The start of fall means the start of budget season for condominium and homeowners associations across the country, and careful financial planning for the year ahead is one of a board’s biggest responsibilities during the calendar year. For those that haven’t started crunching numbers for 2020, now’s the time to get started. But where should you begin? Well, doing some research first will help streamline the process, allowing for a more accurate projection. Budgets are more than just an exercise in estimating annual expenses, they are a tool for measuring the financial health of a community’s association. It’s critical for boards to see how monthly assessments and reserves stack up against ongoing expenses. If a board does not have a handle on numbers it can lead to surprise special assessments and potentially make it challenging for existing owners to sell. Minimizing unexpected expenses and controlling operating costs helps to preserve

Considerations For Community Association’s Use Of Drones For Covenant Enforcement And Maintenance Inspections There are benefits to community associations using drones for issues such as covenant enforcement and common area maintenance. The biggest of which is the cost effectiveness and efficiency of using drones instead of individuals to perform these inspections. However, there are significant risks as well. There are a number of considerations that community associations must weigh before using drone technology to carry out association purposes. These considerations include federal and Florida laws, insurance and liability issues, potential governing document amendments, and membership objections and disputes. Federal Laws Concerning Community Association Drone Usage There are federal statutes and agency regulations on the use of drones, including the Small Unmanned Aircraft Rules by the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”). A few of these regulations include the following: Drones must weigh less than 55 lbs.; Drones can only be operated during

If we opened up a thread on our discussion forum asking our experts to list the things that confuse their community association members the most, it would probably reach 100 responses lickety split. Here, a few of our experts list the seven that they see more than they prefer. 1. Which Governing Document Is Which? It’s the names of governing documents. Often, board members or community association managers will say, ‘The bylaws say no leasing.’ The reality is that the declaration says no leasing. That’s the document that creates the property and includes the provisions about what you can’t and can’t do with the land. The bylaws contain things like quorum requirements. People interchange those terms, and that can cause problems. If you’re sending an enforcement letter and you quote bylaw 3.6 instead of the declaration, you might be referring to the annual meeting provision in the bylaws instead of

Article Provided By Alex Martin and Paul Sanchez Miami Condominium Associations Police Short-term Rental Violations The proliferation of vacation rental operators in Miami-Dade County’s popular tourist destinations has been making headlines lately – particularly due to the City of Miami Beach’s continued efforts to regulate and eliminate illegal short-term rentals. The day-to-day battle against unauthorized short-term rentals is playing out in the high-rise condominium towers on the beach and throughout Miami’s urban core. Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway and other vacation rental sites are increasingly appealing for Miami’s visitors, whether they are coming to town for major events like Ultra Music Festival and Art Basel or simply escaping cold weather destinations during winter months. These tourists appreciate the ease of use, cheaper daily rates and accountability that comes with the sharing economy. These renters book a stay without necessarily knowing that many of the associations governing Miami’s condominium towers outlaw such short-term

The Florida Legislature passed an Assignment of Benefits (“AOB”) reform bill, Florida H.B. 7065 (the “Bill”), which is expected to take effect July 1, 2019. The Bill establishes 2 new section of Florida Statutes (§§ 627.7152 & 627.7153) and revises Fla. Stat. § 627.422, designed to curtail AOB practices, and is only applicable to AOBs executed on or after July 1, 2019. What Does This Mean for Restoration Companies (the “Assignee”)? There is now specific requirements as to what must be included or excluded in an effective AOB, a strict record keeping requirement, as well as time-sensitive submission of AOB and related documents to insurance companies. Fla. Stat. § 627.7152 Assignment Agreements Summary: Assignees (a/k/a “Contractors”) will have to provide detailed estimates in advance of performing the work, promptly notify the Insurance Company of the AOB, and cooperate with the Insurance Company’s requests for information. Contractors will also need to