Entries by Robert C. Samouce

HOA House Bill 1203 Becomes Law

House Bill 1203 approved by the Florida Legislature and signed by the Governor of Florida is a mixed bag of 44 pages of new laws affecting Homeowners Associations that will become effective on 7/1/24. House Bill 1203 is a large and wordy bill covering numerous topics concerning the governance and operation of Homeowners Associations (not […]

Condo House Bill 1021 Becomes Law

House Bill 1021 approved by the Florida Legislature and signed by the Governor of Florida on 6/14/24, is a mixed bag of laws affecting Condominium Associations that will become effective on 7 /1 /24. House Bill 1021 is an extensive bill covering numerous topics concerning the governance and operation of Condominium Associations (not HOA’s- they […]

“Surfside” Condo Bills SB 4-D and SB 154 are Law of the Land

Florida Senate Bill 154, approved by the Florida Legislature on 5/3/23 and signed by the Governor of Florida on 6/9/23, tweaks Florida Senate Bill 4-D that became law on 3/26/22 in response to the collapse of the Surfside hi-rise in Miami. Senate Bill 4-D requires new mandatory milestone structural inspections, structural integrity reserve studies and […]

Do you need to have a “physical place” for your association meetings?

During the early Covid times many Associations moved their board and members meetings to Zoom or to Telephone Conference under emergency powers granted by the Governor and the Legislature to Condominium and Homeowners Associations. For Condominium Associations, Section 718.1265(1)(a), Florida Statues and for Homeowner’s Associations, Section 720.316(1)(a), Florida Statutes state that if a State of […]

Your assigned condo parking space may be more valuable if it is transferable

In the vast majority of Residential Condominium in Southwest Florida, the Developers have assigned certain parking spaces to certain units as limited common elements appurtenant to those units. Chapter 718, Florida Statutes defines limited common elements as: “those common elements which are reserved for the use of a certain unit or units to the exclusion […]

Florida Senate Bill 4-D Part II

Last month we looked at the requirements for Mandatory Milestone Structural Inspections for condominium and cooperative buildings that are three (3) stories or more in height before 12/31/24 under Florida Senate Bill 4-D approved in a special session of the Florida Legislature this year in response to the Surfside hi-rise collapse in Miami last year. […]

When do Condominium Associations need to get competitive bids?

The Snow Birds are returning North so now begins the time, when less residents are around, for many Condominium and Homeowners’ Associations to perform needed building repairs and/or do that exciting lobby, social room or clubhouse renovation. When hiring contractors to perform the repairs or renovations, we are often asked whether the Association needs to […]

The Surfside Tower collapsed last year in Miami and the Surfside Bills collapsed in this year’s Florida Legislature

There were two Florida Senate bills and one House of Representative bill considered by the Florida Legislature in this year’s session to address the collapse of the Surfside Tower last year.  The intent of the proposed bills were to help prevent similar Condo Building collapses in the future.  The bills were withdrawn prior to legislative […]