Oftentimes when someone mentions mediation, divorce instantly comes to mind, not how it applies to your HOA. Some states have adopted mediation as the “go to” standard in HOA disputes prior to entering litigation. The State of Florida Homeowners Association Act requires presuit mediation before … [Read more...]
Difficult Association Members and How to Deal With Them
There’s always one… that one difficult neighbor. The person who always has an issue or complaint, whether it’s maintenance; your yard; or your music is too loud, the list is endless. Crafty complainers will conjure up frivolous issues; cite Florida law even when they have no legal background! While … [Read more...]
Electronic Voting: Good or Bad for Your Community?
As of July 1st of last year Florida Statutes were amended and now provide that Homeowner Associations (HOA) and Condominiums may conduct elections via an internet- based voting system. While a good option in theory, there has been much hullabaloo surrounding this issue. First, there are many … [Read more...]
Official HOA Records… May I See Them???
There are many rules regarding your HOA records that I can share with you and write about over the course of many months. Let's focus on an association member’s, your request to view and copy those records. You may be surprised by what you learn! The following applies to both Condos and … [Read more...]
Real Service Dog or Cheap Impostor?
Often (association) members claim a need for an animal to avoid pet restrictions in their community. Please click on the link below to read the article I wrote for the December 2015 issue of the PGA National Community News regarding Florida law and service animals... real or cheap … [Read more...]
The Effective Mediator
Robert Angyal SC writes a great series on LinkedIn about the qualities one should expect in a great mediator. This week he discusses expertise in mediating versus knowledge of the subject in dispute. Why do I gravitate toward this post in particular? Because as a non-attorney mediator aka “The … [Read more...]
The Rise of the Condominium
There was a very interesting article posted in a LinkedIn group HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION (Condo & Co-Op HOA) by an attorney involved in a flag situation in Utah that made national news. Always an interesting and compelling topic, I read the article which discussed homeowner’s versus an HOA’s rule … [Read more...]
Enjoy Your HOA, Don’t Fight The Machine!
Please click on the link below to read the article I wrote and recently published for the Abacoa Community News in Jupiter, Florida. Wherever your HOA community zip code is the same rules apply. Happy … [Read more...]
Deer Hunting Season In Your HOA? What?!?!
This year West Virginia’s regular archery season opens September 21st. How do I know this? I acquired the information during an informative telephone conversation I had with Chris Ryan, Ph.D. , Supervisor of Game Management Services at the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. I made a call … [Read more...]
Mediation – Looking at another’s point of view
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” (Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, 1960). How poignant this quote from a fictional lawyer and father who teaches his children in part to see life from another person’s … [Read more...]
