From the Community Associations Institute:

There are several bills in the Florida State Legislature threatening community associations, and we need you to contact your legislators and urge them to oppose these harmful bills. We're currently trackingSB824/HB987, a bill that would force HOAs and condos to accept short term vacation rentals such as Airbnb and Homeaway. We're also trackingSB610, a bill that would impose exposure of a third-degree felony on volunteer board members who make a mistake as a board member related to providing association records, violating bylaws, and more. We've provided ways you can take action and additional background information about these bills below.

We're asking you to send two emails on two separate issues:

• Email 1: Urge the Senate Committee on Innovation, Industry, and Technology and The House Committee on Business and Professional Regulation Subcommittee to oppose SB824/HB987.
• Email 2: Urge the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice Committee to oppose SB610.

SB824/HB987:LANDLORDSSEEK TO PREEMPT HOA AND CONDO GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AND FORCE COMMUNITIES TO ACCEPT SHORT TERM RENTALS

Bills have been introduced in the Florida legislature, SB824/HB987, that purport to protect property rights of homeowners and preempt short-term vacation rental and leasing covenants in homeowners associations and condominiums. SB824/HB987 are bad bills for Florida homeowners, HOAs, and condo communities.

The Senate Committee on Innovation, Industry, and Technology and The House Committee on Business and Professional Regulation Subcommittee will hear the bill on Tuesday, March 26. 

Take Action #1: For yourfirst email, urge committee members to oppose SB824/HB987. Help protect Florida homeowners from landlords and out-of-state businesses buying and renting properties in your communities for a profit to their shareholders. We encourage you to customize your emails with stories about how this bill would affect you and your community association. Elected officials depend on constituent stories like yours to inform and defend their vote. Additional information below.

SB610: A BILL PERTAINING TO CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN VIOLATIONS RELATED TO ASSOCIATION RECORDS, VOTING, ELECTIONS, ETC.

SB610 would require associations with 25 units or more (current law is 150 units) to create websites for their community and ensure the website includes current content of the communities' current governing documents. Further, the bill would impose exposure of a third-degree felony on volunteer board members who make a mistake as a board member related to providing association records, violating bylaws, and more.

Take Action #2:The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice Committee will hear the bill on Monday, March 25. Pleasesend your second email urging the committee to oppose SB610. Help protect Florida volunteer board members from exposure to felony charges for their volunteer service to their HOA/condominium. Please customize your emails with stories about how this bill would affect you and your community association. Elected officials depend on constituent stories like yours to inform and defend their vote.

CONTACT US

Please take action today and email the Senate Committee on Innovation, Industry, and Technology and the House Business and Professions Subcommittee urging them tooppose SB824/HB987, as well as the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, urging them tooppose SB610. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact CAI's Government & Public Affairs team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (888) 224-4321.

Sincerely,

Dawn M. Bauman, CAE
Senior Vice President, Government Affairs
Community Associations Institute (CAI)
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (703) 970-9224

P.S. - Below is a deeper dive of SB824/HB987 and how this bill would harm community associations.

DEEPER DIVE ON SB824/HB987

SB824/HB987 increases the rights of national real estate investment firms at the expense of homeowners. These firms are outbidding Florida families to purchase homes in homeowner associations for the purpose of generating revenue for their shareholders.

Proponents of this bill are attempting to take away the ability for residents to make decisions about leasing in your communities by pre-empting community associations covenants.Communities could lose the ability to control the number of rentals in their community.

Without limits on rental units owned by a single person or firm, the homeowner association model no longer works, and property values can plummet. Instead of each homeowner having an equal say in the covenants and bylaws, there could be large voter blocks created by a rental investment firm that does not even live in the community making decisions for the community.

Homeowners associations covenants and bylaws change to reflect the needs of the community. Amendments are proposed by homeowners in the community to protect the community's character and property values. Rental investment firms do not live in the community and should not have the power to dictate how the community operates.