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How To Prepare Your Trees For Hurricane Season by Arborology Inc

How To Prepare Your Trees For Hurricane Season by Arborology Inc

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2022
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Hurricanes can cause massive damage to trees and landscape. Trees often end up hitting homes, power lines and other important property. If you live in Florida or any other location that is prone to Hurricanes you need to take steps to prepare your trees.

The most important step is even before you have planted the first tree. You should select the right tree for the right location. You should always select trees that are wind tolerant and have good branch structure. Trees with good branch structure will have less overextended limbs, included bark and tree defects. Some trees handle decay from pruning better than others making species an important factor in the right tree. If your trees don’t have all the desired characteristics don’t worry you can still have the tree pruned by a Certified Arborist to remove or reduce the defects in the tree. So many people overreact and remove their trees out of fear of the unknown. This isn’t always necessary and is a waste of money.

You should always have a Certified Arborist inspect your trees on an annual basis. A Certified Arborist will be able to identify tree defects and make recommendations on corrective actions. Be sure the Certified Arborist you are working with has the TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualification) credential. Ask your Certified Arborist to provide you proof of his qualifications so you are sure your getting sound advice. Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion before you commit to having work done. We recommend you first work with a consulting Certified Arborist that doesn’t perform tree service work so they have no financial interest in the recommendations made to you.

So now were ready to prune. I know you have tons of questions and I’m here to help you answer them.

Should you thin your trees so the wind can flow through them? No this can lead to overextended limbs which can fail during wind events.

Should you top your trees? Absolutely not, this is one of the biggest mistakes tree owners make. Topping trees will lead to weak attachment points, heavier upper canopy growth and reduced tree vigor.

Should you have the dead, broken, cracked or overextended limbs pruned or removed? Yes you should. Overextended limbs are long and have most of the weight at the end. Cracked or broken limbs have a high likelihood of failing during wind events, Dead limbs can break off and impact important property.

Should I prune my palms so they will survive the hurricane apocalypse? No palms are adapt to wind storms and have zero benefits from hurricane pruning. You will want to have them inspected by a Certified Arborist so any defects can be pointed out to you.

What can you do to help your trees survive a windstorm event? Plant the correct tree for the location, Have a Certified Arborist inspect them annually, prune only when you have a valid reason to prune them, provide fertilization when necessary and most of all don’t fall victim to fear or bad information.

If you are in need of a Certified Arborist to inspect your trees or help you determine what the best course of action is for your trees please contact our Certified Arborist at http://www.arborologyinc.com. We will be glad to meet you and empower you on managing your trees.


Ronnie Simpson
Board Certified Master Arborist
Arboriology Inc
http://www.arborologyinc.com

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The Hurricane season starts on June 1 but it’s never too early to prepare.

The Hurricane season starts on June 1 but it’s never too early to prepare.

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2022
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The Florida hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOOA), this year is predicted to be another above-normal season.

The Hurricane season starts on June 1 but it’s never too early to prepare.

Take a moment to go to out web page for the top professionals /members ready to help. Remember to SAVE to your favorites, this way you will be prepared if you have damage to your buildings/HOA homes and condos.

http://FloridaAdjusting.com – A division of SFPMA

Damage from a hurricane can be costly for all businesses and can pose hazards for you and your employees. Fortunately, there are ways that you can fortify your business against a hurricane to minimize losses and reduce risks for workers.

As part of “Planning Ahead” for a Disaster, the SBA encourages you to consider taking these simple steps to prepare: Assess your risk; Create a plan, Execute your plan. Statistics show that 25% of small businesses don’t re-open after a disaster. Visit the SBA’s Prepare for Emergencies website to learn more about how to prepare and recover if a disaster strikes.

NOOA officials also encourage consumers to take the following steps:

  • Visit Ready.gov and Listo.gov for useful and valuable disaster preparation resources including checklists and templates for your business and your home.
  • Download the FEMA app to sign-up for a variety of alerts and to access preparedness information.
  • Consider purchasing flood insurance.

Visit the National Hurricane Center’s website at hurricanes.gov throughout the season to stay current on watches and warnings.

Get a fully responsive public website for your community association with your own domain name included! by Conceirge Plus

Get a fully responsive public website for your community association with your own domain name included! by Conceirge Plus

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2022
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Get a fully responsive public website for your community association with your own domain name included! Strengthen your community’s brand with our curated and customizable templates and fully featured mobile app option.
  • Your community website on your own domain name for the most customized resident and staff experience – included in Concierge Plus!
  • Incredibly easy-to-use content management system built right in to your community site.
  • Include data from your site that can be viewed without needing to log in (you pick the content, and there’s no need to maintain two sources of information like with a traditional, separate website).
  • Upload high-resolution images and/or videos of your community, and showcase them in various ways using our curated templates.
  • Want more branding functionality? Our native, fully featured mobile app option gives your community an app searchable and downloadable with your name, logo, and information.
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SHOULD I USE A PUBLIC ADJUSTER? While it would be wonderful if no one ever suffered damage to their property, it would be unrealistic to expect such good fortune.

SHOULD I USE A PUBLIC ADJUSTER? While it would be wonderful if no one ever suffered damage to their property, it would be unrealistic to expect such good fortune.

  • Posted: Apr 26, 2022
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SHOULD I USE A PUBLIC ADJUSTER?

by Steven Sarasohon of Sarasohn & Company Public Adjusters

 

Most states license all insurance adjusters, whether they work for an insurance company or for the public. Adjusters working for the insurance companies are obligated to treat all claimants fairly and impartially. However, they are paid by the insurance companies for their efforts. The state recognizes that you, the policyholder, are entitled to representation and you may retain the services of a licensed public adjuster to assist in the claim process. Sarasohn & Company, founded in 1924, is a fourth-generation public adjusting company based in Boca Raton, FL.  As such, we can provide unparalleled expertise to get you the best possible settlement.

Our president, Stephen Sarasohn SPPA, is the third generation in his family’s business. His son, Bernard, joined the firm several years ago and is following in his footsteps. Stephen has been a public adjuster for 51 years and has held the professional designation Senior Professional Public Adjuster since it was first created in 1987. Stephen’s father, Ira Sarasohn SPPA, was one of the founding members of the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters. Both Stephen and Ira were founding members of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters.

Property owners can certainly try to prepare and adjust their insurance claims themselves. However, as with most things in life, a great deal of benefit can be realized by hiring an expert to assist with a difficult and complex task. No public adjuster in Florida has as much experience as Stephen Sarasohn. Stephen has been certified as an instructor by the Florida Department of Financial Services and has taught insurance courses to the other public adjusters for their continuing education requirements. Sarasohn & Company has adjusted claims ranging from burglaries to plumbing leaks, to fires, to hurricanes, to airplanes crashing into buildings. The valuable experience we’ve gained, in our 98 years, benefits every client. We’ve adjusted a great many claims in excess of a million dollars, some of them in the tens of millions.

Not every professional is the same. When you need the assistance of an expert, you should hire the best expert. Contrary to another article on this site, damage caused by your negligence is not excluded.

While it would be wonderful if no one ever suffered damage to their property, it would be unrealistic to expect such good fortune. That’s why we all buy insurance. If you make a claim, the insurance company will have experts to represent their interests and you’d be well advised to do the same. For a free consultation regarding your damage or for a free review of your policy coverages, please contact us at any time at 561-368-5000

 

To Make it easy: You can contact us through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarasohn-Company-Inc-1571655336409086

On our Website or by Phone:   http://www.sarasohn.net/           (561) 368-5000

And on our Membership Page on SFPMA

 

 

 

 

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Delinquencies are starting to pick up so, Comply with Changing State Association Collections Laws Using Axela Technologies

Delinquencies are starting to pick up so, Comply with Changing State Association Collections Laws Using Axela Technologies

  • Posted: Apr 26, 2022
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Easily Comply with Changing State Association Collections Laws Using Axela Technologies

Are your community association’s collections in compliance with changing regulations?

Community association collections laws are changing. For many years, condominium associations and homeowners’ associations (HOAs) had a lot of freedom when it came to handling unpaid assessments. Community associations were able to pursue home and unit owners who fell behind in a variety of ways, because few state regulations interfered with the association’s right to collect overdue assessments. They were largely free to levy late fees, interest, collection costs, and legal fees against the delinquent home or condo owner. Condominium and HOA management firms, when acting as agents for their association clients, were similarly able to offer a collections process as part of their routine service offerings for their clients. This could include issuing warning letters, demand letters, and other collection notices, or even recording liens.

To say those days are over is an understatement. Although there are no federal regulations in place, many states now have condominium or HOA association collections laws that are designed to protect delinquent home and condo owners. While this type of consumer protection is really important, it’s created an unintentional side effect: community associations are more regulated and challenged than ever before when it comes to collecting the fees and assessments that are the lifeblood of their association.

Compliance 1

Community Association Collections Laws Vary by State

Make no mistake, these state laws must be obeyed and the consequences for violating them can be severe. Some states, like Florida, now require additional notices to be sent for certain types of collection activities, delaying the whole process. Other states, such as Texas, have such rigid requirements that many association management companies would rather pay a small fortune for an attorney than seek out cost-effective collections options, believing this is their best option to avoid risk.

Then you have states like Maryland where community association management firms are actually expected to acquire and maintain collection agency licenses in order to send out bills on behalf of their association clients. This is a huge burden being to place on management companies and creates yet another layer of risk. Maintaining a collection agency license requires extensive knowledge and practice of the current community association collection laws regarding the collection of delinquent fees from HOA and condominium unit owners–management companies should not be expected to shoulder that responsibility.

Compliance 2

Choose an Industry-Specific Collections Partner

Axela Technologies is licensed and insured in every state that we service.  Maintaining that knowledge of association collections law is a sacred duty that we take to heart so we can best serve the industry. We even offer indemnification to the associations and association management firms that retain our services to collect from their delinquent homeowners. This concept is so important, it merits serious consideration for any association management firm that wants to focus on delivering service excellence to its association clients without risking being sued for violating a state collection law.

Keeping up with the law changes in your state can be tedious and difficult. Let a specialized HOA and condo association collections agency handle that worry for you. Talk to one of our condominium and HOA delinquency collection experts to learn how best to collect those overdue fees and assessments while keeping your association management business and your association clients safe from the risk of handling collections without a license.

Compliance 3

 

Get your free collections analysis today and start working with one of our many HOA and condominium association collections experts.

Axela Technologies handles all collections on a merit-based system. We’ll help you make sure you aren’t putting your association at risk by violating federal or state consumer protection laws for your condominium or HOA.

 

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Becker’s Take it to the Board with Donna DiMaggio Berger podcast features a variety of guests including our very own attorneys from across the firm’s practice areas and offices.

Becker’s Take it to the Board with Donna DiMaggio Berger podcast features a variety of guests including our very own attorneys from across the firm’s practice areas and offices.

  • Posted: Apr 24, 2022
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Becker’s Take it to the Board with Donna DiMaggio Berger podcast features a variety of guests including our very own attorneys from across the firm’s practice areas and offices.

Think you know what community association life is all about? Think again. Residents must obey the rules, directors must follow the law, and managers must keep it all running smoothly. Take It to the Board explores the reality of life in a condominium, cooperative or homeowners’ association, what’s really involved in serving on its board, and how to maintain that ever-so-delicate balance of being legally compliant and community spirited. Leading community association attorney Donna DiMaggio Berger acknowledges the balancing act without losing her sense of humor as she talks with a variety of association leaders, experts, and vendors about the challenges and benefits of the community association lifestyle.

If you’ve got a question, Take It To The Board with Donna DiMaggio Berger – We Speak Condo & HOA!

Episodes are available for subscription on iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, or listen through any podcast streaming app.

Rental Restrictions in Homeowners’ Associations by Robert L. Kaye – KBRLegal.com

Rental Restrictions in Homeowners’ Associations by Robert L. Kaye – KBRLegal.com

  • Posted: Apr 24, 2022
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A large percentage of Florida residential property owners are subject to restrictive covenants on their property, be it by a declaration of condominium or declaration of covenants. In addition to these restrictions, Florida Statutes contain additional restrictions that apply to these properties, some of which involve use restrictions. For condominiums, the provisions of the statutes are of a heightened significance because but for the statutes, condominium ownership of property does not exist. However, for homeowners’ associations, restrictive covenants have been in use for centuries, well in advance of the existence of such statutes. As a result, certain statutory provisions may not apply to every homeowners’ association in Florida.
There is a restriction within both the U.S. and Florida Constitutions that limit the ability of the state to enact a law that will impair an existing contract or vested contractual right. Use restrictions contained in declarations of covenants have been identified by Florida courts as existing contracts between the property owner and the entity that operates the community under the governing documents (the association). There is also case law in Florida that addresses whether a change in the statute applies to the community based upon if a particular phrase is included in the governing documents (commonly referred to as Kaufman language).
If the governing documents include Kaufman language, any changes made by the legislature in a given year will automatically be incorporated into the governing documents and apply to that community. Conversely, if there is no Kaufman language, only what is referred to as “procedural” changes made by the legislature will apply to that community. An example of a procedural change would be a change in a notice requirement for elections. Statutory changes that are “substantive” would not apply in that instance to that community. An example of a substantive change would be requiring the association to take on all exterior maintenance of the residential dwellings (presuming the documents do not already provide for that obligation). Without the Kaufman language in the governing documents, this latter statutory change would not apply to that community, as such change would likely be considered unconstitutional.
During the legislative session in 2021, Section 720.306 of the Florida Statutes was amended to add subsection (h), which provides, in pertinent part, that any amendment to a governing document after July 1, 2021 that prohibits or regulates rental agreements applies only to a parcel owner who acquires title to the parcel after the effective date of the amendment or to a parcel owner who consents to the amendment (with specific exceptions relative to short term rentals and limiting rentals to up to 3 times a year). However, under the analysis discussed above, rental restrictions and the ability to amend governing documents are generally considered substantive vested rights. As such, this new statute appears to impair the existing contractual rights of many property owners in homeowner association communities.
The first step in considering whether this new rental restriction change applies to a particular homeowner association community is to check the governing documents for Kaufman language (this also assumes that the documents were not initially created on or after July 1, 2021). Typically, Kaufman language is not included in original documents by developers of communities, but many associations have added it by amendment after the developer was no longer involved. If the Kaufman language is in the documents, the new statutory rental restriction provisions apply. If, however, there is no Kaufman language, the new rental restriction statute would not be applicable to the community. In this instance, the membership could still amend the governing documents to prohibit or regulate rentals within the community, which should be enforceable against all current owners, regardless of whether or not they voted in favor of the amendment.
The issue of whether or not this new statutory change regarding rental restrictions violates the Federal and State Constitutions has not been tested in the Florida or Federal courts as of this writing. Before considering amending the governing document in a homeowner association community to create rental restrictions, it is recommended to consult with the association attorney as to the limitations that may apply.
Robert L. Kaye, Esq. is a Board Certified Specialist in Condominium and Planned Development Law. Mr. Kaye serves on the Florida Bar’s Grievance Committee, the Committee on the Unlicensed Practice of Law and is a member of the Condominium Committee of the Real Property Section of The Florida Bar. He also lectures on Community Association law and is regularly published on the subject. Mr. Kaye hosts KBR’s appearances on the radio show, ‘Ask the Experts’, from 6pm to 7pm, the first Thursday of each month. See his full bio HERE.
ELECTRIC CARS ARE COMING ! IS YOUR PROPERTY READY?

ELECTRIC CARS ARE COMING ! IS YOUR PROPERTY READY?

  • Posted: Apr 22, 2022
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ELECTRIC CARS ARE COMING ! IS YOUR PROPERTY READY?

by VANDELAY COMMUNICATIONS LLC

2022 is looking to be the year of the Electric Vehicle. Whether you like the idea of switching from ICE (internal Combustion Engines) to EV (Electric Vehicles) or not….they are coming and in droves.

Almost every major auto manufacturer is bringing an EV to market this coming year and from the looks of it, the wave will be small at first, but tremendous by 2023. What this means for Residential Condos and apartments, especially in High Rise buildings with limited parking, is you must be planning for it now.

Our company is already working with several Florida Management companies to bring state of the art EV charging equipment to their properties. Up until lately a lot of buildings have been allowing residents to add their own “outlet” or charger to their parking space. What this has done has taxed the electric panel to full capacity as well as contributed to a much higher electric bill because there is no control over demand charges as well as the inability to know exactly what someone is using by way of kilowatt hours.

The equipment today can offer several huge advantages to circumvent all the problems and headaches associated with EV charging as well as bring a new revenue stream to your property. the units today offer the capability to have a totally hands off approach and allow for this new stream of revenue. 90% of all EV vehicles are charging from home. Having this ability, brings value to the property by way of higher rents, higher sales prices of units and no drain on the HOAs funds except for the initial buildout which is paid back over time through correct set up of the systems financial utilities tools.

For more information or a personal presentation please contact us.

STEVEN T. MILANA
Executive Vice President of Development
Vandelay Communications LLC
“Veteran Owned Small Business”

Office: 480-805-1962
Cell: 954-214-2590
steve@vandelaycommunications.com

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