Serving on a homeowners association (HOA) or condo board can be as much of a frustration and inconvenience as it is an honor. It is an elected position that requires service to the local community.
Many people enjoy helping to keep their communities safe and their neighborhoods attractive, but they may dislike sitting in meetings for hours and listening to the complaints of everyone nearby about relatively minuscule matters. Those serving on HOA boards typically have to take the bad along with the good, and they must be careful to ensure that they comply with all state regulations while serving in their position of local authority.
There are many ways for HOA board members to run afoul of the law, and one of them is relatively common. Those frustrated by the complaints of specific individuals or ongoing debates about minor decisions may try to bypass future debates, only to expose themselves to recalls and other legal consequences.
Open HOA meetings are mandatory
There are several requirements for HOA boards operating in Florida. One of the most important relates to transparency and community feedback. Florida state statutes require that HOA boards provide community members with information about all meetings before they occur.
Those meetings should be open to the public either physically or via digital access as necessary. It is typically not appropriate for an HOA to hold closed-door meetings that are not accessible to members of the community. They also have to avoid denying particular individuals access just because they tend to be long-winded or to take issue with every decision made.
Remaining open to the public and allowing an opportunity for feedback is a crucial element of transparency for HOA boards. When board members violate those rules, they open themselves up to claims of misconduct and corruption. In some cases, community members may even seek to replace HOA board members with others because of their decision to deny people access to the meetings and an opportunity to speak.
Understanding what rules govern HOA boards can help ensure more complete compliance with the law. HOA boards that make their meetings open and accessible protect themselves from a risk of consequences stemming from claims of misconduct filed by frustrated homeowners.