By Eric Glazer, Esq.

Published September 9, 2013

     It's September. Day camp is over for the kids. It's starting to get dark a little earlier each day and the brutal summer heat is not as bad as it was a few weeks ago. This can only mean one thing……..it's time to go back to school. I'm not talking about the kids. I'm talking to you Mr. or Mrs. Unit Owner or Home Owner.

     It has been an honor and a pleasure certifying over 5,000 Floridians who are now eligible to serve on a condominium Board of Directors. One of the best accomplishments this year of our new legislation was getting the statutes amended to now allow for certification of H.O.A. directors as well. The DBPR truly deserves a round of applause for agreeing to approve classes that certify H.O.A. directors. Until now there was little to no education available to them. That all has now changed.

     Unfortunately, the law still allows directors of condominiums and H.O.A.'s to sign what I call a silly self-serving affidavit stating:
That he or she has read the association’s declaration of condominium, articles of incorporation, bylaws, and current written policies; that he or she will work to uphold such documents and policies to the best of his or her ability; and that he or she will faithfully discharge his or her fiduciary responsibility to the association’s members. 

Blah Blah Blah…….

     The affidavit doesn't even require you to acknowledge that you read Florida Statute 718 or 720, or even require you to know that they exist. The ability to become certified by signing this ridiculous piece of paper is an insult to the thousands of Floridians who took a few hours out of their lives to attend a live course. In all candor, I would be wary of anyone on my Board of Directors who was arrogant enough to believe they couldn't benefit from a live course and who can't find a few hours to learn something.

     As many of you already know, the condominium and H.O.A. laws are changing quickly. This coming legislative session will no doubt yield further changes and it is imperative that your Board stay ahead of the curve and stay up to date. Our free Condo Craze and H.O.A.'s certification course has now been approved by the D.B.P.R. to teach both condominium and H.O.A. law in the same course. We cover topics like budgets, board meetings, reserves, year-end financial reporting, foreclosures, fiduciary duties and board member liability, recalls, and much more. We even discuss whether or not these new laws that get passed by The Florida Legislature each year apply in your community or not. The answer may surprise you.

     So don't be lazy! Our free courses will be given all around the state. Our first one is only two weeks away! Here's our current 2013 schedule:

SEPTEMBER 26TH - 7:00 P.M. AT THE HARD ROCK IN HOLLYWOOD.

October 10th, - 8:00 a.m. – at the Miami Beach Convention Center;

October 16th, - 8:00 a.m. at the West Palm Beach Convention Center;

October 24th, 8:00 a.m. at the Tampa Bay Condo and HOA Expo;

November 16th, 9:00 am. at the Holiday Inn at Universal Studios in Orlando;

December 4th, 8:00 a.m. at the South Florida Cooperator Expo in Fort Lauderdale.

And before long…..we'll have our schedule up for 2014.

To register for any of these seminars, please go to: www.condocrazeandhoas.com  

I look forward to seeing all of you in class. If you can't make it….I want a note from your parents.