It has been a while since my last blog. I attribute this to the summer peak in business. I don't know if it's the hot weather, adults dealing with children home from school for a couple of months, or the people from the North leaving the state and not being around to keep an eye on their association, but business is always brisk in the summer with associations behaving badly.
The topic for today is a change in the law stipulating to how board members can conduct board business. It is one I think will generate more litigation because board members can discuss board business by email and leave the homeowners out of the discussions. A new provision in the Florida Statutes allows board members to conduct and discuss board business through email, but any voting must be done at a meeting. What we are now seeing is board meetings that last 15 minutes and under because the board members walk in and sit down, make a motion to vote on a topic, second the motion, vote and done. Homeowners are not even aware of what the issues are much less get a chance to speak on the matter.
I recently read meeting minutes where the board voted to approve a contract with XYZ Landscaping. No mention of two other bids or voting to see which landscaping company they should vote on -- it was already a done deal and they were just ratifying their decision. What does it matter anyway, right? With no state agency regulating HOAs there is no penalty for cheating unless the homeowner has deep pockets to sue.
Suing is such a process. People should know what they're getting into ahead of time that way this all can be prevented.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to understand HOA management more thoroughly. I definitely think that it is important to have successful board meetings. You need to make sure that everyone will be able to use their voice and express their opinions.
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