Florida statutes governing condominium and cooperative associations specifically provide that it is the association’s board of directors that is responsible for the administration of the association. Similarly, the governing documents for most mandatory homeowners associations governed by Chapter 720 of the Florida Statutes and community associations governed by Chapter 617 of the Florida Statutes provide
Board member responsibilities
ROCs and Fair Housing “Testers”
As many of my readers know, among the topics frequently discussed on this blog are the many issues facing resident owned communities when dealing with the Fair Housing Act.
I’ve recently been speaking to community association managers and ROC board members about the importance of properly responding to and evaluating requests made by current…
ROCs and the Trayvon MartinTragedy
I wanted to post two recent articles related to the death of Trayvon Martin.
The first discusses the potential liability facing the Retreat at Twin Lakes Homeowners’ Association as Trayvon was apparently shot and killed by a member of that association’s "neighborhood watch" group.
The second release was published by the Community Associations Institute…
Great Educational Opportunity for Southwest Florida ROCs on March 27
I want to remind all of my blog readers that the PM-EXPO Trade Show is scheduled for Tuesday, March 27, at the Charlotte County Convention Center.
This will be a day packed with fun and information with presentations on a number of very interesting topics.
Here’s the link to the home page for the Trade…
The Fate of HB 319 and SB 680 and Continued Confusion for ROCs
Florida’s state senators and representatives have concluded their 2012 legislative session in Tallahassee.
While House Bill 319 was overwhelmingly approved, Senate Bill 680–the companion to HB 319–never came before the Senate for a vote, thus effectively preventing either of these bills from becoming law.
Whether the failure of either bill to make…
An Update on the Update–Meanwhile, Over in the Senate
Last night’s blog entry focused on the most recent version of House Bill 319 and specifically on two revisions–the addition of the "safe harbor" provisions found in Chapters 718 and 720 of the Florida Statutes to F.S. Section 719.108 and the removal of the "certification/education" requirement for newly elected or appointed board members in…
An Update on House Bill 319 and Cooperatives
As most of the followers of this blog know, Florida’s legislature is currently in session in Tallahassee.
The bill that may be of most interest to community association managers, homeowners, and those of us that provide legal assistance and advice to ROCs-–House Bill 319–has been making its way through the various legislative…
Beware of the “Service Dog Scam”
It’s no secret that the Fair Housing Act prohibits housing providers from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. An community association thus must make a "reasonable accommodation" to a disabled current or prospective resident who requires that accommodation to "use and enjoy a dwelling".
We’ve recently been contacted about homeowners in resident owned communities…
ROCs and the Komen/Planned Parenthood Controversy
Followers of this blog know that I frequently caution that almost all board meetings in resident owned communities must be properly noticed and open to association members. There are specific provisions prohibiting board members from meeting "behind closed doors" in the statutes governing condominium associations, cooperative associations, and mandatory homeowners associations.
While…
Hands Off that Ballot Box!
Florida’s Republican primary is just a few days away and many, if not most, of the community associations in our state are in the midst of their own ROC board elections.
What better time to remind unit owners in condominiums and cooperatives about the procedures that must be followed if the association wishes to…