Many Floridians live within a community operated by an association of some kind, be it a community of single-family homes under the jurisdiction of a homeowner’s or property owner’s association, or a condominium building maintained by a condominium association. These owners should be well-aware that many aspects of life within these communities are subject to […]

The use of automobiles in Florida can be a source of pure enjoyment, but often results in stress and frustration. This is especially true as you witness a neighbor speeding recklessly on the association roads. Safety should always be paramount. Unfortunately, not every driver operates their automobile in a responsible, safe manner leading to all […]

With the ever-increasing urban development in Florida, especially in South Florida, we are sometimes reminded that we live in close proximity to a number of native and exotic invasive wild animals. What can and should happen when your community association is confronted with that unexpected wild animal that causes a ruckus, or even worse, the […]

“A stitch in time saves nine”. This is a well known phrase which implies that a little work now, will save you from a lot of work, later. Remembering this phrase can go a long way in the management and operation of your community association. The Florida Legislature has amended numerous statutes affecting our community […]

Community associations have an interest in the safety and integrity of their communities. Generally speaking, boards of community associations would like to be reasonably certain that potential owners, renters and other occupants have the financial capability to meet their financial obligations. Also of concern are potential purchasers’ and tenants’ criminal backgrounds, if any, so as […]

A necessary duty of Florida’s community associations is to levy and collect assessments to ensure the upkeep of the community. In a perfect world, all owners would timely pay their assessments. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. When owners do not pay, their association often takes legal action including the filing of a lien […]

Golf course communities are a fact of life in south Florida. But what happens when the course becomes too expensive to maintain? Sometimes, what started out as a voluntary club membership becomes mandatory for new owners. This can have obvious negative effects on sales due to the added expenses of the mandatory club membership. To […]

Generally speaking, as a result of sections 720.3085 and 718.116, Florida Statutes, lenders who acquire property as a result of their own foreclosure of their first mortgage against their borrower only owe the association the lesser of 12 months back assessments or 1% of the initial mortgage, whichever is less. This is referred to as […]

In addition to House Bill 841, containing this year’s community association legislation, as discussed in prior articles, there are several other pieces of legislation that have made their way through the 2018 Florida legislative session and are now signed into law by Governor Scott that affect, or are of interest to, community associations. The following […]

House Bill 841 containing this year’s community association legislation (“HB 841” or “Bill”) has made its way through the 2018 Florida legislative session and was signed into law by Governor Scott on March 23rd. As the Bill is now signed into law, it becomes effective on July 1, 2018. The following is a digest explanation […]