Several years ago our firm successfully argued the case of Curci Village…
Read: DID YOU GET IT IN WRITING → We all know that condominium and homeowner associations sue and get sued all the time. Are there any specific obligations to inform the unit owners that the association has filed suit? Are there any specific obligations to inform the owners or potential buyers that the association has been sued? Believe…
Read: LITIGATION LIMITS → We all know that if you live in a condominium, your declaration of condominium and all amendments need to be recorded in the public records in the county where the condominium is located. If you live in a homeowner’s association, your declaration of covenants must be recorded. Your bylaws should also be…
Read: DO YOU NEED TO RECORD YOUR RULES AND REGULATIONS? → Inherent in the condominium concept is the principle that to promote the health, happiness, and peace of mind of the majority of the unit owners since they are living in such close proximity and using facilities in common, each unit owner must give up a certain degree of freedom of choice which he might…
Read: DO BOARDS HAVE UNLIMITED AUTHORITY TO MAKE RULES? → New condominiums and HOA communities continue to get built all over the state. The developer gets to control the community while the place is being built and sold, but perhaps the most critical time period in the entire existence of either a condominium or homeowner’s association is when that control of the…
Read: THE TURNOVER PROCESS: SIMPLIFYING THE PROCESS - REDUCING THE FEAR → All of you know how terrible the condo and HOA statutes are in terms of the association’s ability to collect unpaid assessments when a bank forecloses on a unit or home. If the bank gets back a unit in foreclosure, they owe the association the lesser of 1% of the mortgage or 1 year of assessments.…
Read: YOU MAY BE CHEATING YOURSELF OUT OF MONEY → This week I am very proud to announce that our office drafted legislation that truly brings Florida into the 21st century. It is still being tweaked by others with input, but it seeks to address an issue that we will need to deal with on a large scale, sooner than later, and that is electric cars. Many…
Read: SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH ELECTRIC CARS? → Representative George Moraitis has again filed a bill, House Bill 1061, that would allow community associations to opt-out of the requirement not only of a fire sprinkler system, but also for an engineered life safety system. You may recall that this was an extremely popular bill last year as it seeks to…
Read: SOME OTHER COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION PENDING LEGISLATION → House Member Emily Slosberg recently co-sponsored House Bill 123 called the “Stand Up for Seniors Act ” which only applies to 55 and over...
Read: DO SENIORS REALLY NEED THIS? → This year, The Florida Legislature starts early. In fact, it is already in session. So what’s in store for community associations in...
Read: SO WHAT’S IN STORE FOR 2018? → KAREN: A Jupiter police chief Frank Kitzerow is currently facing a lawsuit from his homeowners association who claims the chief owes them thousands in delinquent assessments. The lawsuit was filed with the Palm Beach County Circuit Court on April 19th claiming Kitzerow owes $1,600 in association fees after…
Read: POLICE CHIEF →Read it. Then watch it.
