WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
By
Eric Glazer, Esq.
Published February 14, 2022
It’s almost a dream, but a year ago things were certainly
different in the condo world than they are today. I was dealing
with fights about mandatory masks in the common areas, fights to
re-open the pool and gym, meetings only being held by Zoom and
all sorts of other issues all related of course to the Covid
crisis.
Little by little things started to get better, restrictions were
eased, in person meetings started in some places and the
community began to feel like a home again, instead of a
hospital. It’s still not perfect, but we’re getting there.
And then came Thursday, June 24th, 2021 when The
Champlain Towers came crashing down in Surfside, killing 98
innocent victims. It shook our community to the core and from
this attorney’s perspective, changed condominium law forever.
As of July 1st, 2022 when new laws will likely go
into effect, condominium law will be remembered as either pre
Champlain Towers or post Champlain Towers. The 98 victims did
not die in vain. They will be the reason why condominiums are
about to become safer places to live in.
So between finally being able to re-start our lives in most
respects because the pandemic has slowed, and what we learned
from Champlain Towers, I have never seen Board members so eager
to take actions and to make sure they are doing things by the
book, In my thirty years of practice, I have never had a more
busier January or February.
Boards and managers are eager to start the election process for
elections that were put on hold, budget meetings that were put
on hold and projects that were put on hold. It’s like the
handcuffs are finally off and the Board members want to conquer
the world all while taking Surfside into consideration.
My Board certification classes are live again and packed. Board
members and unit owners want to know the direction that the law
is headed and what their fiduciary duties are. I get more
e-mails asking questions than ever before. Boards want to make
sure the actions they take are wise or even legal. There is an
amazing transition I’m witnessing where Boards are eager to
learn, build, repair, obtain bids, pass their mandatory
inspections, while at the same time being very concerned that
every step they are taking is legal and complies with 718, The
Florida Condominium Act.
As a result of the Champlain Towers disaster, maybe Board
members are now realizing for the first time, that their
decisions actually may mean the difference in some cases between
life and death. Maybe they just don’t want to be individually
named as a defendant in a lawsuit. In any event, it’s good to
see Board members taking their responsibilities seriously, like
never before. Sure there are the bad ones that will never
change, but it’s a very small minority. To the others, I
say…….keep up the good work.
P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day! Stop reading and do something
romantic!
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About
HOA & Condo Blog
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Eric Glazer graduated
from the University of Miami School of Law in 1992 after
receiving a B.A. from NYU. He has practiced community
association law for three decades and is the owner of
Glazer and Sachs, P.A. a five attorney law firm with
offices in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.
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Eric is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in
Condominium and Planned Development Law.
Since 2009, Eric has been the host of Condo Craze
and HOAs, a weekly one hour radio show that airs at 11:00 a.m.
each Sunday on 850 WFTL.
See:
www.condocrazeandhoas.com.
Eric is the first attorney in the State of
Florida that designed a course that certifies condominium and
HOA residents as eligible to serve on a Board of Directors and
has now certified more than 20,000 Floridians all across the
state. He is certified as a Circuit Court Mediator by The
Florida Supreme Court and has mediated dozens of disputes
between associations and unit owners. Eric also devotes
significant time to advancing legislation in the best interest
of Florida community association members.
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