Security

January 29, 2023

Miami Herald Real Estate Column by Michael Hyman: “Florida HOA Communities Installing New License Plate Reader Cameras”

by Siegfried Rivera

Siegfried Rivera

The firm’s latest Miami Herald “Real Estate Counselor” column is authored by Michael L. Hyman and appears in today’s edition of the newspaper. The article, which is titled “Florida HOA Communities Installing New License Plate Reader Cameras,” focuses on deployments by communities of new automated license plate reader cameras that automatically read and record the license plate of all passing vehicles. Michael’s article reads:

. . . For HOAs and even some condominium communities, especially those facing security and safety issues and concerns, deploying such cameras at key entrance/exit points with the accompanying signs alerting drivers of the monitoring could represent an effective prevention and investigative tool.

News reports over the last several years have chronicled ALPR installations by Florida HOAs locally in Coral Springs as well as in the areas surrounding Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Panama City and Naples. A recent article on the TapInto.net news site that also appeared on msn.com focused on the Kensington Glen community in Coral Springs and its deployment of ALPR cameras that are connected to the city police department’s Real Time Crime Center.

Gil Sternbach, the president of the HOA for the community with 258 homes and no security gates or guard house, describes the cameras as their “invisible gate.” The HOA installed four solar-powered ALPR cameras to read license plates and capture images of vehicles going in and out of the two roads leading into the community.

October 18, 2021

Condo Association’s Denial of Gate Access Pass to 100-Year-Old Resident Draws Negative TV News Coverage in South Florida

by Roberto C. Blanch

Roberto C. Blanch

My colleague Laura Manning-Hudson wrote about a dispute involving pet chickens that received unwanted TV news coverage for a Boca Raton HOA in her last blog post. To help illustrate just how common such negative media coverage has become for community associations that make questionable decisions, my latest post just a couple of weeks later also focuses on another report by a local South Florida station involving disputed community association actions.

The latest story is on a Hollywood, Fla., condominium association’s decision to deny a 100-year-old resident a gate access pass decal for her to use when she is getting a ride home. The report by 7 News (WSVN-FOX) in South Florida features an interview with Vangie Commeau, who lives at the Carriage Hills Condominium and is 100 years old. She tells the station’s Patrick Fraser that earlier this year the property cancelled the manned security guard at its entrance gate in favor of an automatic scanner that reads bar codes on window-sticker decals on residents’ vehicles to open the gate.

Because Commeau does not own or drive a vehicle, she did not receive a decal from the association. She tells the reporter that she brought it to their attention, but the association responded by declining to issue her a gate access decal pass.

This creates a burden for Commeau when one of her friends takes her to the doctor or to one of her monthly lunches with their friends, as she is unable to get their vehicle in through the residents’ gate when they return. She was told to use the guest lane and buzz one of her neighbors to let her in, but she notes that forces her to make an appointment with a neighbor a day ahead.

April 19, 2021

Important Considerations for Community Associations’ Use of Security Cameras

by Roberto C. Blanch

Roberto C. Blanch

Security cameras in community associations, especially in sprawling HOA communities with gated entries and considerable common areas, help to provide residents and guests with an added measure of peace of mind. However, there are important privacy considerations for associations seeking to install surveillance systems, and there are also questions about whether these systems may constitute material alterations that must be approved by a vote of an association’s membership.

In general, community associations are allowed to install and utilize security cameras to monitor their common areas. The most important limitation in their use is that the cameras should not be positioned to view areas in which residents may reasonably expect a level privacy, such as restrooms, locker rooms, and private dwellings or backyards.

Another important consideration is whether the deployment of security camera systems constitute a material alteration which may require a vote of the association’s voting interest. Decisions over this issue in arbitrations before the State of Florida’s Division of Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes have held that security camera installations may be considered material alterations. Therefore, unless an association’s specific governing documents provide otherwise, they may first have to be approved by a vote of the owners, which in some cases may be at least 75 percent of the membership. Some association governing documents require less than the statutory 75 percent threshold to approve a material alteration, and some only require membership approval when the cost of the alteration exceeds a specific amount.

December 21, 2020

Community Association Changes to Package Deliveries Post-Pandemic

by Roberto C. Blanch

Roberto C. Blanch

Consumer’s preferences for online shopping have grown to new records this year during the pandemic, and shipping and delivery volumes are also accordingly at all-time highs. Given the constant flow of deliveries to condominium communities and HOAs, many associations have chosen to change the way deliveries are handled to prevent the possibility of their leading any potential Covid-19 contagion.

A recent article on this topic in the HOA Resources magazine of the Community Associations Institute reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends contactless deliveries, meaning limited or no contact with package recipients or potentially contaminated surfaces such as doors and pens.

“To increase resident safety, some condominiums’ coronavirus protocols include spraying packages with disinfectant before bringing them inside. Small packages are being slipped to recipients through a plexiglass window, while some condo buildings are prohibiting the delivery of large pieces of furniture, like mattresses, that would require the help of a third-party service or the building staff,” the article reads.

November 12, 2020

CAI Civility Pledge Can Help Promote Harmonious, Respectful Living in Communities with Associations

by Laura Manning-Hudson

Laura Manning-Hudson

The contentious presidential election and political divisiveness of the months leading up to it caused the Community Associations Institute, the leading organization which represents the interests of communities with associations, to issue an important reminder. In its blogs and emails, CAI recently appealed to communities to promote civility and unity by adopting the organization’s Community Association Civility Pledge, which is a commitment to the following principles:

Each individual must be accountable for his or her own actions and words.
All interactions in the community should be civil despite any differences of opinion on a particular issue.
A vow to respect all points of view and strive to provide a reasonable opportunity for all to express their views openly.
Residents are engaged and informed.
Residents review CAI’s Rights and Responsibilities for Better Communities.

August 13, 2020

Article by Michael Hyman in Today’s Daily Business Review: Ruling Exposes Perils of Overzealous Buyer Screenings by Community Associations

by Siegfried Rivera

Siegfried Rivera

Firm shareholder Michael L. Hyman authored an article that is featured as the “Board of Contributors” guest commentary column in today’s edition of the Daily Business Review, South Florida’s exclusive business daily and official court newspaper. The article, which is titled “Ruling Exposes Perils of Overzealous Buyer Screenings by Community Associations,” focuses on a recent ruling illustrating how associations that go too far in their screenings of prospective new buyers and tenants could face legal consequences. His article reads:

. . . The recent ruling ordered a Marco Island condominium association to stop its unreasonable screening practices, and the case made local headlines in the pages of the Naples Daily News.

David Mech, a prospective buyer at the Crescent Beach Condominium, sued the condominium association in December and represented himself in the case without the benefit of legal counsel. He alleged that he walked away from his $425,000 all-cash offer to purchase his dream condominium unit because he refused to comply with the associations’ request to provide his last two annual tax returns for himself and Katarina Palijusevic, who planned to invest in the unit with him.

“There’s no reason for them to know the total income for people,” he states in the newspaper article. He believed the financial screening requirement was unjustified and just “plain nosy,” so he walked away from his opportunity to acquire the Marco Island condo. “Do I really want to live in a building that has that type of board? That’s really an issue to me,” he stated.

The Collier County court judge ruled that the board’s blanket policy requiring new buyers to produce personal tax returns was “patently unreasonable.” The judge awarded Mech his legal costs and is yet to determine the final award. Mech claims that he lost approximately $4,000 just from his early withdrawal from his apartment lease in Irvine, California, prior to being informed of the tax return requirement.

June 17, 2019

Talk About a Condo Commando! Director Fires Gun to Shoo Away Teens from Pool

by Roberto C. Blanch

Roberto C. Blanch

“I’m putting my own life at risk!” That’s what an Ormond Beach, Fla. homeowners association director is reported to have said after he fired his gun into the ground in an effort to shoo away two teenagers from the community pool.

Thankfully, nobody was hurt in the incident, which resulted in the arrest of Richard S. Marcelle, 66 (pictured below), for three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and discharging a gun in public.

According to reports in the Daytona Beach News-Journal and local television stations, the encounter took place at approximately 9:15 on the evening of April 22 when Julian Johnson, an 18-year-old resident of The Village subdivision, and a younger friend visited the community pool. Marcelle, who is a member of the HOA’s board of directors, approached and informed them that the pool was closed.

When Johnson noticed a sign indicating the pool is open until 10 p.m. as he and his friend were exiting, they pointed it out to Marcelle. Apparently, residents had not yet been notified, and new signs had not been posted, announcing a recent change to the pool hours.

As they attempted to re-enter the pool area, the association director intercepted them and brandished a handgun, which he then fired into the ground. One of the teens then asked: “Did you really just shoot a gun?” Marcelle’s response: “Yes, I am putting my own life at risk!”

May 28, 2019

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Illustrates Potential Repercussions of Inadequate Enforcement for Community Associations

by Laura Manning-Hudson

Laura Manning-Hudson

The horrific murder of an 11-year-old Las Vegas girl stemming from a shooting into her home, which had been mistakenly targeted by local gang members, has led to a wrongful death lawsuit against the homeowners association and property management firm. The tragic case delivers a very clear and important message for community associations contending with problem residents who may pose a threat.

The shooting last November was caught on surveillance video, which shows multiple assailants firing indiscriminately into the home where Angelina Erives lived with her mother, step-father and two sisters. The shooters were confused as to the location of their intended target, which was a home two doors down the street, when they killed Angelina (pictured below in family photo provided to media).

Erives According to statements of the attorney for Angelina’s mother and siblings in several news reports, the neighboring property had been occupied by as many as 20 different tenants and the police had been called to that property on numerous occasions. The homeowners association and property management company were aware of the problems and had been in communications with the owner of the home. However, the association’s apparent enforcement of the community’s covenants, conditions and restrictions fell short of evicting the problem residents.

May 20, 2019

Condos and Cameras: Privacy Concerns Involving Doorbell Cameras

by Roberto C. Blanch

Roberto C. Blanch

Home automation is a fast-growing segment of the tech industry, and the use of Internet-connected doorbell cameras has become particularly popular for those seeking an extra level of security at a reasonable price. These motion-activated cameras enable users to monitor everyone who passes by their front door, whether on a live or recorded video feed. While use of these devices may present less privacy issues for those residing in single-family homes, what about for those who reside within condominium buildings with shared hallways?

Proponents of doorbell cameras in condominium buildings may argue that the convenience and safety benefits they provide outweigh the privacy concerns and any issues of improper alterations to the common-element portions of the condominium building. For example, a doorbell camera, which may also be capable of recording audio, may view and record within another dwelling that may be located across the hallway when its door is open. The use of a doorbell camera in such a scenario may be considered an invasion of privacy.

March 8, 2019

Saga of Nightmare Neighbor at Orlando Condo Ends with Conviction for Stalking

by Laura Manning-Hudson

Laura Manning-Hudson

Residents of the Phillips Bay Condominium in Orlando, Fla. are finally breathing a sigh of relief after a years-long saga of a nightmare neighbor appears to be coming to an end with a conviction for aggravated stalking. Residents are now awaiting a final ruling from the court on the penalty for the third-degree felony, which under Florida law can be as high as five years in prison, five years of probation and $5,000 in fines.

According to an arbitration order from the state’s Division of Condominiums under the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the complaints against unit owner Marianna Seachrist (pictured below) at the condominium association began in early 2014, shortly after she moved in to the community. Neighboring unit owners complained of constant pounding and rumbling noises at all hours of the day and night, and police were eventually called when Seachrist threatened to hire someone to kill one of the board members.

mariannaseachrist--240x300 The loud and disruptive noises continued, and the threatening behavior escalated to the point that some residents lived in fear of walking around the community. After multiple incidents and calls to police, her downstairs neighbor was granted a temporary injunction for stalking protection in 2015.

After Seachrist was served with the injunction, deputies had to return to her condo three successive days because of noise disturbances. In subsequent visits they heard low-bass rumbling and knocking noises, and after obtaining a search warrant they rammed the front door and discovered an elaborate sound system, including three low-frequency speakers mounted to a board and placed face-down on the floor in the living room, hallway and closet. The speakers were also weighed down by dumbbells and cinder blocks, and they were wired to an amplifier using a tablet to play a recording on a loop of bass-clicking noises that would vibrate the room. The setup allowed for the remote operation of the system using a smartphone.