Latest news with #propertyowners
Daily Mail
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Major update for Florida condo owners in midst of crisis
Fed-up Florida homeowners just scored a rare win after years of skyrocketing costs. Starting July 1, a new law will rein in homeowners associations (HOAs) long accused of slapping residents with surprise fees and fines for petty infractions. Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1203 into law earlier this month, ushering in sweeping reforms aimed at making HOA boards more transparent and less intrusive. Under the new rules, any HOA with more than 100 homes or condos must post key documents — including budgets, covenants, and bylaws — on a publicly accessible website by January 1. Board members and property managers will also have to complete 4 to 8 hours of state-approved education each year. And homeowners must now get at least 14 days' notice, along with an agenda, before any board meeting. The changes are being welcomed by property owners who say they've been blindsided with arbitrary violations and ballooning fees with little warning or recourse. And this could be just the beginning of nitpicky HOAs. Lawmakers have signaled more limits may be on the way, in Florida and other states. A new law Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed with the aim of tighter regulations over Homeowner Association Fees will go into effect July 1 They can no longer ban residents from parking non-commercial, personal or work vehicles on the property. Also exempted now are first responder vehicles. HOAs can no longer create rules for the interior of a home that is not visible from the street. Now, plans for central air conditioning, refrigeration, heating or ventilation systems and changes or upgrades to adjacent common area or community golf courses require a review and approval. HOAs can no longer prevent homeowners from having a vegetable garden that can't be seen from the street, and they can't fine residents for leaving garbage cans at the curb or end of their driveway within 24 hours of a scheduled trash collection. Residents will no longer be fined for leaving up holiday decorations or lights longer than indicated in the HOA's governing documents without prior notice. Homeowners will have one week to take their decorations down after a written warning. Florida lawmakers unanimously passed HB 1203 in March before DeSantis signed it. 'This bill comes from a lot of listening to owners talk about how they know their building needs to be safe but pleading that the process be fair and workable,' state Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island), said at a press conference. The law comes as a relief to Floridians who have seen their HOAs skyrocket in the wake of the Surfside condo collapse in June 2021. Laws now require structural inspections for condos and additional money to be set aside for repairs, leading to an increase in required payments. More frequent natural disasters such as hurricanes and flooding have also led homeowners associations to raise fees in anticipation of repairs and mitigation needs. Several retirement hotspots in Florida in particular have been hit with high spikes on their HOA fees on their condos. Tampa, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale have all seen HOA rises of more than 15 percent in the last year, according to Redfin. In Tampa, the median monthly HOA fee jumped 17.2 percent over the year to July 31, according to Redfin. In Orlando, the fees soared by an average of 16.7 percent, and in Fort Lauderdale they rose by 16.2 percent, it found. This is compared to an average hike of 6 percent across the 43 most populous metro areas which Redfin analyzed. HOA fees also rose in West Palm Beach by 12.8 percent, by 7.6 percent in Jacksonville and by 5.7 percent in Miami. 'Many buildings - even those without amenities - now have HOA dues north of $1,000 a month,' Rafael Corrales from Redfin said. The HOA problem had gotten so out of hand in the Sunshine State that South Florida's pandemic property boom has officially reversed. After years of surging demand, the region's real estate market is now flooded with listings as desperate homeowners rush to sell amid soaring costs and vanishing buyers. According to a report from Cotality, the number of homes for sale across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties has quadrupled since 2022 — hitting the highest level in nearly a decade. 'The last 25 years have seen home prices, homeowners' insurance, and property taxes surge in Florida,' explains Cotality chief economist Selma Hepp. 'When you add in the unflagging migration that is straining the state's public services and inflated costs across the board, the pressure on the quality of life has become so great that it is beginning to tip the balance. Many households are finding it increasingly difficult to stay in the state.'
Associated Press
2 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Enjuris 2025 Guide on Swimming Pool Safety, Fence Requirements by State, and Legal Liability
From state-by-state fence laws to liability risks and drowning stats, here's what every homeowner, landlord, and vacation rental host needs to know TAMPA, FL, UNITED STATES, June 18, 2025 / / -- As the summer season begins and families across the U.S. head outdoors, a new resource from Enjuris provides life-saving information on swimming pool safety, state-by-state fence laws, and legal liability for accidents and drownings. This in-depth guide includes: State-specific pool fence requirements, including height, spacing, alarms, and barrier types; Expert recommendations on the most effective pool fences for preventing child access; Legal analysis of homeowner and property liability in swimming pool injury and drowning cases; Recent statistics on child drownings in residential pools, vacation rentals, and public spaces; and Practical tips to reduce legal risk and enhance poolside safety. The CDC reports that drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1 to 4 in the U.S. The goal of Enjuris and its partners is to help families and property owners understand both the safety best practices and the legal responsibilities tied to pool ownership. The resource is available now at: We invite swimming pool safety organizations, injury prevention advocates, attorneys, and property managers to share this guide with their networks or include it as a trusted resource on their websites. Melissa Gold Enjuris email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube TikTok X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Big household rates increases as Townsville City Council delivers budget
Some North Queensland home owners are facing 20 per cent rate rises as regional councils increase rates in line with skyrocketing land valuations. The troubled Townsville City Council capped owner-occupier rate increases at 20 per cent in its 2025-26 budget delivered on Wednesday morning. The council has had a tumultuous year, with a mayor suspended and an auditor finding the local government overpaid executives. Townsville City Council collects rates from 48,000 owner occupiers and 2,400 of those households will pay the maximum 20 per cent rate increase. Another 5,900 owner-occupiers will see an increase of 10-to-20 per cent. The median value for residential land in Townsville increased by 24 per cent to $192,500 this year after assessments by the Queensland Valuer General. The council reduced its rate-in-the-dollar charge to offset land value increases, as both methods are used to determine rates. Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney described the $928.2 million budget as fair and equitable. "We couldn't let the community see what would be a 22 per cent rate rise across a lot of properties," she said. Of the 48,000 owner-occupied households, 7,000 will have their rates increases by between 4 per cent and 10 per cent, and for 17,000 there will be rate rises from zero to 4 per cent. About 15,000 Townsville ratepayers will get a reduction and about 200 will see no change. Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney said the additional costs to households would be, on average, about $4.60 per week, or $240 a year. For landlords, minimum rates will increase by 10 per cent but, for multi-unit dwellings, minimum rates will increase by 30 per cent. The council will also raise minimum commercial rates by 54 per cent and the minimum heavy industry rates by 50 per cent. It also announced that it would charge short-stay accommodation providers commercial rates if they operate for more than 30 days a year. Hotels and serviced apartments offering rooms on short-stay websites will now be charged commercial rates at a minimum of $2,300. Cr Greaney said the council would prioritise investment in roads, footpaths, community spaces, waste, water and infrastructure maintenance in the year ahead. She added the council expected its budget to be in surplus next financial year. "We're on track to reduce council's deficit by $12.7 million, with the council expected to achieve a budget surplus one year earlier than previous forecasts," she said. The council announced a raft of policy changes, including a new three-year capital plan to keep major projects on track.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Portland holding foreclosure auction Monday afternoon
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The city of Portland is hold a foreclosure sale of six vacant properties Monday, including property that has been neglected and may have delinquent code violation fines. The sale is happening at city hall starting at noon for properties including homes at Southeast 103rd Avenue and Foster as well as one near Southeast 86th and Tolman Street. Currently, the lowest bid for one of the properties is about $28,000, and the highest is over $660,000. You can learn more about the auction on the City of Portland website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Should Hong Kong hit Redhill Peninsula homeowners with heavier fines for illegal works?
Hong Kong authorities should appeal against the 'light' penalties imposed on two property owners for erecting illegal structures at their luxury Redhill Peninsula homes, experts have said, warning that the fines are not hefty enough to deter offenders. The specialists weighed in after the two property owners were told to pay more than HK$110,000 (US$14,015) in total after admitting to carrying out unauthorised building works. Their convictions are the first among 30 prosecutions made against landlords of the estate in Tai Tam where rampant illegal structures were found. According to the Buildings Department, the two owners pleaded guilty to carrying out unauthorised building works at Eastern Court on Thursday, with one fined HK$30,000 and the other HK$82,980. Lawmaker Andrew Lam Siu-lo said the sentence, from the view of the public, failed to serve any deterrent effect given the widespread nature of unauthorised works at the estate, although no details had been released about the structures found at the two homes. 'This is not a good message sent to the public regarding the government's crackdown on illegal structures,' he said. 'It shows that no matter how severe the maximum penalty can be, in the end the sentence will be light.'
