LATEST NEWS & UPDATES
Can Gate Use Be Suspended?
Q: We live in a gated community. Recently, the board has begun voting at its meetings to suspend the automatic gate access of owners who are delinquent in their assessments. While I support aggressive collection efforts by the association, I am worried that this type...
Can You Have Rules Dealing With Children?
In 1988, Congress added “familial status” – defined as including those family groups with children under 18 – to the list of protected groups under the Fair Housing Act. Since that time, condominium and homeowner associations have been discovering that their various...
Tree Maintenance and the Potential Impact of Section 163.045, Florida Statutes
In general, a community association is responsible for operating and maintaining the common areas of the community (in the case of homeowners’ associations), and the common elements (in the case of condominium associations). If there are trees located on these common...
A Primer on Special Assessments
There is an old saying that the two dirtiest words in community associations are “special assessment”. Board meetings at which special assessments will be discussed and imposed are often the only well attended meetings throughout the year in many communities. The...
Juda Eskew & Associates Managing Partner now Accredited ACH Professional
We are pleased to announce managing partner, Kimberly A. Juda, has officially passed the Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) examination. An Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) is an individual who has comprehensive knowledge of all areas of ACH, a deep understanding of...
Fireworks Spark HOA Controversy
Q: While current Florida law permits the use of fireworks 3 days a year, what, if anything, can an HOA do to restrict residents setting off fireworks within their community? In addition to the disruption of neighbors and the effect on many pets, the possibility of...
Issues to Consider Prior to Installing Security Cameras on the Common Areas – Part I
Many associations now install security cameras on the common areas to guarantee video evidence of any intentional vandalism or negligent actions which result in damage to the common areas, such as a vehicle running into the gate of a gated community. Some association...
Bankruptcy Basics for Community Associations
Associations generate nearly all of their funding through fees and special assessments paid by members of the shared ownership community. Some members who fall behind in their financial obligations may look to bankruptcy as a way to address their debts, so it is...
E-Mail Inspection Rights Questioned
Q: A member of our homeowners’ association board shared a few e-mails that were sent between board members. In these e-mails, the board members discussed association business, individual homeowners, and how they planned to handle certain decisions. Are these e-mails...