Just after midnight on Thursday, June 24, 2021, tragedy struck Surfside, Florida, when 55 of 136 units of the 12-story Champlain Towers South Condominium tragically crumbled to the ground. Just prior, a sleepless sixth floor owner notices a two-finger-wide separation in her drywall and, fearing the worst, scrambles downstairs as the building begins to collapse […]
Author Archive: rembaumlaw
The Subtle and Not-So-Subtle Differences Between Homeowners and Condominium Associations
Florida has created an abundance of legislation governing homeowners’ and condominium associations. You would think that, by now, laws affecting both types of communities would have more parity than they actually do. (Please note that that commercial condominiums are not addressed in this article.) Perhaps the most appreciative difference between a homeowners association and a residential condominium association […]
NBC NEWS Reports Condo Could Have Been Repaired Faster Under Prior Law | July 7th Building Maintenance Video Now Online
The Champlain Towers South collapse is a heartbreaking tragedy. While it may be months before the cause or causes of the collpase are determined, NBC News reporters Jon Schuppe and Phil Prazan look back at Florida’s laws governing condominium associations to determine if they could have made a meaningful difference. KBR attorney Jeffrey Rembaum provides […]
2021 Legislative Update
The 2021 Florida Legislature was busy indeed. This year’s new legislation brings tremendous clarifications of existing laws and new laws to Florida’s community associations. All of the bills discussed herein were approved by the Governor, and are now in effect (unless otherwise noted). To view the bills that were passed into law, please visit kbrlegal.com […]
The Champlain Towers South Condominium Collapse
HELPING THOSE IN NEED At Kaye Bender Rembaum, our attorneys and staff are heartbroken for the victims and their families who are suffering as a result of yesterday’s Champlain Towers Condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida. We offer our hopes and prayers to the heroic efforts being led by first responders who are searching for victims […]
New Requirements for Collection of Delinquent Assessments
Robert Kaye, Managing member of Kaye Bender Rembaum, recently wrote an informative and telling article explaining the new collection procedures mandated to be in effect July 1, as a result of the 2021 legislation. Every board member, manager, and developer needs to be aware of these important changes. ———————————– The Florida Legislature has revised the […]
Should Emails Between Board Members & Managers Be Considered Official Records Subject to Members Inspection?
In today’s instant world, email allows us to express our thoughts anytime, anywhere. So often, emails serve as a substitute for making phone calls. If a phone call is made from a board member to a manager, absent a deposition of either party or a contemporaneous note documenting the conversation, the content of the communication […]
Assistance Animal Requests | It Could Not Get Any Worse, Could It?
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) provides for two distinct types of assistance animals: (i) the service animal and (ii) the emotional support animal. In general, the FHA makes it unlawful for a housing provider, which includes condominium and homeowners associations, to refuse to make a reasonable accommodation in rules, policies, practices, or services on behalf […]
Implications of Governor’s Newest Executive Order on Florida’s Community Associations
Effective May 3, 2021 at 4:06 P.M., Governor DeSantis, by way of Executive Order 21-102, suspended all remaining local government mandates and restrictions based on the COVID-19 State of Emergency. In short, this Order provides that all local government COVID-19 restrictions and mandates on individuals and businesses are hereby suspended. However, this Order does NOT address private rules […]
Emergency Order Extended | Omnibus Legislation Affecting Associations | CAM CE Breakfast Returns
Governor Extends Emergency Order On April 27th, 2021, The Governor extended the State of Emergency through June 26, 2021. You can view the document filing HERE. Omnibus Legislation Affecting Community Associations May Have Huge Impact Senate Bill 630, which is referred to as this year’s community association omnibus bill because it contains so many changes to […]