We are in unchartered waters as our country faces the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of people have been laid off, millions more are dealing with reduction in work hours, and businesses that were once thriving are completely shut down.
Florida like many other states have issued emergency orders that significantly impact the way we do business –
With the declaration of a national emergency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) urging a nationwide halt to gatherings of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks, the COVID-19 public health emergency has created a lot of uncertainty for communities. Communities need to balance taking reasonable steps to limit exposure
While some legislative sessions can be relatively uneventful for condominiums and homeowner associations, this year there are a number of bills that could have a significant impact on the operation and governance of these communities.
In particular, House Bill 623 – Community Associations includes a number of proposed changes that would significantly impact condominiums, cooperatives, and
Many communities impose a capital contribution (sometimes called an initiation fee) on new owners. This is a one-time, nonrefundable fee paid by the buyer at closing. These fees usually go into a special account used to fund capital improvements and repairs in the community. Both Fla. Stat. §720.308(6) and §720.308(4)(b), prohibit a developer from using
In today’s lien foreclosure market, most community associations benefit from competitive bidding at their lien foreclosure sale. Since the great recession a cottage industry sprouted of investors competitively bidding at these sales. Investors then renovate the properties and rent them until the mortgagee completes its own foreclosure action. This is generally a win/win situation as
Let’s face it, we do almost everything online – from shopping to paying bills. Following that trend, many community associations also conduct a lot of activity through a website, including; paying assessments, advertising sales or rentals, or posting documents, notices, minutes, and social calendars for members to easily access. In fact, the Florida legislature passed
Benefits of social media in the community association context are numerous, not the least of which are speed and reach. Various online platforms enable communities to instantly deliver information to potentially hundreds or thousands of their residents who are regularly glued to their screens. As a result, however, many communities approach the use of social
The Fourth District Court of Appeals recently addressed an association’s liability for failure to enforce no-street parking restrictions in Seminole Lakes HOA, Inc. v. Esnard, Case No. 4D18-15 (Fla. 4th DCA December 19, 2018). The case arose out of a car accident between Esnard and another driver which occurred inside the Seminole Lakes community.
The restrictive
The Second District Court of Appeals ruling in Valencia Golf and Country Club Homeowners’ Association, Inc. v. Community Resource Services, Inc. and Orangetee Homeowners Association, Inc., Case No. 2D17-4986 (Fla. 2d DCA, May 22, 2019) is instructive for community associations, and litigants in general, of a party ensuring the issue of entitlement to attorney fees
When faced with major property damage, whether caused by burst pipes or hurricane damage, a property owner or community association has a duty to mitigate its loss. That means timely notifying the insurance carrier of the loss and taking reasonable measures to minimize the extent of damage. In the case of burst pipes, mitigation includes
