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Panel
to hear home association complaints |
Article
Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel
By
Joe Kollin
Published
January 17, 2008
The
new state House committee created to look into problems in condo,
homeowner and co-op associations in Florida will hold its first meeting in
Pembroke Pines on Jan. 26.
State Rep. Julio Robaina, R-Miami, said Wednesday the hearing will run
from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the auditorium at Broward Community College's
south campus, 7200 Pines Blvd. Robaina is chairman of the Select Committee
on Condominium & Homeowner Association Governance.
The only other South Florida meeting will be in Miami Beach from 11 a.m.
to 6 p.m. on Feb. 9, but the location hasn't been determined. Other
meetings will be held in Orlando, Tampa and Tallahassee, although those
dates will be announced later.
On Monday, House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, announced a new
committee to investigate accounting, budgeting, auditing and thefts of
association funds by officers. He also wants it to investigate problems
with elections, access to records and other issues.
He ordered the committee to report its findings and recommendations for
new laws on March 3, a day before the start of the next legislative
session.
The committee wants to hear from owners with evidence of financial
irregularities. If an owner has had problems gaining access to association
documents, which must be open under state law, the committee will subpoena
them, Robaina said.
"We want cases that have come to a standstill because of lack of
information or stalling," he said.
The committee will consider nonfinancial complaints, but only from owners
who can document they have tried unsuccessfully to resolve them, such as
by mediation.
Only owners who can't get financial documents and believe they will need
subpoenas should sign up in advance. Call Robaina's office at
305-442-6868.
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