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 First District Court of Appeal decision in Coastal Creek Condominium Association, Inc. v Fla Trust Services, LLC, Case No. 1D18-1457 (Fla. 1st DCA, July 16, 2019) addressed whether a current condominium unit owner is jointly and severally liable for delinquent assessments accruing during the ownership of a remote owner. Having found that the joint
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 Federal Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 3601 prohibits housing providers from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status and disability. Most states, including Florida, have their own anti-discrimination laws, such as the Florida Fair Housing Act. In Florida, community associations are bound by both the Federal and Florida
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
As we discussed in our previous Legislative Update post, the Florida Legislature was working on number of bills that would have impacted community associations on a wide range of issues, and would have resulted in major revisions to Florida’s Condominium Act and Homeowners Association Act. However, as the 2019 legislative session came to a close,
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
