Recovery From Hurricane Ian
Unfortunately, Hurricane Ian was a historic storm and has left a wide and substantial swath of damage across Southwest Florida. As we all work to recover from the ongoing effects of Hurricane Ian, I would …
Special Assessment Due Dates Not Set by Statute
Q: I understand that the board of directors of my condominium association has the authority to levy special assessments. However, is there any requirement on when special assessments must be due? Does the association have to allow at least 30 …
Estoppel Fees Have Increased
In 2017, the Florida Legislature amended the community association statutes to formalize the estoppel certificate process and to establish the amount association were permitted to charge for providing the estoppel certificate. Prior to 2017, the statutes stated that associations could …
Electronic Voting in Community Associations Are the Days of Paper Ballots and In-Person Meetings a Thing of the Past?
Before the 2020 pandemic, annual membership meetings were a time for owners to get together and discuss community issues while anxiously awaiting for election ballots to be counted. However, COVID-19 changed the manner in which association meetings were held. With …
Acceptance and Application of Payments is ALWAYS the Right Answer
Assessment payments are the life blood of every community association, and the recovery of delinquent assessments is the primary goal for every community association. However, many associations, and their management companies, refuse to accept direct payment from delinquent owners once …
Parliamentary Procedure: How to Keep Your Meetings on Track with Parliamentarian Jim Slaughter
Are Robert’s Rules of Order the best way to keep board and membership meetings on track? What are the other uses for this book, which was first published in February of 1876? In this episode of the Take It To …
Board Workshops Covered by Sunshine Law
Q: I understand that if the board of directors posts notice for a meeting, and a majority of board members are there, that is a board meeting. However, what if a board just holds a workshop to discuss certain items …
Can a Married Couple Both Serve on the Board?
Q: Can a husband and wife both serve on the same condominium board of directors? T.H.
A: Maybe. If the husband and wife are both co-owners of a unit (i.e., both names listed on the …
Taxes, Taxes, and . . . Fewer Taxes with Marty Kiar, Broward County Property Appraiser, Part II
In this second of our two-part episode, host Donna DiMaggio Berger and Marty Kiar, Broward County’s Property Appraiser, continue their conversation about how properties in the county are appraised, how those appraisals can change over …
“Estoppel” Fee Explained
Q: I recently contacted my condominium association to get an account status for refinancing my mortgage. I was charged $299.00, which seems like a lot. Is this a valid charge? (J.R., via e-mail)
A: The Condominium Act, the Cooperative …