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SB 476: Law Enforcement Vehicles
By
Jan Bergemann
Published February 28, 2020
This was the first community association bill that went through
this year’s legislative session and was already signed into law
by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Yes, there was already an AG opinion in existence that allowed
law enforcement officers to park their cruisers in the driveway
of their homes in community associations – and yes, the opinion
clearly stated that a police cruiser cannot be considered a
commercial vehicle.
Yes, people with common sense and the willingness to follow laws
and rules already knew about it, but the problem is the fact
that certain board members, attorneys and CAMs are either
illiterate or plainly unwilling to follow rules and laws. That’s
why this bill was necessary – in order to make it easier to go
after community association boards and managers who are
unwilling to follow the laws.
It seems that AG opinions don’t really do much when it comes to
the management of community associations. Maybe it has to do
with the fact that rules and laws regarding community
associations are only enforceable for the rich, because Joe
Homeowner doesn’t have the necessary finances to enforce the
laws written to protect him.
Remember the AG opinion about the use of golf courses owned by
associations by outsiders (non-members)? It was as well very
clear when written by Charlie Christ, but it seems nowadays
people plainly ignore it.
Maybe that’s a bill proposal for next year that could strengthen
the existing AG opinion and make it officially law.
Admittedly, SB 476 just a little step in the right direction
considering the legal chaos in Florida’s community associations,
but in my opinion every little thing helps.
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Jan Bergemann is president of Cyber Citizens For Justice,
Florida
's largest state-wide property owners' advocacy group.
CCFJ works on legislation to help owners living in
community
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associations. He moved to
Florida
in 1995 - hoping to retire. He moved into a HOA, where the
developer cheated the homeowners and used the association dues
for his own purposes. End of retirement!
CCFJ was born in the year 2000, when some owners met in
Tallahassee
- finding out that power is only in numbers. Bergemann was a
member of Governor Jeb Bush's HOA Task force in 2003/2004.
The organization has two websites to inform interested
Florida
homeowners and condo owners:
News Website: http://www.ccfj.net/.
Educational Website: http://www.ccfjfoundation.net/.
We think that only owners can really represent owners, since all
service providers surely have a different interest! We are
trying to create owner-friendly laws, but the best laws are
useless without enforcement. And enforcement is totally lacking
in
Florida
!
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