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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — New laws take effect Oct. 1 in Florida, impacting state residents. A total of 27 new laws go in to effect.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — New laws take effect Oct. 1 in Florida, impacting state residents. A total of 27 new laws go in to effect.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — New laws take effect Oct. 1 in Florida, impacting state residents.

  • 27 new state laws in Florida
  • New laws take effect Oct. 1 
  • Texting while driving ban, hazing and protection of police dogs and horses

A total of 27 new laws go in to effect.

However, the biggest is a provision of a law that already went into effect: holding a phone or other device while driving.

State lawmakers passed a law that made texting while driving a primary offense in Florida. That law went into effect in July. But starting Tuesday, a provision of the law goes into effect that requires drivers to be “hands-free” in certain areas. If you are spotted holding a phone, whether that be talking on it, flipping through emails, playing Pokemon Go or anything else, police can pull you over and cite you if you are driving in a school or work zone.

We talked to drivers in the Bay area who said they support the new law.

“I think it’s smart because the school zone by my house on MacDill, every single time I’m going through there when the lights are on people are just blowing by me, not paying attention,” said John Meyer. “I don’t think these people on their phones are even going to see the crossing guards. It’s a problem and I’m glad they’re doing something about it.”

“I think we need to protect our children first and foremost. It would be horrible to lose a child over a cell phone and I truly believe they need to implement this law,” said Elisandra Garcia.

Up next, especially for college students, a new hazing law comes into effect.

Senate Bill 1080 will target people who plan acts of hazing or recruit others to help – if there is a permanent injury during the hazing, that will now be a third degree felony. Reporting a hazing incident will get you immunity under the new law.

Police dogs and horses are getting some added protection in a new law taking effect tomorrow. Anyone killing or severely injuring a police horse or dog will now face a potential of 15 years in prison. That is a 10 year increase over the current law.

 

Among the laws going into effect:

  • TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. Lawmakers passed a bill (HB 107) that strengthened the state’s ban on texting while driving by making it a “primary” offense, allowing police to pull over motorists for texting behind the wheel. Most of the measure took effect July 1. But starting Tuesday, it will require motorists to go hands-free on wireless devices in school and work zones. The law directs law-enforcement officers to provide verbal or written warnings until the end of the year for motorists who don’t put down cell phones in those areas. Tickets will start to be issued Jan. 1, punishable as a moving violation with three points assessed against the driver’s license.
  • HAZING. A new law (SB 1080) was crafted after Andrew Coffey, a Florida State University fraternity pledge from Lighthouse Point, died in 2017 after drinking a bottle of Wild Turkey bourbon that had been taped to his hand. The law targets people who plan acts of hazing or solicit others to engage in hazing and makes it a third-degree felony if the hazing results in a permanent injury. The bill also provides immunity to people who call 911 or campus security to report the need for medical assistance during hazing incidents.
  • POLICE DOGS AND HORSES. The measure (SB 96) makes it a second-degree felony, up from a third-degree felony, for people who kill or cause great bodily harm to police, fire or search-and-rescue dogs or police horses. The change boosts the amount of potential prison time from five years to 15 years. Supporters said the bill stems, at least in part, from the deaths of Fang, a member of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office canine unit shot and killed by a teenager fleeing after carjacking two women at a gas station, and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office police dog named Cigo that was killed in the line of duty.
  • CHILD-LIKE SEX DOLLS. The law (SB 160), in part, makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to sell, give away or show child-like sex dolls. The charge increases to a third-degree felony on subsequent violations. A committee staff analysis said the importation to the U.S. of sex dolls that resemble children has become increasingly prevalent. “Such dolls are manufactured in China, Hong Kong, or Japan and are shipped to the U.S. labeled as clothing mannequins or models in order to avoid detection,” the analysis said.
  • VETERANS’ COURTS. The law (SB 910) removes a requirement that military veterans be honorably discharged to be eligible for participation in veterans’ courts. It also expands overall eligibility to current or former U.S. defense contractors and military members of allied countries. Veterans’ courts are designed to provide treatment interventions to military veterans and active-duty service members who are charged with criminal offenses and suffer from military-related injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury or a substance-abuse disorder.

 

 

You can read the other laws going into effect Tuesday below. to get more details on them, go to the Florida House website.

  • CS/HB 9: Community Redevelopment Agencies:
    Requiring ethics training for community redevelopment agency commissioners; requiring a community redevelopment agency to follow certain procurement procedures; requiring a community redevelopment agency to publish certain digital boundary maps on its website; providing termination dates for certain community redevelopment agencies, etc.

 

  • CS/SB 262 Child Welfare:
    Providing for the name of a child’s guardian ad litem or attorney ad litem to be entered on court orders in dependency proceedings; requiring cooperation between certain parties and the court to achieve permanency for a child as soon as possible; requiring the court during an adjudicatory hearing to advise parents in plain language of certain requirements to achieve permanency with their child, etc.

 

  • CS/CS/HB 725 Commercial Motor Vehicles:
    Exempting persons who operate a commercial motor vehicle solely in intrastate commerce which does not transport hazardous materials in amounts that require placarding from certain requirements related to electronic logging devices and hours of service supporting documents until a specified date; extending an exemption from specified commercial motor vehicle requirements for a commercial vehicle having a certain gross vehicle weight rating and gross combined weight rating, under certain circumstances; revising length and load extension limitations for stinger-steered automobile transporters, etc.

 

  • CS/CS/HB 827 Engineering:
    Prohibiting specified services to the department for a project that is wholly or partially funded by the department and administered by a local governmental entity from being performed by the same entity; revising licensure certification requirements to include active engineering experience and a minimum age; revising the timeframes in which a fee owner or the fee owner’s contractor using a private provider to provide building code inspection services must notify the local building official, etc.

 

  • CS/HB 1057 Motor Vehicles:
    Revises provisions relating to motor vehicle lamps, lights, & warning signals; provides requirements & penalties; revises requirements for release statements & pickup notices for damaged or dismantled motor vehicles; authorizes entity that processes certain transactions or certificates for derelict or salvage motor vehicles to be authorized electronic filing system agent; authorizes DHSMV to adopt rules.

 

  • CS/HB 1247 Construction Bonds:
    Requires notice of nonpayment to be under oath; specifies that claimant or lienor who serves fraudulent notice of nonpayment forfeits his or her rights under bond; provides that service of fraudulent notice of nonpayment is complete defense to claimant’s or lienor’s claim against bond; provides that provision relating to attorney fees applies to certain suits brought by contractors.

 

  • HB 1323 City of Tampa, Hillsborough County:
    Revises investment policy provisions to conform with general law.

 

  • HB 1373 Hillsborough County Civil Service Act:
    Repeals special act relating to the establishment of a fair, neutral, & impartial system for administering employee discipline; requires that agency or authority previously covered under act must provide fair, neutral, & impartial system for administering employee discipline of suspension, involuntary demotion, or dismissal & appeals of such discipline.

 

  • HB 7001 OGSR/State University DSO Research Funding:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemption relating to exemption from public meeting requirements for portions of certain state university DSO meetings at which proposal seeking research funding or plan for initiating or supporting research is discussed.

 

  • HB 7003 OGSR/Alzheimer’s Disease Research Grant Advisory Board:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public records & meeting requirements for applications provided to Alzheimer’s Disease Research Grant Advisory Board within DOH & review of such applications.

 

  • HB 7009 OGSR/Identification and Location Information/Department of Health:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public record requirements for certain personal identifying & location information of specified personnel of DOH, & spouses & children thereof.

 

  • HB 7011 OGSR/Division of Emergency Management: 
  • Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public meeting requirements for information provided to DEM for purpose of being provided assistance with emergency planning.

 

  • SB 7018 OGSR/Public Research Facility/Animal Research:
    Amending a provision which provides an exemption from public records requirements for the personal identifying information of a person employed by, under contract with, or volunteering for a public research facility that conducts or is engaged in activities related to animal research; removing the scheduled repeal of the exemption, etc.

 

  • HB 7025 OGSR/Treatment-based Drug Court Programs: 
  • Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public records requirements for certain information relating to screenings for participation in treatment-based drug court programs, behavioral health evaluations, & subsequent treatment status reports.

 

  • HB 7033 OGSR/Family Trust Companies:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemption relating to certain information held by OFR relating to family trust companies.

 

  • SB 7034 OGSR/Automated License Plate Recognition System:
    Amending a specified provision which provides a public records exemption for certain images and data obtained through the use of an automated license plate recognition system and for personal identifying information of an individual in data generated from such images; removing the scheduled repeal of the exemption, etc.

 

  • SB 7036 OGSR/Payment of Toll on Toll Facilities/Identifying Information:
    Amending a specified provision which provides an exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying information held by the Department of Transportation, a county, a municipality, or an expressway authority for certain purposes; deleting the scheduled repeal of the exemption, etc.

 

  • HB 7047  OGSR/Security Breach Information:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public record requirements for certain information received by Department of Legal Affairs relating to security breaches.
  • HB 7049 OGSR/Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public record requirements for certain information held by Office of Financial Regulation pursuant to investigation or examination under Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act.
  • HB 7059  OGSR/Concealed Carry License/DACS:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemption from public records requirements for certain personal identifying information held by tax collector when individual applies for license to carry concealed weapon or firearm.
  • HB 7091 OGSR/Hurricane and Flood Loss Model Trade Secrets:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemption relating to certain information related to trade secrets used to design an insurance hurricane or flood loss model.
  • HB 7097 OGSR/Informal Enforcement Actions and Trade Secrets/OFR:
    Removes scheduled repeal of exemptions from public records requirements for certain informal enforcement actions engaged in & trade secrets held by OFR.
  • CS/HB 7125 Administration of Justice:
    Providing for reallocation of unencumbered funds returned to the Crime Stoppers Trust Fund; increasing threshold amounts for certain theft offenses; revising criminal penalties for the third or subsequent offense of driving while license suspended, revoked, canceled, or disqualified; requiring the Department of Children and Families to provide rehabilitation to criminal offenders designated as sexually violent predators; establishing eligibility criteria for expunction of a criminal history record by a person found to have acted in lawful self-defense; creating the Task Force on the Criminal Punishment Code adjunct to the Department of Legal Affairs, etc.

 

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ZUUL Systems is finally here! Communities all around South Florida are making use of ZUUL’s easy-to-use security technology.

ZUUL Systems is finally here! Communities all around South Florida are making use of ZUUL’s easy-to-use security technology.

 

ZUUL’s security technology prevents the passing around of key cards or fobs among guests. By centralizing a guest’s access key to his or her phone, the community’s credentials are more likely to stay secure.

Say goodbye to long lines at the community gate! With ZUUL, guests will no longer need to show their IDs and wait long lines while their information is being logged at a community’s guard gate.

There’s no long-term commitment necessary to have the gate entry system your community deserves. Users can expect no annual contracts when signing up with ZUUL Systems.

ZUUL Systems is finally here! Communities all around South Florida are making use of ZUUL’s easy-to-use security technology. Simply scan your approved QR code at the entrance scanner, and watch the gate rise with ease.

Join ZUUL’s streamlined security system today: www.zuulsystems.com

 

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Don’t have your guard gate operate like a congested mess – Let ZUUL Systems help you speed up the process

Don’t have your guard gate operate like a congested mess – Let ZUUL Systems help you speed up the process

Don’t have your guard gate operate like a congested mess, Let ZUUL Systems help you speed up the process

What is ZUUL?

ZUUL is a modern way to deal with the age-old hassle of entering a gated community. It’s an app that enhances existing guest registry and entry systems within a secured neighborhood.

We saw a need to improve the efficiency of entry into gated communities and created ZUUL. The app provides improved mobility, accessibility, and functionality to the residents and visitors of gated communities.

 

WHO BENEFITS FROM ZUUL?

Communities that use ZUUL are safer and operate more efficiently. Residents enjoy peace of mind that no one will enter the community unless they have authorized permission. In turn, guests gain easy access without frustration or hassle.

Planning a Party?

In the past, living in a gated community meant granting guests access to your home for a party or gathering was stressful. With ZUUL, the process of welcoming guests to your get-together is seamless.

To enter, residents of a gated community will send a passcode to an approved visitor. This passcode will allow the visitor to easily enter and pass the security perimeter. The code can be for a single, one-time visit or a recurring pass.

Why wait? ZUUL makes living in a gated community much easier and safer than ever before.

Signing up for ZUUL is simple. Just click the button below to download and start using the system. For more information, click the other button to view a “Residents’ Guide.”

 

 

Community Beta Test Criteria
* 100-500 homes/condos
* 24-hour manned security
* Wifi and Internet at guard house
* Located in Broward and Palm Beach counties (Florida)

What’s in it for your community? Your community can experience shorter wait times at the entrance gate and improved security all throughout your community. ZUUL’s gate access system will be provided by ZUUL Systems at NO COST for the first six months. This will include the software and hardware necessary to operate the security system. All that we ask in return is residents and guards provide feedback to our development team.

SFPMA Members: View our Membership Page

Contact (561) 501-3539

Adam Lucks
CEO
sales@zuulsystems.com
ZUUL Systems
http://zuulsystems.com

 

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Before Storms hit Florida, Building Owners and Managers should have their Storm Drains cleaned.

Before Storms hit Florida, Building Owners and Managers should have their Storm Drains cleaned.

Before Storms hit Florida, Building Owners and Managers should have their Storm Drains cleaned

 

Clearing this helps with parking lot, loading docks and your building flooding and causing damage to your properties.

Generally speaking, you’re usually responsible for drains inside the boundaries of your property, while the sewerage company is responsible for lateral drains, which are outside of property boundaries, and sewers.

How to Maintain a Drainage System, find member companies on SFPMA 

  • Allow rain to help settle the loose soil before working the field
  • Driving directly on the tiles can crush the pipe and ruin the tile. Straddle the pavers instead for the first year.
  • Back-fill the open trenches carefully, so as not to damage the pipe
  • Clean up unused pieces of pipe and do not use the open trench for garbage disposal
  • Do not work the land if wet or moist with excess water
  • Rotate the location of cattle hay feeders
  • Clean drainage boxes once a month if present. Drainage boxes trap sediments

 

 

From Pipe Repairs to Cleaning of your storm Drains. You can find members of sfpma.com ready to help!

 

https://sfpma.com/listings/storm-drain-cleaning-repair/

 

 

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Working with vendors is a large part of serving on the board.

Working with vendors is a large part of serving on the board.

Working with vendors is a large part of serving on the board.

Every community has outside partners for services like landscaping, sanitation, cable and Internet provision, pool maintenance, plumbing, blacktop, valet services and more.

Finding and learning what they do and how they can help is important. Many people ask if its the Management Company’s responsibility to find the best vendors for the properties? Well we have found that Boards help in the selecting of the right companies. They give their suggestions to the Management companies. This way favoritism does not take place. Laws are being changed as we speak that will prevent this for Florida’s Property Management Industry.

Open and effective communication among the board, the management company and the vendors employed by the association is an important part of making the most of any community’s operating budget and improving the lifestyles of its residents.

Focusing on great communication and why it matters.

What can happen if communication among those entities isn’t consistent, open and effective?

“Ineffective communication with vendors can cost your community money, but more importantly, it can result in loss of trust,” according to Frank Mari, executive director of SFPMA “ That means trust that the residents have in both the management company and the board, and also the trust the board has in the management company to manage vendors and recommend the right vendors for the community.

Poor communication with vendors can cost your association money too. If you don’t understand the details in a contract and don’t keep an open line for questions and clarifications, you may not realize that your community isn’t getting the services you think you are signing up for…. and then you will need to pay for the missing elements separately, impacting your operating budget.

Mr. Mari says “Talk to your landscaper in the middle of winter, not just spring and summer,”. also “If you’re an auditor, check in with the board and management company a few times of year, not just when the audit needs to be done.” Call them ask them to do a walk through of the buildings with you, its a great time for communication, Remember Preventive Maintenance is Key.

If you aren’t sure whether or not your current property management maintains open communication with vendors, ask! It’s important to make sure that outside vendors operate in the best interests of your community. We are all well-versed in the importance of vendor relationships and effective communication, ” Frank explained. “Boards appreciate that we bring that additional level of support. Because of the trust we create with our members, almost any situation between boards and vendors can be resolved fairly.” If we are called in there are times we are the go between like a mediator does in any dispute, We get the facts, Listen to both sides and try to come to an agreement with both sides.

Speaking the language A basic part of communication is simply understanding the language each party is speaking. Most board members are not going to be experts in all the areas of running a managed community, but it’s important that you have a basic knowledge of the terminology being used. Board members are expected and required to execute contracts related to things like landscaping and other topics they may not be previously familiar with,”

Talk to your Property Manager and include your Law Firm with contracts. “That fiduciary responsibility means that they need to understand what they are signing, what the work entails. It’s not enough to just consider price. Board members need to know more about what vendors are doing in order to make sure it’s being done right.”

 

 

All HOA and Condo boards should be involved early in vendor selection discussions and leave the details of execution to the management company. It is important the board communicate any critical elements of their vision for the community to the vendor and be clear about what they require from each potential vendor they meet with. Board members must know enough to understand what they should expect, what level of service is being provided for their community and what reasonable expectations are for that vendor.

A landscaping company that cares for a dozen large properties isn’t going to hand-prune every shrub, but that may be what some board members expect because they don’t yet understand the basics of large-scale landscaping,” “Of course, a self-managed community is going require more knowledge from the board members as far as monitoring the work being done and knowing that contracts are being fulfilled properly.

Having a professional management company involved takes that responsibility off board members, because we know best practices, thanks to our experience managing multiple communities.” If you are looking for a Management Company Find Top Florida Companies on our Members Directory on https://www.sfpma.com

How can boards and management companies know they are up-to-date on the terminology and jargon being used by their vendors? Many management companies are SFPMA Members themselves, With this membership there are educational seminars or round tables that let board members hear directly from vendors. “In addition to our in-house educational opportunities, I suggest that board members go to home shows, garden shows and other trade events so they can interact directly with vendors and pick up literature on the latest techniques and products,”.

I ask our members to spend time at meetings, seminars and expos at every one of them get to know the vendors, Collect brochures.  Build those relationships. Listen to the keynote speakers as well. Over the years, vendors have shared with me how they have been impacted by SFPMA and how it makes them want to be part of our success. Obviously, you learn a lot that you take back to their boards and educate them on new information.

All of our members, partners and board members are asked to focus on professional development and educational opportunities that are offered by our Association to our Industry. vendors in many different disciplines host events that allow property managers to earn continuing education credits, and that many welcome board member attendance as well.

When you get to know vendors, you’re ready to work with them as partners, to optimize your community association’s budget and improve the lifestyles of the residents in your community.

State of Florida Property Management Association can help you work with vendors to make the most of your association’s budgets by learning about the Top Companies working in our Industry.

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BECOMING A PAPERLESS ASSOCIATION

BECOMING A PAPERLESS ASSOCIATION

BECOMING A PAPERLESS ASSOCIATION

by Enrolled Agent Steven J. Weil, Ph.D., EA, LCAM,
Royale Management Services, Inc.
Is it time your association did away with paper records? Paper records take up lots of space, are difficult to share and expensive to store, not to mention the fact that they often attract bugs and other vermin.
Digital records, on the other hand, allow nearly unlimited storage using little or no physical space. Combine this with easy back-up, ease of access and decreased probability of loss of records or mis”ling, and digital records can be very appealing. They are also easier to search, harder to change and can be easily protected from loss due to “re, $ood or other disasters via “cloud” back up. Computer data storage in the “cloud” is inexpensive or sometimes free, and it is encrypted for security. Files can be organized into folders and quickly and easily accessed. Best of all, digital records can be shared and still remain intact so that records are never missing.
The State of Florida is on board. Condominiums with 150 or more units are now required by law to maintain a website and to post a myriad of association documents on it that are accessible only by unit owners.
There are legal considerations in any transition to paperless. It’s a good idea to be sure that the Statutes and the association’s governing documents do not mandate the use of paper documents delivered by mail. Association documents are generally silent on the topic of digitized
records. In fact, they typically don’t even cover paper records since many were written when no other form of record keeping existed. In the absence of any reference to how records are to be maintained other than that they must be maintained, electronic records meet all the requirements.
Florida community associations are permitted to send membership meeting notices and certain board meeting notices to the owners electronically only if the association obtains the written consent of the subject owner.
Further, association business conducted by Board members via email must be retained since they may need to be accessed in the event of a lawsuit.
Association business should be conducted on a dedicated email account, and document storage should be handled with care.
Here at Royale Management, we have been digitizing our associations’ records for many years; and while we still have a few clients that have insisted on keeping paper records, we are in the process of converting those associations to digital records as well.

 

Royale Management Services, a registered and licensed community association management corporation in Florida, works with association Boards of Directors throughout South Florida to oversee the daily activities required for proper management, helping to educate them on their responsibilities, duties, and obligations. Royale’s team members are highly trained in all aspects of community association management and customer service to ensure that proper procedures are followed that keep the association in compliance with all of the rules governing elections, budgeting, accounting, operation, collection and assessment. The #rm and its president are members of the Community Association Institute (CAI),State of Florida Property Management Association (SFPMA) and the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.
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Ways to Help Your Property Manager

Ways to Help Your Property Manager

Ways You Can Help Your Property Manager

Property management companies can lend a helping hand for busy owners looking to make a profit out of their investment. Whether it’s collecting the rent or performing regular maintenance, property managers are always busy. Sometimes too busy to do everything on time. Luckily, with a little help from homeowners, property managers can do their job more efficiently, keeping your property in tip-top shape while allowing you to enjoy the extra time and money with those you love.

 

MAKE SURE YOUR PROPERTY IS READY TO RENT BEFORE YOU HAND IT OVER

Appearances are everything in the rental market. Handing over a clean, empty property that is ready to be leased will attract prospective tenants and show your property management company how you expect your house to be kept. On the other hand, if your house is a mess, you’re sending a message to prospective tenants and your management company that the maintenance of your investment isn’t a priority

 

 

DOUBLE-CHECK THAT EVERYTHING WORKS

Nothing wipes out the joy of moving into a new house only to find out that essential fixtures and appliances aren’t working. However, you can prevent problems from developing by making sure that everything is working before you hand your property over.

Light fixtures should be in good conditions and with working light bulbs. Bathroom and kitchen faucets should work and have no leaks. Fire alarms should have new batteries. Anything that doesn’t work or isn’t needed should be removed from the property, so as to avoid frustrating the tenants or overburdening the management company’s repair staff.

 

TAKE ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL ITEMS WITH YOU

Whether it’s by accident or on purpose, many property owners end up leaving personal objects in the property. This happens especially in places like the garage or the attic. This is can lead to trouble down the road.
Leaving personal items in a property encumbers everybody. When your new tenant moves into the home, they shouldn’t have to deal with items that don’t belong to them. You also risk having your personal items stolen or damaged. This also affects the property management company that is caught in the middle. Save yourself the hassle and make sure you remove all of your personal items before turning over your property.

 

GIVE YOUR WALLS A THOROUGH CLEANING

Tenants expect to be able to move in immediately, not having to scrub the floor and walls for hours. Your property may be old and have a few issues with its fixtures, but keeping it sparkling clean will make it more attractive for your future tenants. So make sure that there’s no dust or stains on the floor. If you have carpets get them cleaned by a professional.

 

GIVE YOUR WALLS A MAKEOVER

Your walls don’t have to be freshly painted, although it does help. But the better they look, the easier it’s going to be renting the house out. So make sure that you fill any hole, scrub the walls, or change the wallpaper if needed. Tenants can be picky when it comes to walls, especially if they are dirty or are painted with strange colors.

 

 

LEAVE ALL THE UTILITIES PAID

By visiting your house, prospects expect to get an idea what it will be like to live there. That’s why it’s important that there is running water so that the toilets and the sinks work. Leaving the electricity on is also a must since many tenants visit in the evening and need the extra lighting. Depending on the season, your AC or heating system will also be needed to keep your prospects comfortable.

 

FILL OUT AND RETURN ALL THE PROVIDED PAPERWORK

Every form and document we submit to the owners is necessary for our business activities. That’s why we have a rule of never marketing or leasing a property until the owner, or tenant, has delivered all the information and paperwork we have requested.

 

SHARE ALL THE INFORMATION YOU CAN WITH YOUR MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Where is your property’s electrical junction box? Does the house have a propane tank? Where is the water shut-off located? These are just some questions that you should answer when handing over your property. They will save you time and many phone calls from your property management company.

 

GIVE COPIES OF YOUR RULES TO YOUR PROPERTY MANAGERS

These will be passed on and explained to your tenants so they can comply with the neighborhood rules. No tenant can be held responsible for breaking a rule if he doesn’t know the regulations to begin with.

 

GIVE THEM YOUR FULL CONTACT INFORMATION

Perhaps the most obvious one, your company needs your full contact information. This includes your current address and phone number, to get a hold of you. The easier it is to talk to you, the quicker your property manager will be able to make repairs in your property or solve other issues that need your authorization.

SFPMA.COM

 

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Plan to Evacuate – A wide variety of emergencies may cause an evacuation. In some instances you may have a day or two to prepare.

Plan to Evacuate – A wide variety of emergencies may cause an evacuation. In some instances you may have a day or two to prepare.

  • Posted: May 12, 2019
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Evacuation

Plan to Evacuate

A wide variety of emergencies may cause an evacuation. In some instances you may have a day or two to prepare, while other situations might call for an immediate evacuation. Planning ahead is vital to ensuring that you can evacuate quickly and safely, no matter what the circumstances.

 

Before an Evacuation

  • Learn the types of disasters that are likely in your community and the local emergency, evacuation, and shelter plans for each specific disaster.
  • Plan how you will leave and where you will go if you are advised to evacuate.
    • Identify several places you could go in an emergency such as a friend’s home in another town or a motel. Choose destinations in different directions so that you have options during an emergency.
    • If needed, identify a place to stay that will accept pets. Most public shelters allow only service animals.
    • Be familiar with alternate routes and other means of transportation out of your area.
    • Always follow the instructions of local officials and remember that your evacuation route may be on foot depending on the type of disaster.
  • Develop a family/household communication and re-unification plan so that you can maintain contact and take the best actions for each of you and re-unite if you are separated.
  • Assemble supplies that are ready for evacuation, both a “go-bag” you can carry when you evacuate on foot or public transportation and supplies for traveling by longer distances if you have a personal vehicle.
  • If you have a car:
    • Keep a full tank of gas in it if an evacuation seems likely. Keep a half tank of gas in it at all times in case of an unexpected need to evacuate. Gas stations may be closed during emergencies and unable to pump gas during power outages. Plan to take one car per family to reduce congestion and delay.
    • Make sure you have a portable emergency kit in the car.
  • If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if needed. Make arrangements with family, friends or your local government.

 

During an Evacuation

  • A list of open shelters can be found during an active disaster in your local area by downloading the FEMA app
  • Listen to a battery-powered radio and follow local evacuation instructions.
  • Take your emergency supply kit.
  • Leave early enough to avoid being trapped by severe weather.
  • Take your pets with you, but understand that only service animals may be permitted in public shelters. Plan how you will care for your pets in an emergency now.
  • If time allows:
    • Call or email the out-of-state contact in your family communications plan. Tell them where you are going.
    • Secure your home by closing and locking doors and windows.
    • Unplug electrical equipment such as radios, televisions and small appliances. Leave freezers and refrigerators plugged in unless there is a risk of flooding. If there is damage to your home and you are instructed to do so, shut off water, gas and electricity before leaving.
    • Leave a note telling others when you left and where you are going.
    • Wear sturdy shoes and clothing that provides some protection such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts and a hat.
    • Check with neighbors who may need a ride.
  • Follow recommended evacuation routes. Do not take shortcuts; they may be blocked.
  • Be alert for road hazards such as washed-out roads or bridges and downed power lines. Do not drive into flooded areas.

 

After an Evacuation

If you evacuated for the storm, check with local officials both where you’re staying and back home before you travel.

  • Residents returning to disaster-affected areas after significant events should expect and prepare for disruptions to daily activities, and remember that returning home before storm debris is cleared is dangerous.
  • Let friends and family know before you leave and when you arrive.
  • Charge devices and consider getting back-up batteries in case power-outages continue.
  • Fill up your gas tank and consider downloading a fuel app to check for outages along your route.
  • Bring supplies such as water and non-perishable food for the car ride.
  • Avoid downed power or utility lines; they may be live with deadly voltage.
  • Stay away and report them immediately to your power or utility company.
  • Only use generators away from your home and NEVER run a generator inside a home or garage, or connect it to your home’s electrical system.

 

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Again it was asked; Why our our Community need a Website? and How will it Help us?

Again it was asked; Why our our Community need a Website? and How will it Help us?

  • Posted: May 04, 2019
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Website Benefits

This question was asked of us from an association that had under 150 owner units, We informed them of some benefits that will help them with communication going forward for all owners.

  • Post meeting minutes securely online for all residents & Board review

    Every resident & Board member will always be at every meeting when you post the minutes online in a secure HOA website. Time, convenience, and information are the keys to a happy and informed neighborhood. With a Board only area as well as a place for general meeting minutes, you’ll always get the right information to the right person, group, or committee in a way that’s secure and convenient for everyone.

  • Eliminate their newsletter or Mailing, start using email bulletins

    The price of postage stamps has risen every year for over a decade, and the price of envelopes and mailers is always an unwelcoming addition to budgets of any size. Throw in the cost of gas to drive around the neighborhood placing it in boxes, or using snail mail to get out sometimes time sensitive information and before you know it, you’ve spent money, lost time, and everyone still isn’t informed. Email bulletins are quick, simple, and cost free to send 24 hours a day to residents who need to be in the know. Easily create and Email a monthly newsletter with a beautiful design, or send out individual announcements through your website.

 

 

  • Spend less time in Board/Committee meetings using Task manager

    Enjoy 24 hour access to a feature that allows Board/Committee members to vote on specific tasks, add notes or questions, and approve or deny processes online…at their convenience. How many times are communities held up on projects and important decisions because someone missed a meeting or is not in the loop? An AtHomeNet website can even facilitate live Board Only Chats and virtual meetings if need be; but the Task Manager feature can be a HOA Board’s best friend.

  • Handle financial needs with full TOPS Accounting Integration

    View, update, and handle resident accounts with the only authorized, fully supported, software integration with the nations leading Accounting software firm, TOPS. AtHomeNet websites are the only professional websites for HOAs that offer this two way integration. A major time and money saver.

  • Avoid merchant fees with FREE online dues payment

    Dodge the unwelcomed hassle that comes with paying a seemingly endless array of “processing fees” charged by any number of companies to handle your residents’ dues payments. Setting up online payments for your community is FREE, and an unprecedented convenience that once your residents have, they won’t want to live without.

  • Increase rules compliance and ARC forms management & processing

    Limited access to information can cause confusion, infractions, and dissention among residents. These situations not only are troubling for the resident, but also for the Board members who have to spend hours on the phone, or time on personal visits and sometimes costly legal battles. ARC violations are mostly caused by procedural issues or lack of resident information. Handle ARC committee request, post rules and forms, and resolve questions before they become issues using your website.

  • Get the word out immediately about activities & events

    Email bulletins, Announcements, & Events Calendar are three features that come standard with your website. As soon as a resident logs in, they can view “What’s New” since the last time they logged in. Keeping your residents in the loop no longer takes the hours of time going door to door, posting fliers, making phone calls. Send out new information to thousands of residents in minutes through your website’s dynamic informative features set.

 

 

  • Allow residents to reserve amenities 24 hours a day online

    The ability to pick a facility such as a tennis court, a clubhouse, or the golf course…see instantly what times are available, and then sign out a time, or send a request for approval to reserve a time, can be a massive time saver and convenience for every community. The Reservations feature can be tailored to list the available hours for a specific resource. This exciting feature streamlines an amenity reservations process that normally could take forever to coordinate successfully; handling it in minutes, 24 hours a day in a secure online environment.

  • Handle documents purchasing and downloads securely anytime

    Residents can access needed business, real estate, and other documents through your website and get a hold of them quickly and without the hassle of going through a 3rd party. Security is never a concern, as your website has a public and private side, so only those who you grant access to, get access to certain areas, information, and privileges.

  • Track, approve, deny, debate Board tasks through the website

    Your Board only area has a lot of great functionality. Your Board members can enjoy using the Task Manager to handle specific tasks on their schedule. Live Chat can bring to the forefront issues that need to be resolved or debated instantly in a secure venue, or facilitate virtual Board meetings. Board Only Message Board can facilitate communication and debate amongst the Board in a forum where everyone can follow an issue and everyone’s input from start to finish. A Board the communicates freely and easily, is a Board that gets things done!

  • Generate Revenue selling classified ads and banner ads

    You set the prices, you determine the website area, you collect the revenue. Local businesses and private advertisers are always looking for more exposure and to reach new customers. Your community website is a daily gathering place for hundreds to thousands of internal and external visitors and with unlimited page creation, your website can be as profitable as you want it to be.

  • Eliminate expensive costs of printing community directories

    A trip to Kinkos Fedex or for a college student at term paper time is a necessity! A trip to Kinkos or Fedex for an HOA is an unnecessary and costly inconvenience. Once your resident directory is printed, if someone leaves, someone moves in, or anyone changes their number, the directory has to be updated with possibly even more printing costs. Online resident directories let your residents share as much or as little about themselves and their contact information as they please…and updating them takes seconds of your valuable time.

  • Replace printed fliers via 24 hr a day online announcements

    If you only counted parties, socials, holiday events, and meetings, you would still spend hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars and hours of time designing eye catching fliers to post on overcrowded bulletin boards, or resident’s doors or mailboxes. Between the wind, the trashcan, and the guy who pulls it down and takes it home so he doesn’t forget, sadly many of these fliers will never be greeted by the eyes they are intended to catch. Online Announcements are yet another quick and easy solution that gets immediate results, doesn’t cost a nickel, and is totally immune to wind, rain, and snatchers.

  • Save money by listing homes for sale & other sale items FREE

    Professional listings in real estate magazines can cost hundreds of dollars, some even charging outrageous fees in a per home basis. Otherwise your homes for sale and other items such as garage sales, babysitting services, etc. are free to get lost in a sea of craigslist ads that get thousands more every day. Your Homes for Sale and Classifieds areas are dedicated to showcasing your communities’ best to those in the community, and those outside the community. Most importantly, it’s another great feature that is standard in your website and won’t cost your Association a penny regardless of how much information is listed.

  • Coordinate volunteer efforts without wasting $$$ on promotion

    Most non-profit organizations spend valuable dollars that could go to their cause just on promotion, advertising, and volunteer coordination. Your Association need not be a victim of this. Easily disseminate information, coordinate live chats securely in the website, and get the word out about event times, donations, and other charitable acts from the convenience of your laptop.

  • Post CCRS, HOA Rules, & other docs for secure 24 hr review

    Residents, Board Members, and Committee members can review all of your community’s important documents whenever they need to. Set security levels so you can decide exactly who can see what, so unwanted eyes on your sensitive documents will never be an issue. Another major time and hassle saver.

 

 

  • Instantly gauge community feelings on critical issues with Surveys

    Not sure if everyone is on board with the new procedure to replace gate cards? Perhaps you want to know if there is a holiday party at the clubhouse this year, will there even be enough residents still here to justify the costs? Using the “Surveys” feature to create and send a survey you can customize to ask exactly what you want is the best way to find out how everyone feels about any given topic or issue. Residents can only vote once, and they can answer via multiple choice or free form?.it’s totally up to you. Create a survey in minutes, and let your website do the work to tally the results so you can make the best decisions.

  • Send email bulletins & announcements on time sensitive issues

    Email Bulletins are a quick way to alert everyone in the community about an issue without having to hold any special meetings or send out an individual email to hundreds of residents. We provide new designs and themes you can choose from every month for free, which allows us to offer an outstanding catalogue of pre-designed email bulletins for your unlimited use. You can also design your own in no time at all. Using Announcements and Email bulletins in tandem means that your residents will never be in the dark about important community issues.

  • Track, approve, deny, debate Board tasks through the website

    Your Board only area has a lot of great functionality. Your Board members can enjoy using the Task Manager to handle specific tasks on their schedule. Live Chat can bring to the forefront issues that need to be resolved or debated instantly in a secure venue, or facilitate virtual Board meetings. Board Only Message Board can facilitate communication and debate amongst the Board in a forum where everyone can follow an issue and everyone’s input from start to finish. A Board the communicates freely and easily, is a Board that gets things done!

  • Cut down on calls, emails, and letters with online FAQ section

    Residents are going to have questions, lots of questions…but you community does not have the time or resources available to place a live operator on a toll free hotline 24 hours a day. Many communities share a lot of the same issues, resources, and operating procedures; so it becomes quickly obvious that questions like ‘Where can I find a copy of the CCRs” or “What is the procedure for requesting Architectural changes on my property” will be asked repeatedly. The FAQ section can be as long or as short as you want it, and updating it can be done in a matter of minutes. The more you cut down on time spent answering the same questions from different people, the more time you can spend handling other important community business.

 

 

  • Post cost free vendor job bids in your website at your leisure

    When jobs need to be completed in your community, compile them all in one easy to find 24 hour accessible online location; making it easy for those willing and able to do the work to find you, and avoiding paying for ads on various websites, newspapers, and employment services.

If you are searching for a website design company search our directory, we have the top companies to help your condo and hoa. 

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UPSTREAM GOES “HOLLYWOOD”!

UPSTREAM GOES “HOLLYWOOD”!

  • Posted: Apr 23, 2019
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Members in the News:

Upstream Network, the multi-family’s premier provider of broadband services, expanded its services this month to Hollywood Towers Condominium (Hollywood, Florida)

“This upscale building was very unhappy with the local service provider, and wanted something special for its residents,” explained Bryan Rader, President of Upstream. “And that’s what we gave them.”

Hugh Moore, Property Manager of Hollywood Towers described the experience. “Very well done. The technical team was experienced, friendly, and responsive, and the products are amazing.” He continued “the picture quality is a huge upgrade and so are the internet speeds. My residents are thrilled with their performance.”

Upstream Network continues to add buildings to its network in key markets. “Our audience really enjoys using our platform. We’ve added several thousand new units recently, and just started construction on another large community in Miami,” Rader explained.

“I would absolutely recommend Upstream,” Moore concluded. “I wish they were in the building I live in.” Upstream Network’s recent customer satisfaction ratings are consistent with the experience at Hollywood Towers, with over a 94% satisfied rating. “Our growth is directly tied to our ability to perform,” Rader stated. “And we are performing.”

For more information about Upstream Network View our Membership Page on the State of Florida Property Management Association‘s, or direct by Email at mmalecki@upstream.network

Bryan Rader
President
341-540-1114
brader@upstream.network

 

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