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Since the tragic Surfside condo collapse in 2021 that killed 98 people, Florida lawmakers have passed several laws to improve safety. Today, the Senate appropriations committee advanced a bill that will help control rogue condo boards and provide residents more oversight.
Senate Bill 1178 requires mandatory continuing education for condo board members. It also expands the jurisdiction of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) for removal of condo board members indicted for fraud, theft or embezzlement.
The proposed law would also make boards more accountable by giving residents better access to community association documents via a website.
The bill requires in part: "Community associations and management firms to return official records of an association within a specified period following termination of a contract; requiring community association managers and management firms to provide a written disclosure of certain conflicts of interest to the association’s board; providing criminal penalties for any officer, director, or manager of an association who unlawfully solicits, offers to accept, or accepts anything or service of value or kickback."
Last year, four former Hammocks board members were arrested for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars in monthly dues from homeowners.