Gov. DeSantis signs bill to rein in overbearing HOAs

The new law also provides that HOA managers and directors must satisfy certain educational requirements.

Domineering homeowners’ associations (HOAs) will have fewer ways to pester residents with nitpicky complaints and fines under a new law going into effect next month.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1203, which limits HOA fines and requires more transparency from the organizations.

The measure, effective July 1, mandates an HOA with more than 100 parcels must post all of its rules, covenants, budgets and other pertinent documents on its website by Jan. 1.

It must also provide notice of any scheduled meeting of its members and the agenda for the meeting at least 14 days in advance.

But the most eye-catching aspects of the legislation are what HOAs will no longer be able to do.

HOAs will be barred from:

— Banning residents from parking non-commercial, personal or work vehicles on the property. First responder vehicles are also exempted.

— Creating requirements or rules for the interior of a home that is not visible from the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or a community golf course.

— Requiring a review and approval of plans for a central air conditioning, refrigeration, heating or ventilation system that can’t be seen from the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or community golf course.

— Preventing homeowners from having a vegetable garden that can’t be seen from the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or community golf course.

— Fining residents for leaving garbage cans at the curb or end of their driveway within 24 hours of a scheduled trash collection.

— Fining residents for leaving up holiday decorations or lights longer than indicated in the HOA’s governing documents without prior notice. If the association provides written notice of the violation to the homeowner, the homeowner has one week to take the decorations down.

The new law also provides that HOA managers and directors must satisfy certain educational requirements approved by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, including 4-8 hours of yearly continued education courses.

Florida lawmakers unanimously passed HB 1203 in March. Republican Reps. Tiffany Esposito of Fort Myers, Adam Anderson of Palm Harbor and Juan Porras of Miami sponsored the bill.

During a town hall meeting last year, Porras said HOAs faced “no form of accountability,” an that needed to change.

“We’re seeing harassment of homeowners,” he said. “We’re seeing selective enforcement of bylaws and covenants.”

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IChecktheFacts

June 4, 2024 at 8:30 am

“Front yard belongs to the HOA, but backyard is mine’, doesn’t exist; or I have yet to see HOA docs that offer such a provision. As the bill AND article state, this pertains to vegetable gardens, INTERIOR of the home, and HVAC, that “CAN’T BE SEEN FROM the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or community golf course”. Your HOA should already be doing that. Your backyard is still yours, but if you’re going to add a giant windmill, or replica of the Eifel Tower, that CAN be seen from the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or community golf course, just make it smaller. I would think everyone would be upset at the parking of vehicles on your property that this bill ALLOWS. I hate seeing cars on lawns- looks trashy, yet this bill will now permit it- so stop with the MAGA crap-conservative people do NOT like trashy esthetics. People like you need to go somewhere else if you DON’T want America to be Great Again- so please, just go already! We’re done with all the liberal BS- topless trannies at the White House parties, fighting to murder babies when there are free condoms and other birth control at PP not to mention abstinence, destroying ‘democracy’ by having the greatest political opponent arrested on charges that expired 6 years ago then trying him with corrupt Judge who donated to Biden and who literally GAGGED a US President (if this was Obama-y’all would use it as another excuse to burn cities down, lol), supporting HAMAS and terrorists–I clearly could go on, but I have to work to pay my inflation-increased bills that are a result of this “SELected” so-called “President” stopping the Keystone pipeline and drilling permits on DAY 1 by Executive Order, so that we could buy DIRTY oil and dangerously commute it to the USA from our enemies! Then again, he also undid the Border policies, that kept us much safer, so it seems that you support the MEGA- Make Enemies Great Again policy. Shame on you.

53 comments

Carpetbagger
June 2, 2024 at 11:29 am

I’ve always believed that the front yard belongs to the HOA, but the backyard is mine. So why does this feel like the usual political pandering to MAGA Muffins who include HOAs on their long, long list of things to complain about?
- Turtle
  June 2, 2024 at 1:51 pm
  
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  - Elvis Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
    June 2, 2024 at 6:43 pm
    
    Dang Turtle,
    Thats an excellant pic you selected to bring forth your extream good looks and charm to a greatfull planet.
    Whatever you are selling, my Queen, I’m buying.
    I live in Florida and need A Hot Queen ( On the DL ) to assist my research on “Explosive All Encompasing Orgasmic Delights”, Honey I just looked up “HOTTEY HOT MlLF” in Websters Unabridged Dictionary and guess what, my Queen, your Sweet Picture came up.
    Call Me Queen,
    Elvis Pitts “Satisfier of Hot MlLFs” American
- Susana
  June 2, 2024 at 2:14 pm
  
  Front yard belongs to us, it is in the survey and we pay property taxes. This is total tyrany and control.
  - Hung Wiil
    June 2, 2024 at 11:04 pm
    
    Then don’t sign up for the HOA.
    
    Turn the channel. Switch the dial. Simple.
  - FloridaPatriot
    June 3, 2024 at 8:36 am
    
    Then stay out of HOAs. We don’t want your kind trashing the neighborhood.
    - BetterFloridaPatriot
      June 3, 2024 at 1:12 pm
      
      “Take my rights away and tax me harder daddy!”
    - Kathy
      June 8, 2024 at 11:33 am
      
      Allowing people to park their business vehicles in the driveway has the potential for a pickup truck full of yard waste, dumpster diving crap to come home and park in the driveway. Large work trucks, vans and cars, in any condition to park in the community. There has to be more of a directive from the Governor’s office, it can’t just be a blank statement of fact.
- E
  June 3, 2024 at 1:50 am
  
  Seems this democrap person is intimidated by nice neighbors and hates them .HOAs can be and are at times pigs in disguise and retired nobodies who never had a real position till they got retired and decided to PLAY boss…
  Whine whiney whine!
  Deal with it democraps!!!
  - K. Hadley
    June 5, 2024 at 6:40 am
    
    Consider seeking professional help.
- Elvis Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
  June 3, 2024 at 6:45 pm
  
  Good evening Carpet Muncher,
  Actually the vast majority of the “Bad Apples” on HOA Boards, as it has been proven, are Dook 4 Brains Leftist Subaru Driving Birkenstock wearing Democrats.
  Dont worry Carpet Muncher we got this in Florida and thanking you in advance for your Trump vote.
  Thanks again Carpet Muncher,
  Elvis Pitts American
- Bobhope
  June 4, 2024 at 6:39 am
  
  Becuase you have TDS so everything you look at is through a lens of hatred for your fellow man. Sorry he hurt you.
- IChecktheFacts
  June 4, 2024 at 8:30 am
  
  “Front yard belongs to the HOA, but backyard is mine’, doesn’t exist; or I have yet to see HOA docs that offer such a provision. As the bill AND article state, this pertains to vegetable gardens, INTERIOR of the home, and HVAC, that “CAN’T BE SEEN FROM the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or community golf course”. Your HOA should already be doing that. Your backyard is still yours, but if you’re going to add a giant windmill, or replica of the Eifel Tower, that CAN be seen from the street, a neighbor’s property, an adjacent common area or community golf course, just make it smaller. I would think everyone would be upset at the parking of vehicles on your property that this bill ALLOWS. I hate seeing cars on lawns- looks trashy, yet this bill will now permit it- so stop with the MAGA crap-conservative people do NOT like trashy esthetics. People like you need to go somewhere else if you DON’T want America to be Great Again- so please, just go already! We’re done with all the liberal BS- topless trannies at the White House parties, fighting to murder babies when there are free condoms and other birth control at PP not to mention abstinence, destroying ‘democracy’ by having the greatest political opponent arrested on charges that expired 6 years ago then trying him with corrupt Judge who donated to Biden and who literally GAGGED a US President (if this was Obama-y’all would use it as another excuse to burn cities down, lol), supporting HAMAS and terrorists–I clearly could go on, but I have to work to pay my inflation-increased bills that are a result of this “SELected” so-called “President” stopping the Keystone pipeline and drilling permits on DAY 1 by Executive Order, so that we could buy DIRTY oil and dangerously commute it to the USA from our enemies! Then again, he also undid the Border policies, that kept us much safer, so it seems that you support the MEGA- Make Enemies Great Again policy. Shame on you.
  - Kristy Castle
    June 4, 2024 at 5:07 pm
    
    You are the best! Couldn’t have said that any better my friend!
  - James
    June 5, 2024 at 8:26 am
    
    I Agree!
  - rick whitaker
    June 5, 2024 at 1:43 pm
    
    ICHECKTHE FACTS, wouldn’t you know it, a poster called ” i check the facts, ” doesn’t include even one fact in their post. that’s similar to trump calling himself a stable genus. your rant was a very typical orange turd cult rant. you did a good job on that, facts, not so much. we need workers, open the borders. what would jesus do? i wonder if your fellow orange turd cultist, kristy castle and james, would agree that jesus would say, stay out, you’re not white enough to get in.
  - Jan
    June 8, 2024 at 9:24 am
    
    You go guy. Well said. Vote RED
- AgreatPlace 4U
  June 4, 2024 at 8:58 pm
  
  You sound like a hate-filled partisan. Living in a Condominium Association with an overbearing board of directors is like being in a gulag waiting to be whacked. What does that have to do with Trump or people who support trump?
  - Kathy
    June 8, 2024 at 11:39 am
    
    Not all HOAs are overbearing, some just want to make sure the community is kept up, making you proud to live where you live.
    I have lived in a non HOA community and hated the things that were brought into the community. I have lived in HOA communities, some that didn’t enforce the rules, some that did. As long as they don’t go overboard with enforcement, I prefer to live in a HOA community.
- Mark Alpern
  June 5, 2024 at 10:22 am
  
  Because you obviously are a left leaning individual with the usual disconnection from reality and hate for anyone who doesn’t “goose step” to your obviously superior ways. Grow up.
  - rick whitaker
    June 5, 2024 at 1:53 pm
    
    MARK ALPERN, no you grow up, the famous ” goose steppers ” you mentioned were right- wing fascist. so who is disconected from reality. all of you orange turd cultist’ seem to think exactly alike. and, yes, the center and the left, are superior to your orange turd far-right cult
- Marin Rands-Inneo
  June 14, 2024 at 8:30 am
  
  Because these rogue, aggressive, bullying and threatening HOA management companies are harassing Democrats like myself and these politicians are trying to do something to help protect us. Why are you bringing MAGA up in reference to common sense protections necessary to keep us protected??? You need a reality check, wake up…. the politicians who wrote this bill should be applauded and you should be appreciating their efforts…. not criticizing these efforts because they are Republicans. Where’s our Democratic representatives
  co-sponsoring these common sense protections for us???
Utardai asmus
June 2, 2024 at 11:38 am

Why not plant flowers front yard
Deplorable Pinellas
June 2, 2024 at 11:41 am

Needs to apply to all HOAs, not just ones with over 100 homes.
They also shouldn’t be able to force homeowners to have a certain type of grass
- Elvis Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
  June 3, 2024 at 7:01 pm
  
  Good evening Deplorable,
  As you know Pinellas County is about 93.25% comprised of Subaru Driving Birknstock wearing Dook 4 Brains Leftys.
  Dont expect too much relief over there in Pinellas County. This Sage Legislation was ment to reward our Republican Majority Counties.
  Allthough we feel your pain there is nothing we can do for you.
  Thanks Deplorable …. we cant save everybody ….. I hope you understand.
  Elvis Pitts American
  - rick whitaker
    June 3, 2024 at 8:29 pm
    
    EARL/BILLY PURSER, do you have your tinfoil hat on?
Steven Ritchie Sr
June 2, 2024 at 1:27 pm

Or tell you ,you cant have visitors bit 30 in the whole year. That violates my rights, I was told my granddaughter cant visit no more because she was here over 30 times.shes 1 yr old
- Jamie Lipkins
  June 2, 2024 at 10:08 pm
  
  I think hoa’s harass people and they should all allow animals !!
  - Hung Wiil
    June 3, 2024 at 1:59 pm
    
    F your dog. Don’t make me call Kristi Noem. I will.
- Elvis Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
  June 3, 2024 at 7:06 pm
  
  Good evening Steve,
  All you Crumungens in those 55+ communitties should have read the by-laws BEFORE y’all moved in.
  Steve, this Sage Legislation was never intended to help those like you.
  EPA
Robin
June 2, 2024 at 4:13 pm

Now watch your property value plummet…
- E
  June 3, 2024 at 1:51 am
  
  NOW.. ACTUALLY, SEE THE CONDO COMANDOS SHUT UP!!!
- James
  June 3, 2024 at 8:02 am
  
  My HOA is saying this new law doesn’t apply to them due to our docs not having Kaufman language.
  https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/florida-community-association-law-contracts-clause-application-in-an-ever-changing-legislative-landscape/
Richard
June 2, 2024 at 5:31 pm

Our Hoa breaks countless rules. Takes visitor spots and makes it a resident one. Paints your home out of your reserve fund without asking your vote and it’s the only 1 in whole community out of uniform bc the President and VP are spiteful. Don’t care for lawn irrigation etc. We pay the highest fee of whole complex. Others pay half. It’s ridiculous. Ask questions with QPM and no reply to the vm your forced to leave. Plus deed restricted Community says no pets and over half have them since I bought in their 7 years ago including new President and VP who just got theirs. Sidewalks cracked for a year and mats are thrown over them. It’s a disgrace at 464.00 a month. State needs to investigate them!
- Elvis Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
  June 3, 2024 at 7:16 pm
  
  Richard HOA life is NOT for you,
  Dont be a hater I would NEVER live in an HOA.
  My Sage Advice, Richard, is to sell now, buy 10 acers and put your home right in the middle.
  Your wife will still annoy you but its better than what you are suffering through with an HOA.
  Richard, some of us are just “Not The HOA type” get out Richard as this new law was never intended to help folks like you and me.
  EPA
  - rick whitaker
    June 3, 2024 at 8:32 pm
    
    EARL/ELVIS/BILLY PURSER, , your advice is worthless, why are you offering it?
Ocean Joe
June 3, 2024 at 5:18 am

I salute all of you who are willing to live with shared walls or in these communities. I see it as hell on earth. The litigation, the drunk with power mini-gestapo, etc. I salute you because you put up with all the limitations on your freedom, and because your lifestyle is environmentally much friendlier than single family dwellers. The concentration of humans packed together fighting about the color of the front door or the size of a pet is impressive.
For me, apartment living is something you have to do when you are young and cant afford anything else or when you are old and you need help.
Thankyou, great governor Desantis for bringing your own authoritarianism to bear on condo boards and their litigation ginning attorneys everywhere. Now please get back to ruining the state. There are woodlands to develop, waiting for the beep, beep, beep of the concrete mixing trucks.
- Elvis Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
  June 3, 2024 at 7:26 pm
  
  Me too my Besty OJ
  First all the homes look alike so when we are leaving the strip clubs and Asian Massage Parlors a little drunk its hard to tell which house is ours.
  And thats just the beginning OJ. Too many rules, no hunting from our back porch or just shooting out our kitchen windows. Stupid limits oh how many old trucks up on blocks we can have in our yards. Stupid clothing manditory rules. No loud Kid Rock or Bosphious music after midnight. I could go on and on but unless you are a “Sissy Boy” you got no business moving into an HOA in the first place.
  EPA
LexT
June 3, 2024 at 9:08 am

People choose to buy property in an HoA. The restrictions and possible restrictions are there when you sign up. I do think this is getting some common sense things that HoA’s cannot regulate and providing due process. Since the government tends to defer to HoA’s like a city, its good they are starting to put similar limits on HoA’s as the legislature does to cities, especially due process items.
- rick whitaker
  June 6, 2024 at 3:36 pm
  
  LEXT, maga orange turd florida voters should have known what they voted for when they unleashed desantis on the weak and defenseless state of florida voters. an HOA is like desantis, they just want and want. changing the goalpost so that they have more control.
Catherine
June 3, 2024 at 11:26 am

And yet de Santos doesn’t address the builder’s deceptive practice of selling their properties to unsuspecting folks who have no reason to believe their monthly HOA’s as stated are being artificially held low by builder subsidies until the community is handed over to the owners. Watch out! Mine went up 50% after the turnover!
A Bully By Any Other Name-
June 3, 2024 at 11:38 am

How is an HOA different from a church? They are the same group of bullies.
Just a Tax Payer
June 3, 2024 at 1:04 pm

So people can now have a garden is what I read. This will make the neighbors happy.
My Take
June 3, 2024 at 2:22 pm

The HOA are just conditioning you.
To endless rules.
For when you are forced into the communes.
Q told me.
Emmet Richards-Waite
June 3, 2024 at 2:27 pm

Should Board Members be certified?
Sundance
June 3, 2024 at 5:17 pm

Sad days ahead when property you buy isn’t your own..but belongs to next door and next door
John Troy
June 3, 2024 at 8:39 pm

Wow, it didn’t take but two seconds for the trash and trolls crowd to start throwing out the MAGA moniker.

For the record a majority of homeowners complain about HOA’s and their abuse tactics. Do a little homework before showing how ignorant you are.
JD
June 4, 2024 at 7:32 am

HOA = Small Town, Big Hell
Nino Sansone
June 4, 2024 at 4:32 pm

I will like put in front my yard pole with American flag & italian flag , if you back in history the italian build the USA.,Ba the HOA non givime the permission. Way ?
rick whitaker
June 5, 2024 at 2:01 pm

you want to live in a sometimes fancy jail, then ok. i make ALL the rules in my privately owned shack.
Zakrzewski Mike
June 5, 2024 at 5:08 pm

This seems to refer to FL Statue 720 (HOA). COA (Condominium) is governed by 718. Therefore unless we get clarification from an Attorney this seems to only apply to HOA homes.
My Take
June 8, 2024 at 10:07 pm

Decades ago a retirement-age couple in a rich, apparently rule-filled community im Boca ran afoul of a no-motorcycles rule. They were hardly Hell’s Angels and the cycles were mild. But no.
They then noticed the rule was written sloppily: No two-wheeled motorized vehicles.
So they bought one of those old three-wheeled police Harleys (not the sidecar oned).
Add raised handlebars. Gaudy mudflaps. Tall waving CB antenna with fox tail. Chrome and bright paint I believe. Louder muffler for the chpper sound. And to top it off, a loud horn that gave either “Ah-oo-gah” or the beginnings of “Dixie,” I forget.
All in the news.
They were heroes to the rest of Boca.
Dont Say FLA
June 10, 2024 at 2:47 pm

While this legislation is good for Floridians within its own scope, the actual intention here is to drive lazy uneducated busybodies out of positions with HOAs and directly into the hands of the MFLs where you can be every bit as much of a unitard as you want to wear.