[mc4wp_form id="5389"]

Article

Category – Community Update Articles

Housing For Older Persons

Posted on

In 1968 the Federal Fair Housing Act (also known as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act) was enacted to prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Subsequently, in 1988 the Act was amended to add …

Share this article

Keeping Your HOA’s Covenants Alive

Posted on

The Marketable Record Title Act’s (MRTA) purpose is to extinguish old interests and use restrictions on lands and to allow for land sales to be completed more easily and with less expense. Unfortunately, aged homeowners’ association covenants are amongst the …

Share this article

Can Anything Be Done About Solar Panels?

Posted on

If you are living in a homeowners association you probably know that the Association cannot prohibit the installation of solar panels (or “solar collectors”). But what about a request to install such devices on the roof of a condominium? Section …

Share this article

Preparing for Extreme Heat: The New Natural Disaster

Posted on

The word “hot” has many connotations: it can reveal anger when you say someone is “hot around the collar”; it can invoke personal appeal or desirability “he’s so hot”; it can refer to a disorganized person or situation, hence the …

Share this article

Part 2: Can an Association Prohibit Smoking in Its Condominium?

Posted on

As mentioned in Part 1, published in last month’s community update, an association can prohibit smoking in the common elements/common areas by adopting a Rule. An association may also want to prevent smoking on balconies and patios. If the balconies …

Share this article

Breed-Specific Dog Bans

Posted on

In 1989, in the wake of a series of serious injuries caused by pit bulls, most notably the mauling of a 7-year-old girl and her mother, Miami-Dade County adopted an ordinance making it illegal for residents to own or keep …

Share this article

Part 1: Can an Association Prohibit Smoking in Its Condominium?

Posted on

Secondhand smoke is formed from a burning cigarette or the smoke exhaled by the cigarette smoker. Secondhand smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, hundreds of which are toxic and nearly 70 can cause cancer. From 1964 to 2014, the Surgeon General …

Share this article

Best Practices for Hurricane Preparedness

Posted on

It’s that time of year again. As the days get longer and the weather gets hotter, we know that hurricane season is fast approaching. Therefore, this is a good time to review some of the “best practices” to prepare for …

Share this article

Strict Compliance vs. Substantial Compliance – Not Knowing the Difference Can Cost You!

Posted on

The Florida statues governing community associations often provide timeframes for notice to owners before the association can proceed with action, including passage of special assessments, adoption of fines and collections. While some statutory sections allow for “substantial compliance” with the …

Share this article

Update: Condo/Co-Op/HOA Meeting Agendas & Notice Requirements

Posted on

Florida laws governing community associations require notice of meetings to encourage owner participation. Here is a helpful guide summarizing the notice requirements under statute; however, this guide is not intended to be all inclusive and is only for general reference. …

Share this article

What Are Limited Common Elements and Who’s Responsible?

Posted on

The Florida Condominium Act defines limited common elements as those common elements that are reserved for the use of a certain unit or group of units, as specified in the declaration of the condominium. This definition indicates that the limited …

Share this article

The New Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Lender Questionnaire: To Answer, or Not to Answer, That Is the Question!

Posted on

The Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) recently issued new temporary requirements as an attempt to mitigate risk in community association loan underwriting. Many other industries within the community association world, …

Share this article