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Leave your cans out, park your truck: DeSantis signs bill to rein in overbearing HOA fines
The Daytona Beach News-Journal ^ | June 3, 2024 | C.A. Bridges

Posted on 06/05/2024 12:09:23 PM PDT by chickenlips

Florida residents with oppressive and obsessive HOAs, your day of freedom may be at hand.

Homeowner associations (HOAs) were created to maintain standards, uniformity and a sense of community while collecting dues to pay for common areas, services and general neighborhood improvements. But they also tend to attract people with strong opinions about what their neighbors can do.

It seems that everyone who has lived in an HOA has a horror story about petty or arbitrary fines that keep increasing, harassment, inflexible and overly restrictive rules regarding the appearance of homes and lawns, the lack of budget transparency, or just the ongoing grind of living under the watchful eyes of HOA busybodies with tape measures and a lot of free time who care deeply about where you park.

A new bill, signed Friday by Gov, Ron DeSantis, may change all that when it takes effect July 1. Or at least make life a little more manageable.

HB 1203, Homeowners' Association, was just one of several HOA bills introduced in this year's legislative session but it may be the most sweeping one, amounting to essentially a Homeowner's Bill of Rights. Under state law, HOAs will be restricted from some of the most complained-about rules and fines and required to be more transparent. This law comes just after another one forcing HOAs to allow homeowners to harden their homes against hurricanes.

Here's what changed.

(Excerpt) Read more at news-journalonline.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: desantis; florida; hoas; tyranny
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To: chickenlips

They are liberal dictators. Jase Robertson had his go-round with them. No gardens, no rain water, it affects the climate.


41 posted on 06/05/2024 1:52:05 PM PDT by GailA (Land Grabs, Poisoned Food, KILL the COWS, Bidenomics=BIDEN DEPRESSION. STAGNATION)
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To: ConservativeMind
Your post #39 seems to contradict what you’ve said there.

Just vote the damn board out of office.

Do we really need MORE laws?

42 posted on 06/05/2024 1:52:44 PM PDT by Alberta's Child (“Ain't it funny how the night moves … when you just don't seem to have as much to lose.”)
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To: chickenlips

Most HOA’s are a fraud waiting to happen, and a shyster around the corner to make it so.


43 posted on 06/05/2024 1:57:35 PM PDT by RckyRaCoCo (Time to throw them out of the Temple...again)
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To: Heartlander

Also...

“An HOA with at least 1,000 parcels must prepare audited financial statements.”

I wonder how they came up with 1,000 number...?


44 posted on 06/05/2024 1:57:49 PM PDT by mewzilla (Never give up; never surrender!)
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To: chickenlips
Meanwhile, I like this idea even better...

UNGOVERNABLE: This Patriot was told to remove the Trump flag from his dock by the HOA. 🖕

Be sure to turn your volume up.

45 posted on 06/05/2024 2:00:31 PM PDT by mewzilla (Never give up; never surrender!)
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To: AndyJackson

“Knowingly harboring dangerous animals on HOA common grounds.”


100%. The game commission representative raised this concern to the HOA president, who responded “we carry liability insurance.”

If my family were harmed as a result of his asinine restrictions I’d be looking for him, not his insurance money. I didn’t tell him that, but it’s true.


46 posted on 06/05/2024 2:07:44 PM PDT by ConservativeWarrior (Fall down seven times, stand up eight. - Japanese proverb)
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To: Red6

“I left a fancy neighborhood in part because of them.”

So did we.


47 posted on 06/05/2024 2:08:45 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Navarro didn't kill himself.)
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To: Alberta's Child

“I’m no fan of most HOAs, but it seems ludicrous to use the authority of a state government to override legally binding real estate contracts.”

You know, I don’t think this is the first time I’ve seen you completely ruin a thread with common sense. What are you, some kind of conservative troll or something?


48 posted on 06/05/2024 2:11:18 PM PDT by suthener ( )
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To: ConservativeWarrior

The, well I am insured so I will be wantonly negligent may cause the insurance company to deny coverage. They may defend but choose not to indemnify.


49 posted on 06/05/2024 2:17:48 PM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: Alberta's Child

The HOA’s fees and fines can be like time share fees. Never ending and you have no control over them.

Our HOA is not mandatory so I don’t join.


50 posted on 06/05/2024 2:19:01 PM PDT by tired&retired (Blessings )
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To: mewzilla

Have the HOA claimed jurisdiction over navigable waters of the US?


51 posted on 06/05/2024 2:20:03 PM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: suthener

LOL. I guess I’m a conservative troll!


52 posted on 06/05/2024 2:20:44 PM PDT by Alberta's Child (“Ain't it funny how the night moves … when you just don't seem to have as much to lose.”)
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To: tired&retired

I never heard of an HOA that wasn’t mandatory. In every situation I’ve been involved with, the HOA “membership” is written into the property title and can’t be changed unilaterally by the property owner.


53 posted on 06/05/2024 2:23:34 PM PDT by Alberta's Child (“Ain't it funny how the night moves … when you just don't seem to have as much to lose.”)
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To: chickenlips

HOAs are a great go to for anyone frustrated with their marriage, job, or kids.


54 posted on 06/05/2024 2:31:16 PM PDT by Retain Mike ( Sat Cong)
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To: chickenlips

If someone wants to live under the scrutiny of Karens in an HOA, that is fine-one size does not fit all-but before buying where there is one, they need to know just exactly what they are getting into...

When 1st husband and I were young and our cub was little, we bought a modest home in a nice neighborhood-not fancy, just a safe, working/middle class neighborhood in a burb just outside of the city. But it did have an HOA, unfortunately. Many of us did our own work on our vehicles and had a radio on in the garage for music while working-but only during the day, so as not to step on anyone’s rules.

One HOA board member was a real ass**** who hated loud music-especially metal/rock. One day when my hubby was working on his truck, the jerk came walking down our street waving a decibel meter around. When asked what he was doing, he pointed the meter at hubby and the garage and said he was doing noise abatement, and that the music was too loud-turn it down. Neither of us liked busybodies-hubby went over to the guy-and at 6’ 2” he towered over the little wimp-told him if he pointed that meter at him again, he would need a proctologist to retrieve it, so better leave now. The wimp left and we never heard about that again-but as soon as we could afford the commute to work, we sold that house and moved into the country to a place with no HOA. I still live in the country and will never live where there is an HOA again...


55 posted on 06/05/2024 2:35:48 PM PDT by Texan5 ("You've got to saddle up your boys, you've got to draw a hard line"...)
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To: steve86

Likewise-been there, done that years ago-won’t make the mistake again...


56 posted on 06/05/2024 2:37:31 PM PDT by Texan5 ("You've got to saddle up your boys, you've got to draw a hard line"...)
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To: Heartlander

The one about the gardens and clotheslines has me scratching my head. Shouldn’t it say if they can be seen from the street or the other areas instead of can’t? If you can’t see them, why is it a problem. Or am I missing something.


57 posted on 06/05/2024 2:41:15 PM PDT by uptowngirl
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To: FLNittany

THEY WOULD REALLY LOVE MY TRUCK-—

1976 1 ton 4 speed dually with OVER 348,000 miles on the chassis with camper shell & deer bumper on front.

A WORKHORSE


58 posted on 06/05/2024 2:48:53 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: suthener

If the state or county didn’t give guidance and put restrictions on HOA’s they would be telling you what kind of toilet paper to buy and which hand to use to wipe your...butt. The board members have a fiduciary responsibility and the state has a right to set rules and amend them as necessary to protect the owners.

I am living in an HOA for the first time and being a geezer I like having my lawn maintained and the pool and common areas kept up, so I am willing to follow the rules and pay the fees. The HOA is not perfect, but generally okay. When I was younger and more DIY I couldn’t have lived in one. They definitely are not for everyone. That said I like having the HOA board under so many restraints that they can’t easily cause mischief. I don’t see this as more government, I see it as restraining petty moonbattery. This law was passed because petty moonbattery in HOA’s was obviously a problem in places.


59 posted on 06/05/2024 2:50:07 PM PDT by chickenlips (Neuter your politicians)
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To: chickenlips

“I am living in an HOA for the first time and being a geezer I like having my lawn maintained and the pool and common areas kept up, so I am willing to follow the rules and pay the fees.”

That’s fine. That’s your choice. But between accepting HOA rules, and on top of that wanting the state government to have control of an HOA, your political positions may not be what you think they are. Why not just skip the middleman (the HOA) and have the state government tell you how to act?


60 posted on 06/05/2024 2:58:36 PM PDT by suthener ( )
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