Community Association Litigation Tag Archives

The firm’s latest Miami Herald “Real Estate Counselor” column appears in today’s edition of the newspaper and was authored by Michael Toback. The article, which is titled “Appellate Ruling in Hollywood Case Spotlights Notice Requirements for Condo Association Lawsuits,” focuses on the takeaways for Florida condominium associations from a recent appellate decision that brought an added measure of clarity to the pre-suit requirements for associations bringing legal actions against their unit-owner members. Michael’s article reads:

. . . The new opinion from Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal came in a case that stemmed from a dispute at the Gateland Village Condominium in Hollywood, in Florida.

The association for the community filed a three-count complaint against unit-owner Mary Elizabeth Holly seeking injunctive relief requiring her to make requisite repairs to her unit’s leaking air-conditioning system, which was purportedly causing damage to the building’s roof as well as water intrusion into another unit, and to allow the association to access and inspect her residence. It also sought damages for breaching the association’s governing declaration by failing to provide it access to the unit and to maintain/repair her air conditioning system.

In response, Holly asserted that the trial court lacked personal jurisdiction due to the absence of service of process, alleging she was not personally served with the summons and complaint. She also alleged that Gateland failed to satisfy prerequisites prior to filing suit required by both Florida law and the condominium association’s own governing documents.

The firm’s latest Miami Herald “Real Estate Counselor” column authored by partner Evonne Andris appears in today’s edition of the newspaper and is titled “The Costs of Community Association Lawsuits, And How to Avoid Them.” Evonne’s article focuses on the potential impacts of community association litigation, and the benefits of alternative options for resolving association disputes. It reads:

. . . In such an environment where emotions can run high, boards of directors and the owners they represent should always strive to let cooler heads prevail. While in certain situations litigation is a necessary tool to assist in the governance of a community, it is a tool that should be used with the understanding that escalating conflicts into litigation is almost always detrimental for both sides in association disputes, including those who eventually prevail in the matter.

Litigation is a disruptor of community harmony, and it could lead to very public squabbles that often make the local news. Such coverage can have long-term negative impacts for communities with their indefinite online lifespan via internet searches under a community’s name, making them potentially detrimental for property values.

Real estate brokers can also become keenly aware of communities that are rife with conflicts, and they will steer their clients elsewhere. Some lenders will also inquire about pending litigation in their loan pre-approval questionnaires, and they may become reluctant to approve mortgages for prospective buyers in communities involved in potentially significant lawsuits, or in those that regularly attempt to enforce their rules, policies and decisions through litigation as opposed to other forms of dispute resolution.

Articles Tagged with Community Association Litigation

Miami Herald Real Estate Law Column: “Appellate Ruling in Hollywood Case Spotlights Notice Requirements for Condo Association Lawsuits”

Miami Herald Real Estate Law Column by Evonne Andris: “The Costs of Community Association Lawsuits, And How to Avoid Them”