Category Archives: HOA Condo Association
How To Avoid Claims Of ‘Selective Enforcement’ As A Condo Board
One of the most crucial requirements of most condominium regulations is to treat every unit owner in an equal manner wherever possible. However, when there are disputes between owners and the board, it is not uncommon to see an owner allege that selective enforcement has taken place. If a rule is enforced against one… Read More »
Can Community Associations Ban Specific Pet Breeds?
There are a variety of dog breeds that are seen, rightly or wrongly, as dangerous – rottweilers, German shepherds, and pit bulls being the most common examples. Florida, among other states, had enacted ‘breed-specific’ legislation barring these breeds from homes and public facilities, but the last bans were abolished in 2023. That said, there… Read More »
Florida’s Largest HOA Tries To Pick Up The Pieces
The Hammocks is a homeowners’ association (HOA) in West Kendall, southwest of Miami. For the past seven years, it has been governed by a “tyrannical, secretive board of directors,” which now stands accused of allegedly stealing millions in fees from the roughly 6500 homeowners. As of March 2023, a new board is trying to… Read More »
Can Community Associations Regulate Electric Car Charging Ports?
In 2022, statistics from Car & Driver magazine estimated that approximately 1 percent of all vehicles on the road were electric or partially electric – which does not sound like a lot, but given there are approximately 278 million cars registered to drivers in the United States, that number is still significant. As such,… Read More »
What Is The Role Of A Homeowners’ Association In Florida?
For new Floridians, or for new homeowners in general, the prevalence of homeowners’ associations (HOAs) in Florida can be a bit jarring – approximately 70 percent of dwellings built within the last decade fall under an HOA. Stereotypes abound as to what an HOA can and cannot do, and to what length it has… Read More »
How Can I Participate Remotely In My Condo Association Meetings?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many community associations made changes to their meeting rules to permit owners to participate in board meetings remotely, so as to ensure safety for all. In 2021, the Florida legislature codified many of those rules, allowing some remote options to remain an option for associations moving forward. There are many… Read More »
Collections For Homeowners’ Associations
No one, whether a member of a community association board or a unit owner, enjoys the collections process. However, living in a community association comes with the requirement to pay all the required fees and assessments; a failure to do so means that the board must enforce collections proceedings against owners, which can be… Read More »
What Can A Condo Board Do About Nonpayment Of Dues?
When a person buys a condominium, they implicitly (and often, explicitly) consent to be governed by the condo association’s rules and board of directors. Perhaps the most important rule for condo owners is to pay dues and other assessments on time – and if they fail to do so, a condo board generally has… Read More »
Condo Association Faces Huge Fine After Cutting Down Oak Without Permission
In general, a condominium association has the responsibility for maintaining the common elements, which can include gardening and tree maintenance on association property. However, this does not give the association an undisputed free reign over maintenance decisions – in some situations, the county government can and will step in. Such was the story of… Read More »
Defining Condo Association “Common Elements”
A Declaration of Condominium is a document created at the inception of a condo complex, designed to set the boundaries between the individual units and what are known as the common elements. In general, the condominium board is required to maintain the common elements, while unit owners are required to maintain their own residences… Read More »