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The firm’s latest Miami Herald “Real Estate Counselor” column was authored by shareholder Eduardo J. Valdes and is titled “Condo Associations Form New Group to Lobby Florida Lawmakers on Reforms.” The article focuses on the formation of a new organization by community association leaders in the Vero Beach area. It reads:
. . . Details on the formation of the new Treasure Coast Condominium Alliance first appeared in reports in late September by WPTV News 5 (www.WPTV.com) and www.VeroNews.com. The reports indicated that the group already includes 14 associations from condominium communities in the region, and it has been formally incorporated as an LLC. The presidents of these associations are now conducting monthly online meetings, and they expect additional associations to join in the coming weeks.
“We need to do something, and we need to do it now,” said Darlene VanRiper, the founding president of the new group, in the report by the NBC affiliate for Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. “It is time to rally together. You’d be amazed what people can do when they’re united.”
She tells the journalists behind these reports that the group’s goal is to mitigate the financial impact of the new Florida laws mandating reserve studies/funding this year for all buildings three stories or higher.
The Vero News article indicates that TCCA has already met with Sen. Jason Pizzo and two other Florida state legislators. The organization has also retained the services of a lobbyist to arrange meetings with other lawmakers in Tallahassee.
It also reports that the group will be asking the legislators to enable associations to challenge the conclusions of their structural inspections to help ensure they “are not held hostage to any arbitrary demands for possibly unnecessary repairs.” TCCA also plans to push for extended timelines of 10-15 years for the funding of some repairs, and for interest-free loans for associations to finance reserve funding. Its member association presidents have already distributed emails to their respective unit owners urging them to contact their state legislators and voice their support.
If it wants to be heard by the lawmakers, the group is absolutely right to involve the member associations’ unit owners and remind the legislators of their large numbers. It should also make every effort to work in conjunction with the Community Associations Institute, which is the leading organization representing the interests of associations.
CAI, which maintains a chapter in the new group’s region, has been and will continue to be very active in its lobbying and advocacy efforts in Florida and across the country. It recently announced that it is now researching and developing the organization’s 2025 legislative priorities for its resources for its state legislative action committees. The organization is asking everyone to take its brief online survey and learn more at www.caionline.org/advocacy, and its Government and Public Affairs team can be reached at government@caionline.org.
The founding members of TCCA should make every effort to work in conjunction with CAI for all of their new group’s lobbying and advocacy efforts with state lawmakers. The national organization’s eight Florida chapters span every region of the state, and their members represent thousands of associations with millions of residents.
In fact, everyone in Florida who is impacted and involved with community associations and would like to have their voice heard on the prospects for additional reforms should start by taking CAI’s short and confidential new survey. If they are not already an active member of their local chapter, they should consider becoming one and learning more about how they can get involved. In addition to the organization’s advocacy efforts, they will have the opportunity to benefit from all of its helpful resources and events for community associations and their volunteers/professionals. . .
Eduardo concludes his column by noting that starting a new regional organization to join forces with fellow like-minded presidents of neighboring communities in order to lobby Florida lawmakers can be effective, but it can also take a great deal of financial and professional resources to establish sufficient credibility and recognition. He also notes that CAI already has the gravitas, track record and representation to earn the respect and attention of the state’s lawmakers, and community association leaders should maximize their efforts and involvement with the organization and its advocacy efforts prior to starting from scratch with their own venture.
Our firm salutes Eduardo for sharing his insights into these efforts to lobby the state’s lawmakers on condominium reforms with the readers of the Miami Herald. We write about important matters for community associations in this blog and our Herald column, which appears every two weeks on Sundays, and we encourage association directors, members and property managers to click here and subscribe to our newsletter to receive our future articles.