Ana Sanchez Rivero: Hello and welcome to community association matters. The podcast that focuses on condominium and homeowner association, education throughout the state of Florida. So, my name is Ana Rivero, and I'll be your host for today. And of course, the PA this podcast is sponsored today by Allied Property Group, as it always is, we are a fu…

Ana: Hello, and welcome to Community Association Matters, the podcast that serves homeowner and condominium associations in Florida. And I say Florida now, because we are serving not just Southeast Florida, but also Southwest Florida with offices in both Miami and Fort Myers. So we're very excited about that opportunity. And as always, our goal her…

Ana Rivero: Hi, and welcome to community association matters. The podcast for condominium and homeowners associations. In South Florida. As you know, Ana Sanchez Rivero your host for the podcast. And I want to thank you for joining us today. As you know, we cover a lot of topics that affect condominiums and homeowners and most recently, the Covid 1…

In 2017, Hurricane Irma came by Florida but luckily it was not a direct hit. Unfortunately, it still caused enough damage to a number of people and property. Though there were policies and procedures issued since this calamity, we as individual homeowners, board members, and associations still need to know what to do to get ready for a hurricane. I…

What happens when a condominium has a construction defect? A construction defect is a problem in the workmanship or in the materials used to build a structure, which ultimately causes harm to a person or property, usually amounting to huge financial damages. The common solution for many community associations in this circumstance is to file defect …

In 2008 Americans experienced the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The drop in real estate prices caused tremendous turmoil and had far reaching impacts worldwide. Banking and insurance institutions closed down; the largest mortgage lender and the largest savings and loan companies crumbled; and the auto industry gian…

Lets assume your community has a no pet policy. For years that policy went unchallenged, but now your association finds itself with an accommodation request from an owner for an Emotional Support Animal. Is your association required to approve that accommodation? Is it legal for you to ask for additional documentation? What are the consequences if …

Some time last year in the summer, I turned on CNN, as I typically do to bring myself up to speed with the news. I was horrified at the video before me; it was showing an apartment building ablaze in London. According to reports, 79 people perished in that fire and more than 600 residents were impacted by this fire that quickly spread through the 2…

Whenever a community is working on a project, I often wonder whether they will need a Surety Bond. I have heard they can be expensive and can be complicated to enforce. At other times, I have heard that they are a must! I was lucky that Alex Barthet of The Lien Zone was available to help us learn a little bit more about surety bonds. Alex is a part…

Most of us move in to homeowner associations because we want to live in a neighborhood where owners have a minimum requirement to maintain their home. Can you imagine your neighbor painting their home in bright purple? Without the association’s governing documents, the association may not have a way to enforce a color scheme or worst may not have a…

I have been in this industry, in one capacity or another, since 1992. I remember that Florida Statute 718 was virtually re-written around that time. It was then that the manner in which condominium elections are held was changed to they system we use today. I recall that when the change came forth, the new regulations were so rigorous that it was f…

There are many factors that contribute to your condominium or HOA unit’s property value. One of the fastest ways to impact property values in your association is by revamping your community’s landscaping. New bushes, seasonal flowers, and fresh mulch can go a long way in helping your community stand out. Buyers pay very close attention to a communi…

I had a very difficult time passing the science courses in college. In fact I struggled so much that I had to drop it twice and failed a third attempt. I knew that it was impossible; and certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. I was so pleased when I learned, that as an alternative, there was an Environmental Science class that could substitute the bi…

By: Ana Sanchez Rivero, CAM Estoppel letters or certificates are often prepared by an association’s management company. It should normally include the name of the owner, property address, monthly dues (whether regular or special), any fees due upon transfer, balance due, pending violations, and insurance information. Senate Bill 398 signed into law…

It’s that time of year again! Yes budget season. It’s time to begin reviewing the financial reports and begin calculating costs for next year’s projects. Condominium and homeowner associations are governed by many regulations; budget reporting is one of them. It is important that the Board of Directors of your condominium or homeowner association u…

A lot of focus is normally given to hurricane preparation. It is important to prepare and make sure that your family has as much information as it needs in case a hurricane does hit. But what do you do during a hurricane? And what happens after? This week’s podcast of Community Association Matters answers these important questions. According to the…

In this week’s podcast of Community Association Matters we had the honor of interviewing Edgar Estrada and Natalie French of the City of Doral and discussed with them the different steps that residents, associations, and businesses must take to prepare for a hurricane. Edgar is the Assistant Code Compliance Director for the City of Doral and Natali…

Does your condominium or homeowner association feel under represented with the legislature? Do you wonder where some of the laws affecting your community may come from? In this week's podcast we interview Russell Robbins, Esq. from Basulto Robbins & Associates LLP and discuss the Community Association Institute. CAI, as it is commonly referred to, …

What if there were a faster and more secure way of registering proxies at your condominium or homeowner association meeting? Well there is and in this week’s podcast of Community Association Matters we interview Donna DiMaggio Berger, Esq. of Becker & Poliakoff, PA to discuss their electronic voting system, BP Ballot. According to Donna, voting onl…

Special Assessment! I am sure those two (2) words alone got your attention. It probably even made the hairs on your body stand up. Condominium and homeowner association Boards hate those words, but it is a necessary evil. Especially for associations that do not have reserves in place to cover their major assets, such roof, pool equipment or resurfa…

During one of our previous podcast and blog, we discussed how to properly vet your vendors to help ensure that you have picked someone reliable and who will execute a timely and professional job for the association. But who manages the vendor? Who inspects and creates the punch lists throughout the job? Who checks up on inspections and the results …

I went to a presentation before an HOA a few years ago. I remember being all excited about the presentation and the possibility of picking up the business. We had just opened Allied Property Group and any business at the time would have been welcomed. The Board for that community had decided to schedule the presentation during a Special Assessment …

Now a days everything is smart? We have smart phones, smart TVs, and even smart watches! But smart cameras? Believe it! Most communities have surveillance cameras to deter crime or property damage. Something happens in the community and then we look at the video footage to see if it captured the event. What if the cameras can be reactionary and not…

It’s the middle of the night. Everyone is fast asleep and all of sudden you hear the water trickling down. You wake up thinking that you left the kitchen faucet on but you wake up to find that your entire apartment is flooded! You immediately get out of your sleepy haze and wake up to the sobering reality that a common area pipe has just burst. Do …

Terrorism! It is a scary word and to think that it can happen anywhere is an even scarier thought. But it is the reality we are faced with today. Despite the increase in terrorist threats in the United States, not a lot of condominium or homeowner associations are discussing this and even less have a plan in place in case a terrorist attack occurs …

You would think that association board members know better than to hire a contractor that is unlicensed. But sometimes in an attempt to save money, associations hire unlicensed contractors. In the long run, however, this practice can be more costly than hiring a licensed contractor. Here is an example: An association in Miami Beach contracted a con…