FLORIDA – HOA REFORM BILL PART II

Posted February 28, 2014 By: Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.

Senator Alan Hays filed yesterday S 1348 — our HOA REFORM BILL PART II.
The bill includes all the provisions we had asked for:
  • Creates the Division of Florida Condominiums, Homeowners’ Associations, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes. Creates consumer protection by adding homeowners’ associations to the jurisdiction of the Division, using the exact language from FS 718.501. Creates FS 720.3021-720.3029.

  • Creates the Office of the Community Association Ombudsman

  • Defines the words “Special Assessment.”

  • Amends FS 720.302: Purposes, scope, and application

  • Clarifies notice requirements for meetings that deal with special assessments, increases in assessments, or amendments to governing documents.

  • Allows fining only if original governing documents so allow; a fine can notbecome a lien.

  • Rewrites FS 720.306 with language from FS 718.112 amending provisions for annual meeting, election procedures, proxy voting + board member eligibility.

  • Amends FS 720.307(5) – clarifying the associations FS 720.307 applies to.

You can find the complete information and the exact wording of the bill at:  http://www.hoareformbill.net

This bill will be much harder to push through the legislature than our bill H7119 last year. It will be opposed by dictatorial board members afraid that they can’t violate the rules and statutes any longer without being held liable, by developers, certain law firms and CAMs. You will hear the wildest reasons for opposing this bill — from too much government to less access to courts. I can assure you associations and its owners will profit a lot from the provisions of this bill. Don’t listen to the service providers! Some of them are just afraid that their profits will decrease.

In order to stop abuses in our homeowners’ associations and to finally create fair elections it is of utmost importance that we all support this bill — and let our legislators hear about it.

We have a lot more lobbying to do than last year! So please help and support our efforts. Call your local legislators. Send e-mails — I will sent out timely alerts when the bills come before committees. Or come with us to Tallahassee to testify in front of these committees. If you don’t have the time you can as well help by donating to our lobbying efforts — see below!

WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET. Let’s make this the year when homeowners get finally the same kind of consumer protection condo owners already enjoy since many years. Let’s stop the election fraud — or are we really the Banana Republic some folks claim we are?

Help us, because the bill will help you! If you have any questions, please contact me!

 Warm regards,

Jan Bergemann, President; jan@ccfj.net
Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.

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