When the Champlain Towers South collapsed in Surfside in 2021, 98 people died in a building that engineering assessments had flagged for structural problems years earlier. The response from Florida's legislature was sweeping and fast. Within months, new laws required that aging Florida condo buildings undergo formal structural inspections and that the reserves to fund future structural repairs be fully funded and non-waivable. Those laws have been refined in every legislative

The first HOA meeting I ever attended ended with the board president screaming profanities at a new owner. The second one was more of the same. By the time I took over as president I had watched a pattern repeat itself across every meeting for years: an owner complains, the board overreacts, nothing actually gets resolved, and everyone leaves angrier than when they arrived. I have also been on the other end. When we had a genuine safety violation in our community, an owner bl

When I took over as president of my Space Coast condo association, we had $10,000 in the bank. The building was insured at $1.5 million. The hurricane deductible on our policy was 5%. Do the math. Five percent of $1.5 million is $75,000. Before our insurance would pay a single dollar on a hurricane claim, we would have had to come up with $75,000 out of pocket. We had $10,000. We would have had to special assess every owner in the association just to cover the deductible befo

I want to be upfront about something before you read a single other word on this topic. Every article comparing self-managed HOAs to property management companies is written by either a property management company trying to sell you their services, or a software company trying to sell you theirs. They all have a financial interest in the answer they give you. I have neither. I am a Florida condo board president who has run my community both ways, seen the results firsthand, a

I want to tell you about a thing I call the paradise tax. It works like this. A contractor pulls up to your beachside Florida condo, sizes up the building, looks at the boats in the marina next door, and adds a number to their quote that has nothing to do with the actual cost of the work. Call it location premium, call it perceived wealth markup, call it whatever you want. I call it the paradise tax, and every board in a desirable Florida market pays it unless they know how t

One of the things I tell every new board member is this: the Florida legislature treats community association law like a home improvement project. They are always adding something, moving something, or tearing something out. What was true two years ago may not be true today. The 2025 legislative session was particularly active. House Bill 913 alone ran 191 pages and touched condo law, cooperative law, manager regulations, milestone inspections, reserve funding, and more. On t

The moment I realized I was going to have to levy a special assessment on my neighbors, I felt sick. I had just taken over as president of a beachside condo association on Florida's Space Coast. The bank account had $10,000 in it. The roof was 14 years old, leaking into multiple units including my own, and we had no path to a loan because too many owners were behind on dues. A special assessment was the only option. The previous board had seen this coming and said nothing. Th

Most people buying a Florida condo look at the monthly fee, glance at the bank balance, and move on. I did exactly that when I bought my first condo on the Space Coast. The HOA had about $50,000 in the bank when I closed. That sounded fine to me. What I did not know was that $50,000 was operating funds and reserves combined, the roof was 14 years old, and the association had not been adequately saving for anything. Within a few years I was sitting in the president's chair sta

One of the first things I learned when I bought my Florida condo is that the monthly HOA fee is not a maintenance subscription. It does not cover everything. It does not even cover most things. And if the board is not running the finances correctly, it might not be covering what it is supposed to cover either. I have been on both sides of this. I was the owner who assumed his fees covered more than they did. Then I became the board president who had to explain to a room full

In 2017, I bought a beachside condo on Florida's Space Coast thinking I was getting a low-maintenance slice of paradise. Within a few years I was the board president, staring down a failing roof, a bank account with $10,000 in it, and a community that had stopped trusting its own leadership. I am an electrical engineer by profession and a problem-solver by instinct. When I took over the presidency I treated every challenge the same way I treat an engineering problem: understa

If there is one thing I have learned from years of running a Florida condo association, it is that the boards that stay compliant are not necessarily the ones with the most legal knowledge. They are the ones with the best systems. Florida has more than 49,000 community associations. The laws governing them changed significantly in 2022, 2024, and 2025. The penalties for non-compliance have gone from annoying to genuinely serious, including criminal charges for board members w

I bought my first Florida condo thinking I had done my homework. I read the bylaws, checked the monthly fees, looked at the bank balance, and figured I was good. What I did not know was how much I did not know. Within a few years of closing, I was facing a roof replacement, a special assessment, and an HOA that was broke. I eventually ended up as board president just to solve the problems nobody warned me about. If you are buying a Florida condo or HOA property right now, her

Homeowners Associations (HOAs) play a crucial role in maintaining the aesthetic and functional integrity of residential communities. However, managing compliance with community rules can be a daunting task. This is where HOA compliance tracking tools come into play. These tools not only streamline the compliance process but also enhance communication and transparency within the community. In this blog post, we will explore the top benefits of using HOA compliance tracking too

Managing a Homeowners Association (HOA) can be a complex task, especially when it comes to keeping track of deadlines. From dues collection to maintenance requests, the sheer volume of tasks can be overwhelming. Fortunately, automation offers a solution that not only simplifies these processes but also enhances efficiency. In this blog post, we will explore how automating HOA deadlines can transform your management experience, reduce stress, and improve community engagement.

Managing a Homeowners Association (HOA) can often feel like a juggling act. With numerous responsibilities ranging from maintenance requests to financial management, the task can become overwhelming. Fortunately, HOA Engineer Software offers a solution that simplifies these processes, allowing HOA managers to focus on what truly matters: enhancing community living. This blog post will explore how HOA Engineer Software can streamline HOA management, improve communication, and