Q: My condominium association board assessed seven thousand dollars per unit right after the Hurricane Ian in 2022, which I paid. The board has now decided they do not need the funds and have voted to return them to the owners. I sold my condo unit after the refund decision was made, but before the money was given to the owners. The board now says the refund should go to the new owner. I disagree. What do you say? (C.A., via e-mail) The post Refund Rights Run with Title first appeared on Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog ..read more

If your community association is served with a complaint or subpoena, you must promptly forward it to the community association’s legal counsel. As explained in this article, receipt of a complaint or subpoena triggers time sensitive legal obligations that can expose your community association to serious liability. Indeed, the filing of a complaint is often deemed the start of litigation – in other words, you may have just been sued! Depending on what rules apply to the complaint in question, your community association may only have 20 days to prepare and serve a response or an answer to the c ..read more

If you are living in a Homeowners Association the Board or the Architectural Review Committee generally cannot prohibit the installation of solar panels (or “solar collectors”). A Florida law, F.S. 163.04, provides that any “deed restriction or declaration” or even any “similar binding agreement” may not prohibit — or have the effect of prohibiting — solar collectors (or clotheslines or any other energy devices based on renewable resources), from being installed on buildings or lots within the Association. Nor may the owner, in the absence of such restrictions, be denied permission to install ..read more

Q: Our condominium association is thinking about changing roofing materials. Our bylaws say that a majority of the unit owners who participate in a meeting can decide any issue, “unless a specific voting percentage is stipulated in the declaration, these bylaws or law.” Does this mean that a majority of the unit owners can approve a roofing change? (L.T., via e-mail) The post Roofing Changes Usually Require Member Vote first appeared on Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog ..read more

Has your association ever faced the challenge of a shadow website or social media page imitating your own? Have you discovered your community’s name being used by a business entity without permission? Host Donna DiMaggio Berger, along with guest Valeria Angelucci from Becker’s Corporate Practice, shed light on these common issues. Despite their prevalence, the solution for both prevention and resolution is often just one registered trademark away! The post Crafting and Protecting Your Community’s Trademark with Becker’s Valeria Angelucci first appeared on Florida Condo & HOA ..read more

Florida has not escaped the growing epidemic of fires started by lithium-ion batteries, like those used in e-bikes and other battery-operated personal transportation devices. A recent Miami bike shop caught fire after the shop owner left an e-bike battery charging and closed the store for the day. Surveillance cameras caught the moment the battery exploded, starting the devastating fire. In New York, people have died in fires caused by e-bike batteries. In fact, New York has seen so many devastating fires started by e-bike batteries, the New York City Housing Authority has proposed a rule chan ..read more

Food does more than just tantalize your taste buds—it can also weave communities together and ignite change. In this episode, host Donna DiMaggio Berger is joined by Tim and Lara Boyd from Mustard Seed Bistro in Plantation to explore how simple community cookouts can spark vital conversations and foster collaboration. They discuss how providing refreshments at gatherings like board and membership meetings often cultivates a more positive atmosphere. The post Cooking Up Community Connection with Tim and Lara Boyd of Mustard Seed Bistro first appeared on Florida Condo & HOA Law Blo ..read more

The post Cooking Up Community Connection with Tim and Lara Boyd of Mustard Seed Bistro first appeared on Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog ..read more

The post Crafting and Protecting Your Community’s Trademark with Becker’s Valeria Angelucci first appeared on Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog ..read more

The post “‘Estoppel Certificates’ and Other Disclosures Explained” – News-Press first appeared on Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog ..read more