New Florida Association Laws – HB 1195

Posted on March 8, 2012 by The Richards Law Group, PLLC

House Bill 1195 (HB1195), effective July 1st, 2011, established some new laws governing Florida’s Condominium and Homeowner’s Associations. These changes to Florida Statute 718 and 720 are not major ones, but there are a few items that should be looked at.

Closed Door Board Meetings
Florida Statute 718.112(2)(c)3 now allows for a Condo Board to hold closed meetings for the purposes of discussing matters that pertain to personnel, but an attorney must still be present when discussing any purposed or pending litigation in order for any other type of closed door meeting to be held. This now makes the Condo requirements consistent with the HOA requirements of Florida Statute 720.303(2).

Participation in Board Meetings
Florida Statute 720.303(2)(b) removes the requirement that HOA members must petition the Board in order to speak at any Board meetings, and also allows for HOA members that have the right to speak at any Board meeting, the ability to reference all items.

Collection of Rents
Florida Statutes 718.116(11) (for Condos) and 720.3085(8) (for HOAs) address the laws that went into effect last year as to the directing of rents from a tenant in an property, directly to the Association if the owner of the property is delinquent in their assessments. Then new laws delete references to “future monetary obligations” and they clarify that demand for rent is for subsequent rental payments due from the tenant. A very important part that is clarified, is that upon written notice from the Association, a tenant is responsible to pay all subsequent rental payments to the Association until all monetary obligations of the unit owner that concern the unit the tenant is living in have been paid in full.

Official Records
There is come clarification in Florida Statute 718.111(12) that “personnel records” are records that pertain to both the Association’s employees as well as the Association’s management company’s employees. It goes on to state that “personnel records” cannot be accessed by owners, but any written agreements between and Association and their employees or management company, as well as financial and budgetary documents that show the compensation paid to an employee are available to owners.

The new law also provides that owner’s email addresses and fax numbers are not to be made available to other owners, unless an owner consents in writing to release personal identifying information (such as emails, phone numbers and alternative addresses).

Florida Statute 720.303(5)(c) also provides that owner’s email addresses and fax numbers are not to be made available to other owners, unless an owner consents in writing to release personal identifying information (such as emails, phone numbers and alternative addresses), and that “personnel records” cannot be accessed by owners, but any written agreements between and Association and their employees or management company, as well as financial and budgetary documents that show the compensation paid to an employee are available to owners.

Board Elections
Florida Statute 718.112(2)(d) Provides some clarification added that if at an annual meeting of the Association, if a Board member’s term would expire, but there are no candidates, the Board member’s term will not expire. If there are candidates, and if there are candidates equal to, or less than the number of Board positions expiring at the meeting, all candidates shall become members of the Board, upon the close of the meeting. If there are any Board positions that are not filled, an affirmative vote by a majority of the Board (even if there is just one person on the Board and no quorum) shall be used to fill the openings on the Board.

A Board candidate must be eligible to serve on the Board when the candidate cheap propecia online submits the required notice of intent to serve 40 days before the election for the candidates name to be on the ballot.

Florida Statute 720.306(9) now states that any owner who is more than 90 days delinquent in making payment of any assessment or fine, or has been convicted of a felony in Florida (with some exceptions as to having their civil rights restored) is not eligible to sit on the Board. It also allows for any actions by the Board in which a member of the Board is/was ineligible to sit on the Board, to still be valid, despite the ineligibility of a member.

Master and Sub Association
Both Florida Statutes 718.116(1)(b)2 and 720.3085(2)(d) now allow for both Condo and HOAs that when an Association takes title to a property through foreclosure of it’s lien based on assessments, they are not liable for unpaid assessments, interest, late fees, costs, or attorney’s fees that were incurred by a Master Association (one that has a superior interest on the property) prior to the Association taking title.

Suspensions and Fines
Florida Statutes 718.303(3)?(6) state that a Condominium Association Board can suspend the use voting and use rights of a owner who is more than 90 days delinquent, but it must be done at a duly-noticed Board meeting, and the Board must set forth in writing the suspension and deliver it (by mail or by hand).

An Association can fine and also suspend the rights of an owner (as well as or their guests, tenants or invitees ) to use the common areas and other facilities of the Association for a “reasonable period of time” , for the failure of any party to comply with the Association’s rules, regulations, and governing documents. There is still a $100 maximum per violation limit, and $1,000 aggregate amount. There still also must be a 14 day written notice provided to an owner as well as a hearing prior to the implementation of suspension of use, as well as fines for the any party’s failure to comply with the governing documents.

Florida Statute 720.305 now provides that the Association’s governing documents do not have to contain language that provides for the suspension of the voting rights for an owner who is 90 days delinquent in paying any assessments or other monetary obligation. An Association can now also suspend the use rights for an owner (or their guests, tenants or invitees) if the owner is more than 90 days delinquent as well. The Board can suspend the use voting and use rights of a owner who is more than 90 days delinquent , but it must be done at a duly-noticed Board meeting, and the Board must set forth in writing the suspension and deliver it (by mail or by hand).

An Association can fine and also suspend the rights of an owner (as well as or their guests, tenants or invitees ) to use the common areas and other facilities of the Association for a “reasonable period of time” , for the failure of any party to comply with the Association’s rules, regulations, and governing documents. There is still a $100 maximum per violation limit, and $1,000 aggregate amount, however if the governing documents allow for an amount larger than $1,000, the Association can exceed the $1,000 limit. There still also must be a 14 day written notice provided to an owner as well as a hearing prior to the implementation of suspension of use, as well as fines for the any party’s failure to comply with the governing documents.

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