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Find Blog Articles for Florida’s Condo, HOA and the Management Industry. 

United Professional Engineering (UPE) is a leading professional engineering company based in south-east Florida.

United Professional Engineering (UPE) is a leading professional engineering company based in south-east Florida.

  • Posted: Dec 18, 2024
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United Professional Engineering UPE has been in business since 2005 and we have a diverse team of Professional Engineers, Building Inspectors and General Contractors. Our services include Structural Engineering, Building Upkeep and Restoration Engineering, Building Inspections, Threshold Inspections, Civil Engineering and more.

  At UPE, we understand how valuable your time is and we are committed to providing our industry leading expertise to your next project. Our team welcomes any and all challenges to ensure a smooth and cost-effective project for all our clients and everyone involved. Your journey with us is important, and we take pride in making it memorable!

Today, one of the largest investments is building a structure and how to maintain its lifespan. Structural integrity, environmental factors, atmospheric elements, and maintaining aesthetics are all important factors that we evaluate very carefully, when working on a project. At UPE our highly qualified licensed designers, engineers and general contractors promises to ensure your investment is protected.

Our trusted team members are ready to listen, help and guide you through the process from start to finish. It doesn’t matter what size of your project, we will be able to alleviate your stress and provide you with the quality of service you deserve.

Structural Engineering

Finding top Companies is important for Property Managers Condo & HOA Boards.

Finding top Companies is important for Property Managers Condo & HOA Boards.

  • Posted: Dec 18, 2024
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It starts with: Membership and being listed on the Florida Directory.

Property Managers, Condo & HOA Board Members use our members for repairs in the buildings and communities they manage, for them this equates to happier residents, fewer high-priced emergency repair bills and cost savings overall. Through your membership we help with forming relationships in our industry that lead to increased business for your company and lasting relationships for you.

Board Members that represent Condos and HOA’s all over Florida. Property Management Companies, Property Owners and Private Landlords that wish to stay informed and up to date with our industry.

For these people having a reliable source is important to them and with our goal of “Having a Trusted Member to care for their Properties either through Management, Business Related Services or Maintenance Services” is what they get!

 

When you are listed on the Florida Directory, Clients can find you as one of the Top Companies used in our industry. Your company will benefit from being listed.

“Start forming lasting relationships in the Property Management Industry”

 

Sign up On-Line Today: Select Categories, what you do, Where you do it?  – Fill out the information Form send to us,  – Become a member!

You should take advantage of professional associations it allows you to meet like minded professionals and opens up opportunities for future business ventures and lifelong partnerships. 
1. You are listed on the Website Members Directory.
2. Write Articles (our Blog) we send to the Industry Professionals, Let them get to know what you do!
3. Take out Advertising in the Magazine and Write Articles ( Half Page and Full Page Ads)
4. We also each month help our members by giving them Free Ads for a few months so the readers can learn more about you
Get Listed this year: Business, Service or Property Management Memberships
(these are set at recurring auto billed each year)

Once you fill out the Company Information Form and Make the online Membership fee payment we will upload the information and assign it to a page for your company. Any Form sent without payment will not be uploaded to our Directory, Thank You

 

Property Managers

Listing your Company on the Directory is important

We give clients the information to make an informed decision about which property management company to use. Addressing the questions for owners and board members helps them to understand what a manager does and how important it is to take the time to find the right company for there properties.

Business

Using the right company the first time solves your problem faster

Many clients are using the Listed Companies to find accounting, architecture, collections, insurance and building claims, public relations, telecommunications, tower management, and web design to name a few. When they use our Florida Directory combined with their company’s in-house dept’s they get companies that have passed our screening and industry standards.

Service Vendors

When they are looking for the highly trained companies who are licensed, bonded and insured that is what they get!

Many property managers use the companies on the Florida Directory for faster quality repairs in the buildings and communities they manage, this equates to happier residents, fewer high-priced emergency repair bills and cost savings overall.

 

 

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Enhance Your Brand with Vail Marketing Solutions: The Complete AEC Marketing Experience

Enhance Your Brand with Vail Marketing Solutions: The Complete AEC Marketing Experience

 

 

 

Vail Marketing Solutions provides everything from a full branding overhaul and business development program to a specific marketing project or campaign.

 

In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business landscape of the AEC industry, having a comprehensive marketing strategy is essential for success. Whether you’re just getting started building a marketing department, or an established firm looking to rebrand and increase sales, Vail Marketing Solutions offers a one-stop solution to all your marketing and business development needs. VMS has a strong background of construction industry knowledge coupled with their “Complete Marketing Experience,” to provide a holistic approach to elevate your brand and maximize your reach.

Here’s a closer look at the array of services Vail Marketing Solutions brings to the table:

Strategic Planning

At the heart of every successful marketing campaign lies a well-thought-out strategy. Vail Marketing Solutions works closely with clients to understand their goals, target audience, and market dynamics, crafting customized strategies tailored to drive results.

Website Development

Your website is often the first point of contact for potential customers. Vail Marketing Solutions specializes in creating responsive, user-friendly websites that not only look great but also convert visitors into customers.

Content Creation & Copywriting

Compelling content is key to engaging your audience and building brand credibility. Vail Marketing Solutions boasts a team of talented writers who excel at creating captivating content across various platforms, from blog posts and articles to website copy, email and social media campaigns.

Graphic Design

Visual appeal plays a crucial role in capturing the attention of your audience. With Vail Marketing Solutions’ expert graphic designers, you can expect stunning visuals that effectively communicate your brand message, captivate your audience, and stand out among your competitors.

Brochures & Advertising

Whether it’s print or digital advertising, Vail Marketing Solutions helps you create eye-catching brochures and ads that stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression on your target audience.

Video Marketing, Drone, & Photography

Visual storytelling is a powerful tool for engaging customers and conveying your brand’s personality. Vail Marketing Solutions offers comprehensive video production services, including drone footage and professional photography, to bring your brand and project profiles to life.

Social Media

In today’s interconnected world, social media is an indispensable marketing tool. Vail Marketing Solutions helps you harness the power of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn to connect with your audience, build brand awareness, and drive engagement.

Email Marketing

Effective email marketing campaigns can nurture leads, drive conversions, and foster customer loyalty and engagement.  Vail Marketing Solutions helps you create personalized email campaigns that resonate with your audience and deliver measurable results.

Digital Marketing & SEO

With expertise in digital marketing strategies and search engine optimization (SEO), Vail Marketing Solutions ensures that your brand gets noticed online. From pay-per-click advertising to organic search optimization, they employ cutting-edge techniques to boost your online visibility and drive traffic to your website.

Event Marketing & Tradeshows

Whether you’re hosting a corporate event or participating in a tradeshow, Vail Marketing Solutions helps you make a memorable impact. From pre-event promotion to onsite branding and post-event follow-up, they handle every aspect of event marketing to ensure success.

Tradeshow Display Design

Stand out in a crowded tradeshow hall with captivating booth designs that attract attention and drive foot traffic. Vail Marketing Solutions creates custom tradeshow displays that effectively showcase your brand and leave a lasting impression on attendees.

Presentations & Proposal Packages

From client presentations to branded proposal documents, Vail Marketing Solutions helps you communicate your ideas effectively and persuasively. Their team creates professional presentations and proposal packages that stand out from the competition to win more business.

Business Development & Sales Consulting

Beyond marketing, Vail Marketing Solutions offers strategic business development and sales consulting services to help you identify opportunities for growth, expand your market reach, connect with potential clients, and increase revenue.

Vail Marketing Solutions goes above and beyond traditional marketing agencies by offering the AEC industry a comprehensive suite of services designed to meet all your marketing needs under one roof. Whether you’re looking to launch in a new market, revamp your brand image, or simply enhance your online presence, they have the expertise and resources to make it happen. So why settle for piecemeal solutions when you can experience the complete marketing package with Vail Marketing Solutions?

 

 Jessica Vail – President
Vail Marketing Solutions
908-528-4087
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FLORIDA MEMBERS DIRECTORY: Find top companies for your next Condo or HOA project!

FLORIDA MEMBERS DIRECTORY: Find top companies for your next Condo or HOA project!

  • Posted: Dec 18, 2024
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Search SFPMA Member Companies, Learn how they can help you with your properties Repairs & Management.

FLORIDA MEMBERS DIRECTORY

Find Members ready to help with Management, Business and Services for your properties.

Property Maintenance is an integral part of managing the day to day operations for every type of property. Search the Members Directory for Companies working with Property Management, Condo and HOA properties in Florida from Tallahassee to the Keys. 

 

Brand Ambient Scenting

Ambient Scenting
Olfactory Branding

 

Finding the top Companies working in our Industry is important for Property Managers, Condo & HOA Board Members.

Many Property Managers, Condo & HOA Board Members use our members in the buildings and communities they manage, for them this equates to happier residents, fewer high-priced emergency repair bills and cost savings overall. Through membership marketing its all about forming relationships that lead to increased business for your company and lasting relationships for you.

Become a listed member of SFPMA Today!

 

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Disability Discrimination Under the Fair Housing Act  by Guest Columnist: Danielle M. Brennan, Esq. B.C.S. [Kaye Bender Rembaum]

Disability Discrimination Under the Fair Housing Act by Guest Columnist: Danielle M. Brennan, Esq. B.C.S. [Kaye Bender Rembaum]

As directors and managers of community associations, it is likely that you are very familiar with disability-related requests for reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act, particularly requests for accommodation to pet restrictions so that a disabled person may have an assistance animal within the community. However, the failure to grant reasonable accommodations is not the only form of disability discrimination under the Fair Housing Act.

The Fair Housing Act also makes it unlawful for a housing provider to refuse to permit, at the expense of the disabled person, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to be occupied by such person if such modifications may be necessary to afford such person full enjoyment of the premises. For example, reasonable modifications may include widening doorways to make rooms more accessible for persons in wheelchairs, installing grab bars in bathrooms, lowering kitchen cabinets to a height suitable for persons in wheelchairs, adding a ramp to make a primary entrance accessible for persons in wheelchairs, or altering a walkway to provide access to a common use area.

In order for an individual to be entitled to a reasonable modification under the Fair Housing Act, the individual must first make a request for a reasonable modification. An individual makes a reasonable modification request whenever he/she makes clear to the association that he/she is requesting permission to make a structural change to the premises because of his/her disability. Although the association may adopt and use specified forms and procedures for processing modification requests, the association cannot refuse a request because the individual does not use the specified form or follow the established procedures. All the individual needs to do is make the request, orally or in writing, in a manner that a reasonable person would understand to be a request for permission to make a structural change because of a disability.

As part of the request, the individual must (i) establish that he/she is disabled (i.e., the person has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities) if the disability is not already known to the association or readily apparent; (ii) describe the type of modification requested; and (iii) explain the relationship, or nexus, between the requested modification and the individual’s disability.

The association is required to provide a prompt response to a reasonable modification request. An undue delay in responding to a reasonable modification request may be deemed a failure to permit a reasonable modification. There is no clarity as to what constitutes a “prompt response” or “undue delay” for a reasonable modification. However, if we are to borrow from guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act, then a response should be issued within ten days.

The failure to permit a person with a disability to make a reasonable modification or the failure to promptly respond to a request for a reasonable modification is deemed discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. If discrimination is found to have occurred, the association may be subject to an injunction, forcing the association to permit the requested modification, and an award for damages, which may include punitive damages. In addition, violations of the Fair Housing Act are one of the few instances in which individual board members may be held personally liable for such violations. Given the potential for liability and the many factors which must be considered upon receiving such a request, the board must carefully evaluate a request for a reasonable modification in a timely manner and on a case-by-case basis.

The association cannot condition its approval of the requested modification upon the payment of a security deposit or the purchase of additional insurance and cannot insist that a particular contractor do the work. However, the association can require that the unit owner obtain any building permits needed to make the modification and that the work be performed in a workmanlike manner. From a practical perspective, there will need to be coordination between the association and the unit owner, for example, to obtain whatever permits may be required and to schedule the work, given that the modification may be made to the common areas owned by the homeowners’ association or the common elements controlled by the condominium association.

As to the modification itself, the disabled person is responsible for determining the type of modification and for payment of the costs of the modification. Generally, the association cannot insist on an alternative modification, particularly if the requested modification is to the interior of the unit. However, if the requested modification is to the common area or common elements, the association can propose an alternative modification (e.g., different type of modification, different placement, different design, etc.). However, if the association’s proposed alternative modification costs more than the modification requested by the disabled person, the association will be required to pay the difference.

Once the modification is installed, whether the disabled person or the association will be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the modification will depend upon where the modification is located and who is able to use the modification. As to modifications made to the common areas or common elements, if the modification is used exclusively by the disabled person, such person is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the modification. However, if the modification is installed on the common areas or common elements which are normally maintained by the association and may be used by others, the association is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of such modification under the Fair Housing Act.

Although some modifications to the interior of the unit must be restored if requested by the association when the disabled person vacates the unit, the association cannot require the disabled person to have a modification made to the common areas or the common elements removed and area restored.

Additionally, the Fair Housing Act controls over the provisions of the governing documents of the association and any requirements of Chapter 718, Florida Statutes. For example, even if the modification is a material alteration or substantial addition to the common elements or association property subject to membership approval under a community association’s governing documents and/or section 718.113(2)(a), Florida Statutes, such membership approval would not be required for a reasonable modification under the Fair Housing Act. However, the board still must approve the requested modification at a properly noticed board meeting, and the minutes of such meeting must reflect the board’s approval of same.

Regarding property insurance for modifications to a condominium’s common elements, section 718.111(11)(f), Florida Statutes, requires that the condominium association carry adequate property insurance for primary coverage of all portions of the condominium property, only excluding from such coverage the following which is the responsibility of the unit owner: 1) all personal property within the unit or limited common elements and 2) floor, wall, and ceiling coverings; electrical fixtures; appliances; water heaters; water filters; built-in cabinets and countertops; and window treatments (including curtains, drapes, blinds, hardware, and similar window treatment components); or replacements of any of the foregoing which are located within the boundaries of the unit and serve only such unit. Therefore, if modifications are not within the unit or the limited common elements serving the unit, the condominium association is responsible to carry property insurance for the modification and will be responsible for the reconstruction, repair, or replacement of the modification if it is damaged by an insurable event.

Finally and importantly, because there are so many ways for a board to create legal liability when handling reasonable modification and/or reasonable accommodation requests, the board and manager should absolutely involve the association’s attorney, particularly if the board is going to request additional information or deny the request. Simply asking the wrong question can create legal liability for an association, such as asking for additional information regarding a person’s disability when the disability is readily apparent. Because there are so many ways to misstep in this arena, significant caution is advised.

Guest Columnist: Danielle M. Brennan, Esq. B.C.S. [Kaye Bender Rembaum]

Reprinted with permission as it appears in the December 2024 issue of the Florida Community Association Journal.


 Danielle M. Brennan is a board-certified specialist in condominium and planned development law by the Florida Bar. Mrs. Brennan is a firm member in the Palm Beach Gardens’ office and joined Kaye Bender Rembaum as an associate attorney in April 2013. She assists community association clients (including residential and commercial condominium associations, homeowners’ associations, cooperatives, and commercial associations) and developer clients with all aspects of community association establishment and operations, including corporate filings and mergers, governing document drafting and amendments, contract drafting and negotiations, membership meeting and board meeting operations, fair housing matters, land use and zoning matters, and covenant enforcement.

 

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Why Proactive Annual Lake and Pond Management Is Better for the Environment and Your Wallet

Why Proactive Annual Lake and Pond Management Is Better for the Environment and Your Wallet

Enjoy Balanced Water with Proactive Care

Keeping a lake or pond healthy can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. With a proactive management plan, you can reduce water quality issues while protecting the environment and saving money in the long run.

Explore how you can keep your waterbody balanced and beautiful with proactive solutions.

Why Proactive Annual Lake and Pond Management Is Better for the Environment and Your Wallet

We have all heard the adages about being proactive: “The early bird gets the worm” and “Never do tomorrow what you can do today.” These principles apply to nearly every facet of life, whether it’s our job performance, healthcare, financial planning, or in this case, lake and pond management. It’s no secret that taking care of our environment is important, but it goes beyond that. Science suggests that the preservation of our water resources is a key factor in our health and happiness; memorable experiences and time spent around the water lead to a greater sense of peace and connection to the world around us.

Much like the human body, when a lake or pond is ‘young,’ it typically requires less effort and funds to keep it healthy and functional. But a lifetime of neglect can lead to premature aging and serious imbalances. Without ongoing management, waterbodies become inundated with organic matter, sediment, debris, and other pollutants that cause aesthetic, ecological, and functional problems. These can arise in a multitude of ways, including recurring water quality issues, nuisance weeds and algae, and foul odors—and even scarier issues may lurk unnoticed beneath the water for many years before they manifest. When they do finally appear, it is generally a sign that the waterbody requires significant intervention.

What are signs of an unhealthy waterbody?

  • Disregarded plant matter and debris can clog and damage stormwater equipment and increase the risk of dangerous flooding
  • Harmful Algal Blooms can create toxins that may harm aquatic animals, pets, and humans
  • Invasive plants like Phragmites can take years of dedicated treatments to successfully eradicate
  • Invasive animal species like armored catfish, bufo toads, and quagga mussels can out-compete beneficial native species and pose significant challenges and costs to remove
  • Shoreline instability can cause expedited lake and pond “aging” and endanger others
  • The accumulation of muck and sediment over time can reduce depth and volume – with costly and invasive dredging oftentimes being the only solution

Solutions to Restore Lakes with Poor Water Quality

The number of tools necessary to restore an imbalanced lake or pond depends on many factors, and the benefits can be fleeting if not done consistently. That’s why year-round maintenance is key. To begin developing an annual management program, aquatic specialists conduct preliminary assessments that examine the biological, physical, and chemical properties of the water. Detailed visual inspections and baseline water quality tests provide valuable insights into the overall health of the waterbody and establish an important foundation of data to inform future management decisions.

water-quality-assessments-community-lake

Building A Custom Water Management Program

Once preliminary assessments are completed, a customized management program can be designed. The most effective programs lean on cutting-edge technologies, comprehensive data collection, routine laboratory analysis, and premium services like nutrient remediationalgae IDbiological augmentationoxygenation, and erosion control solutions that help stakeholders achieve the trifecta of health, functionality, and beauty. And these solutions are underscored by the guidance and expertise of scientists who specialize in freshwater management.

littoral-shelf-beneficial-buffer

Pond Management Strategy for Smaller Budgets

Lakes and ponds exhibiting more mild issues or those with budgetary limitations can still be supported by the basics like periodic visual monitoring, nuisance vegetation controlbuffer management, and decorative pond dye. These ongoing efforts help lay the groundwork until more advanced solutions come into the picture. Consulting with your lake and pond management professional can help you make the most appropriate decision for your property and your wallet.

Don’t Wait to Manage Your Water… Be Proactive!

Lakes and ponds are an investment, but the upfront costs to kickstart your management program will help to reduce expenses that are often much larger and more concerning down the road. While every aquatic ecosystem has different needs, they all benefit most from comprehensive maintenance strategies supported by the most effective and sustainable technologies available to us. Like most other facets of life, when it comes to lake and pond management “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

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Speed Up Your Holiday Package Intake by 80% with ImageR by Richard Worth Building Link

Speed Up Your Holiday Package Intake by 80% with ImageR by Richard Worth Building Link

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speed Up Your Holiday Package Intake by 80% with ImageR

Twinkling lights, snowy nights, and trees adorned with festive ornaments and ribbons of yellow and gold. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, which means only one thing for your front office staff: the holiday package invasion is here! Logging packages can take a long time. With all of Santa’s deliveries piling up, this can distract your team from providing your residents with the service they deserve.

When you’re ready to speed things up, ImageR is here to help. Our revolutionary smartphone-based and AI-powered package scanning function reduces the average time to enter packages from nearly one minute to less than eight seconds. With ImageR, your team will fly through delivery processing like Rudolph the night before Christmas. More than 3,600 properties worldwide are now processing about 800,000 packages a month with ImageR, and it can help make your front office operations far more efficient year-round as well.

How ImageR Works

Utilizing Image Recognition, AI, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR), ImageR turns any smartphone into a package processing powerhouse. Paired with BuildingLink’s GEO app (our iOS and Android app for management), any phone with a working camera can read labels, scan barcodes, and match resident names to packages. Beyond reading package information, it:

  • Determines the correct recipient
  • Matches the name in your building’s database
  • Confirms the unit number
  • Captures the correct event type (including the name of the delivery company)
  • Notifies the resident that the package has arrived

Meanwhile, residents can set their package notification preferences in their BuildingLink profiles and staff can send automated reminders when deliveries have been left an amount of time that you can customize. Our platform allows you to offer contactless pickup as well, a safe alternative to residents having to sign for packages.

How ImageR Helps Front Desk Teams Succeed

ImageR reduces the time to process packages by 80%, but its benefits go far beyond efficiency. Given its ease of use and direct integration into the BuildingLink database, ImageR lessens the likelihood of manual errors and missing packages. It can also be used anywhere, meaning your team no longer needs to be tied to a computer when they’re processing packages. With its automatic delivery notifications, your residents won’t have to wonder if their package has arrived.

ImageR Users Guide

If you already have the BuildingLink GEO app, you can access ImageR from the home screen. Tap the ImageR icon and your camera will open within the app, then point it at the shipping label and wait for the two-tone beep that plays only when you’ve logged the package successfully. Press save and you’ll be well on your way to processing the next delivery.

Read more and watch our video 

Sincerely,

Richard Worth

Regional Sales Director – Florida

407-529-6063

Richard@BuildingLink.com

CoverTec Products has a new website smoother, faster, and more helpful

CoverTec Products has a new website smoother, faster, and more helpful

It’s designed to make your experience smoother, faster, and more helpful than ever before.  Here’s what’s new:

✅  Easier Navigation: Find the right products for your cleaning, sealing, or restoration projects in just 2-3 clicks.
✅  Faster Loading: Spend less time waiting and more time finding what you need.
✅  Helpful Videos: Watch product application tips and unboxings before you buy.

And as always:

  • All of our products are Made in the USA
  • You get Free Shipping on orders over $20 (in the continental USA)
  • And there’s a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee on all orders.

Contractors, we ready to work with you!
Need bulk orders, custom shipping, or project advice?
We’re here to help – just give us a call!

Visit our new site today and see the difference for yourself!

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A guide to holiday decorating that will keep you off your HOA’s naughty list

A guide to holiday decorating that will keep you off your HOA’s naughty list

  • Posted: Dec 17, 2024
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A guide to holiday decorating that will keep you off your HOA’s naughty list

Check your association’s bylaws before making your home festive

The holidays are here, and many of the 74.1 million Americans who reside in community association neighborhoods are preparing to decorate their homes. These homeowners should be aware that many community associations have bylaws that regulate lights, trim and decorative displays. The most common association rules that regulate holiday decorations address:

  • Time. Many homeowners associations (HOAs) regulate the hours that lights may be illuminated and dates on which decorations can be displayed before and after a holiday.
  • Location. Most community association rules limit placement. In neighborhoods of single-family houses, decorations are generally permitted on the exterior of the home and must be kept within the boundaries of the yard. Owners should ensure decorations do not blow into a neighbor’s yard. In attached condominiums, many associations limit or preclude holiday decorations in common areas such as hallways and doors. Most condominium bylaws contain a restriction that prohibits an owner from making a modification to the exterior of a unit without permission from the association.
  • Nuisance. Bylaws typically preclude homeowners from creating a “nuisance.” While this definition is somewhat subjective, it could include holiday lights that are too bright or Christmas music that is played loudly throughout the night. In most cases, common sense dictates what may be disruptive to neighbors.
  • Safety. Most bylaws or rules aim to prevent dangerous or hazardous activities. If your holiday display creates a fire hazard or attracts numerous visitors who park in the street and block access for emergency vehicles, you may run into issues with your association or the local municipality.

HOA rules are intended to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community; complying with the restrictions is mandatory. Homeowners who fail to do so may initially receive a warning from the association, but continued noncompliance could result in fines or a court injunction to have the decorations removed.

Homeowners who have an issue with the holiday-decorations rules should request a meeting with the board to ask if they can be revised. Board members should be receptive to reasonable input from owners and craft rules accordingly; most owners don’t want an Ebenezer Scrooge on the board.

Fair Housing Act implications may make some holiday rules unenforceable. Religious discrimination is illegal under the act. An HOA is not allowed to show preference to one religion over another. When drafting rules, associations should be careful to avoid using terms that refer to specific holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. Rather, the rules should apply to all “holiday decorations” or reference “holiday trees” to ensure the religious beliefs of certain owners are not given preferential treatment.

Before decorating your home, review the community association rules to determine what restrictions, if any, exist that would regulate holiday displays. It’s a good idea to contact the community manager or the board of directors for guidance. While the holidays are a time to celebrate, owners who fail to review their association’s rules may end up with coal in their stockings. by By Kevin M. Hirzel

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‘Tis the season to be jolly, but safety should always come first!  Here are some Christmas tree fire safety tips to keep your holiday celebrations worry-free:

‘Tis the season to be jolly, but safety should always come first! Here are some Christmas tree fire safety tips to keep your holiday celebrations worry-free:

  • Posted: Dec 11, 2024
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‘Tis the season to be jolly, but safety should always come first! 🚒 Here are some Christmas tree fire safety tips to keep your holiday celebrations worry-free:

💦 Keep it Hydrated: Water your tree daily to prevent it from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.
🕯️Placement Matters: Position your tree away from heat or open-flame sources, like candles, heaters and fireplaces. We know, there are not many fireplaces in South Florida, but just in case 😉.
💡Lights Check: Inspect your holiday lights for any frayed wires or damaged bulbs before decorating.
🔌Unplug at Night: Remember to turn off tree lights before heading to bed or leaving home.
🎄Quality Ornaments: Use non-flammable or flame-resistant decorations to minimize risks.
🧯Fire Extinguisher Ready: Have a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.
We hope you follow these tips for a safe holiday season! While we are hopeful that you won’t experience any fire damage, remember that we are here for you, and we can manage ANY damage! 1-877-224-2532.
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