The Condo and HOA Law Bulletin
A Condo and Community Associations Law Blog
Join us on Thursday, November 15th for an HOA Board of Directors Training. Shumaker is a division-approved education provider and this class will satisfy the requirements of Fla. Stat. §§ 720.3033 and 718.112 if completed within 1 year before or 90 days after being elected or appointed to the board. RSVP to reserve your spot today!
Join us on Wednesday, September 12th or Thursday, September 13th for an HOA Advanced Board of Directors Training. RSVP today!
Traditionally, all phases of homeowners association board of directors elections, including nominations, voting,
and vote counting, are conducted at the annual meeting. However, the time consuming nature of this process has led some homeowners associations to require nominations prior to the annual meeting instead of “from the floor” at the meeting. This saves time at the annual meeting by allowing the Association to confirm the eligibility of the candidates ahead of time. Continue reading “Homeowners Association Director Nominations in Advance of the Annual Meeting”
With the recent threat from Hurricane Irma, many condominium associations were faced with emergency requests from unit owners for the association to install or for the association to allow owners to install hurricane shutters or other forms of hurricane protection.
If an association had no hurricane protection policy in place, the association was likely unprepared to field these requests. Most board members would cringe at the thought of plywood being mounted on the windows, but if the association has not addressed what hurricane protection is acceptable, nor made arrangements for the association to install hurricane protection, the board of directors may not have the ability to deny an owner’s request to install their own form of code-compliant hurricane protection. Continue reading “Hurricane Shutters and Hurricane Protection Policies: Does your Condominium have what it needs?”
The legislature recently amended Chapter 718 of the Florida Statues, relating to condominiums, to create a rebuttable presumption that a conflict of interest exist in certain situations.[1] A conflict of interest is a real or seeming incompatibility between one’s private interests and one’s public or fiduciary duties. Black’s Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014). Continue reading “Condominiums and Conflicts of Interest: How to interpret the rebuttable presumption”
Condominiums are comprised of “units” owned by individual owners and “common elements” owned collectively by all owners. Pursuant to Chapter 718, Florida Statutes, “units” include all areas designated as such in the particular condominium’s governing documents, while “common elements” includes all other real property of the condominium which is not included within the units. Typical examples of common elements include pools and clubhouses. Generally, all owners are equally entitled to utilize the common elements of the condominium. Continue reading “Assignment of Condominium Limited Common Element Use Rights”
Are subsequent title holders who obtain an interest in real property during the pendency of a foreclosure lawsuit where a lis pendens has been properly recorded (referred to as a “Purchaser Pendente Lite”), entitled to join in the lawsuit to protect that interest? In Bonafide Properties v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 198 So.3d 694 (2d DCA 2016) the Second District Court of Appeal says no and affirms the long standing doctrine of generally barring the intervention of a purchaser pendente lite in a pending lawsuit for foreclosure. Continue reading “Two’s Company, but Three’s a Crowd: A Third Party’s Right to Intervene in a Foreclosure Lawsuit”
Restrictive endorsements when coupled with payment are still applicable to associations.
As many may remember, The Florida Legislature amended Florida Statutes §718.116 and §720.3085 to include language relating to the applicability of restrictive endorsements, designations or instruction accompanying payments made for delinquent assessments. Specifically, Florida Statutes §718.116(3) and §720.3085(3)(b) state as follows: Continue reading “Restrictive Endorsement”
During transfers of properties in condominiums or other planned communities, community associations are frequently contacted by prospective buyers, lenders or realtors with requests for information pertinent to the transfer. Often, these requests seek detailed information about a broad range of topics related to the condition and operation of the community. Complying with such requests can become extremely time-consuming for directors or property managers tasked with preparing the responses. Fortunately, community associations are not required to provide any information to prospective buyers, lenders, or realtors under Florida law. Continue reading “What Information Is My Community Association Required to Provide in Relation to Sales of Units?”
Does your homeowners association require nominations from the floor for an election to the board of directors? Recent changes to the Florida Statutes governing homeowners associations have given some associations the right to forego accepting nominations from the floor during an election of board members. However, your association should analyze its governing documents for compliance with the statutory requirements prior to refusing to accept nominations from the floor. Continue reading “Recent Changes to the Florida Statutes Governing Homeowners Associations”