2013 Updates to HOA Act FS 720

Added disciplinary proceedings for community association managers for violations of Florida statutes Chapter 718, 719 and 720 during the course of performing community association management services under Fla. Stat. 468.436(7).

Fla. Stat. 720.303(5) updated to provide records must be kept for seven (7) years. (There were some records which were required to be kept for shorter periods previously.)

Records have to be made available for inspection within 45 miles or within the county.

The association can make records available to a parcel owner electronically via the Internet or by allowing the records to be viewed in electronic format on a computer screen and printed upon request.

The association must permit a member to take photographic images of such records with a camera or other electronic device at no charge.

The association may impose fees to cover the costs of providing copies of the official records, including, without limitation, the costs of copying and the costs required for personnel to retrieve and copy the records if the time spent retrieving and copying the records exceeds one-half hour and if the personnel costs do not exceed $20 per hour. Personnel costs may not be charged for records requests that result in the copying of 25 or fewer pages.

The association may charge up to 25 cents per page for copies made on the association’s photocopier. If the association does not have a photocopy machine available where the records are kept, or if the records requested to be copied exceed 25 pages in length, the association may have copies made by an outside duplicating service vendor or association management company personnel and may charge the actual cost of copying, as supported by the vendor invoice including any reasonable costs involving personnel fees and charges at an hourly rate for vendor or employee time to cover administrative costs to the vendor or association.

Fla. Stat. 720.303(6) updated to require the budget to designate the components for which the reserve accounts may be used if the developer establishes reserves.  It appears this was intended for all reserves, no matter how established, but it was not written that way.


Fla. Stat. 720.303(13) added to require every homeowners' association governed by
Fla. Stat. 720 has to register with the Division (Department of Business & Professional Regulation) by November 22, 2013 by providing detailed information about the association. This does not include voluntary associations.


NEW SECTION:

720.3033 Officers and directors.—
(1)(a) Within 90 days after being elected or appointed to the board, each director shall certify in writing to the secretary of the association that he or she has read the association’s declaration of covenants, articles of incorpora- tion, bylaws, and current written rules and policies; that he or she will work to uphold such documents and policies to the best of his or her ability; and that he or she will faithfully discharge his or her fiduciary responsibility to the association’s members. Within 90 days after being elected or appointed to the board, in lieu of such written certification, the newly elected or appointed director may submit a certificate of having satisfactorily completed the educational curriculum administered by a division-approved education provider within 1 year before or 90 days after the date of election or appointment.

(b) The written certification or educational certificate is valid for the uninterrupted tenure of the director on the board. A director who does not timely file the written certification or educational certificate shall be suspended from the board until he or she complies with the requirement. The board may temporarily fill the vacancy during the period of suspension.

(c) The association shall retain each director’s written certification or educational certificate for inspection by the members for 5 years after the director’s election. However, the failure to have the written certification or educational certificate on file does not affect the validity of any board action.

(2) If the association enters into a contract or other transaction with any of its directors or a corporation, firm, association that is not an affiliated homeowners’ association, or other entity in which an association director is also a director or officer or is financially interested, the board must:

(a) Comply with the requirements of s. 617.0832.

(b) Enter the disclosures required by s. 617.0832 into the written minutesof the meeting.

(c) Approve the contract or other transaction by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the directors present.

(d) At the next regular or special meeting of the members, disclose the existence of the contract or other transaction to the members. Upon motion of any member, the contract or transaction shall be brought up for a vote and may be canceled by a majority vote of the members present. If the members cancel the contract, the association is only liable for the reasonable value of goods and services provided up to the time of cancellation and is not liable for any termination fee, liquidated damages, or other penalty for such cancella- tion.

(3) An officer, director, or manager may not solicit, offer to accept, or accept any good or service of value for which consideration has not been provided for his or her benefit or for the benefit of a member of his or her immediate family from any person providing or proposing to provide goods or services to the association. If the board finds that an officer or director has violated this subsection, the board shall immediately remove the officer or director from office. The vacancy shall be filled according to law until the end of the director’s term of office. However, an officer, director, or manager may accept food to be consumed at a business meeting with a value of less than $25 per individual or a service or good received in connection with trade fairs or education programs.

(4) A director or officer charged by information or indictment with a felony theft or embezzlement offense involving the association’s funds or property is removed from office. The board shall fill the vacancy according to general law until the end of the period of the suspension or the end of the director’s term of office, whichever occurs first. However, if the charges are resolved without a finding of guilt or without acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, the director or officer shall be reinstated for any remainder of his or her term of office. A member who has such criminal charges pending may not be appointed or elected to a position as a director or officer.

(5) The association shall maintain insurance or a fidelity bond for all persons who control or disburse funds of the association. The insurance policy or fidelity bond must cover the maximum funds that will be in the custody of the association or its management agent at any one time. As used in this subsection, the term “persons who control or disburse funds of the association” includes, but is not limited to, persons authorized to sign checks on behalf of the association, and the president, secretary, and treasurer of the association. The association shall bear the cost of any insurance or bond. If annually approved by a majority of the voting interests present at a properly called meeting of the association, an association may waive the requirement of obtaining an insurance policy or fidelity bond for all persons who control or disburse funds of the association.

Fla. Stat. 720.306 updated to provide the amendment of governing documents requires the association to provide copies of the amendment no later than thirty (30) days after recording an amendment to the governing documents (Declarations, Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation and Rules/Regulations.)

Also removes the requirement of nominations from the floor at elections if the governing documents provide for nominations of candidates before election.  Elections are not necessary if the number of candidates does not exceed the number of vacancies.





Additional terms for turnover by developer:

(c) Upon the developer abandoning or deserting its responsibility to maintain and complete the amenities or infrastructure as disclosed in the governing documents. There is a rebuttable presumption that the developer has abandoned and deserted the property if the developer has unpaid assessments or guaranteed amounts under s. 720.308 for a period of more than 2 years;

(d) Upon the developer filing a petition seeking protection under chapter 7 of the federal Bankruptcy Code;

(e) Upon the developer losing title to the property through a foreclosure action or the transfer of a deed in lieu of foreclosure, unless the successor owner has accepted an assignment of developer rights and responsibilities first arising after the date of such assignment; or

(f) Upon a receiver for the developer being appointed by a circuit court and not being discharged within 30 days after such appointment, unless the court determines within 30 days after such appointment that transfer of control would be detrimental to the association or its members.For purposes of this section, the term “members other than the developer” shall not include builders, contractors, or others who purchase a parcel for the purpose of constructing improvements thereon for resale.

(2) Members other than the developer are entitled to elect at least one member of the board of directors of the homeowners’ association if 50 percent of the parcels in all phases of the community which will ultimately be operated by the association have been conveyed to members.


 Prohibited Clauses in documents:
(5) It is declared the public policy of the state that prior to transition of control of a homeowners’ association in a community from the developer to the nondeveloper members, as set forth in s. 720.307, the right of the developer to amend the association’s governing documents is subject to a test of reasonableness, which prohibits the developer from unilaterally making amendments to the governing documents that are arbitrary, capricious, or in bad faith; destroy the general plan of development; prejudice the rights of existing nondeveloper members to use and enjoy the benefits of common property; or materially shift economic burdens from the developer to the existing nondeveloper members.


 Clarification of definition of previous owner in Fla. Stat. 720.3085: For the purposes of this subsection, the term “previous owner” shall not include an association that acquires title to a delinquent property through foreclosure or by deed in lieu of foreclosure.