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Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricane Preparedness

 Steps that should be taken for hurricane preparedness?

Keep informed – Read the Hurricane Help page

SFPMA.COM / State of Florida Property Management Association, Be Safe.

Most things are usually on hand but should be stocked up and easily accessible. If it turns out the hurricane has changed its path, at least you will have known you were ready.
If your city or town is in imminent danger of a hurricane, most likely evacuation announcements have been made, and should be taken seriously. Here is a checklist to consider before you leave: 

 

  1. First, get important papers and special photos in order and secured in plastic. Identification is difficult and time-consuming to replace: so be sure to include social security cards, birth certificates, high school diplomas or GED certificates, titles or deeds to property, as well as your hurricane insurance policy. Photos of special occasions or loved ones cannot be replaced, so including these is important as well.

 

  1. Think ahead and take video or photos of your property before you leave. This will help later on with any insurance checklist claims for damage that may need to be filed.
  2. If staying with relatives is not an option, consider booking a room in a hotel or motel in another nearby town or state. Make sure to get directions and put them in the car ahead of time. It is easy to forget that piece of paper in the rush out the door. A cheaper route might be to find temporary hurricane shelters. Usually nearby towns not in the direct path of the hurricane will provide these for people in need.

  3. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that your pet will have a place in a motel or hotel. Keep this in mind, and try to find alternate housing like pet-friendly hotels and motels or dog boarding kennels in areas out of the path of the storm until it is safe to return home.

 

 

  1. Designate a spot, in the hall closet, to keep a bag of clothes for each person in the household. Make sure to include sleeping gear if you plan on going to a temporary shelter.

  2. Along with overnight clothes, consider stocking your Hurricane Kit with the following: extra cash, generator, batteries, flash lights, battery operated radio/television, bottled water, toilet paper, non-perishable foods such as cereal or crackers, canned goods, a can opener, a small cooler, candles, prescription medicines and any over-the-counter remedies you use regularly; and if you have small children – diapers, baby wipes, formula, baby food.

7. Count on the power being out for at least a day or two. Remember that ATM’s will benon-operating, so have at least some hard cash in your Hurricane Kit (see no. 6, above) to see you through the storm.

When TV and computer games no longer operate, board games or a deck of cards come in handy! Arts and crafts, crayons and downloadable coloring pages are always great distractions for the kids – so make sure you’ve stored some of these supplies in a tote bag or in the car trunk.

8. If you decide to tough out the storm, stay downwind in your home. This means if the wind is hitting the living room windows, go to the room opposite the living room.

9. Plywood is a ‘hot’ commodity for those of who decide to stay. Boarding up windows that will take the brunt of the wind and rain is a wise decision. If board is not available, protect your windows from the wind by criss-crossing them with layers of duct or packing tape. This will be enough protection for light-to-medium winds, but learning how to build and install plywood hurricane shutters is your safest bet. If you can afford it, have them installed by a professional.

10. Finally, STAY INSIDE. However tempting it may be to videotape or take photos of the storm, be sure to shoot from indoors – where it’s safe, and dry!

Hurricanes are serious business. Weather forecasters can only predict so much. Educate yourself and stay on top of hurricane updates in your area. There is no harm in being overly cautious. In most cases where a hurricane is concerned, it truly is better to be safe than sorry.

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In House or Contract Security, That is the Question

In House or Contract Security, That is the Question

  • Posted: Apr 07, 2019
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In House or Contract Security- That is the Question

 

Mike the right decision with your security company

Do the terms FLSA, ACA, HIPPA, E-Verify or I-9 scare you? They should if you have in-house security, maintenance or housekeeping staff. These terms are just some of the federally mandated employment laws that HOA’s, condo boards and property managers must contend with. If you are not fully compliant with any of these it can cost you and your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, penalties and yes, even back wages.

What can you do to eliminate these HR compliance headaches and ensure the safety and security of your business, building or property in the real world?
Outsourcing may provide the solutions you’re looking for.

Outsourcing can provide a viable and affordable solution for many businesses, condominiums, planned communities, office and professional complexes. The security provider you choose will take on the costs
and hassles of hiring, scheduling, HR administration, insurance, liability, training and outfitting employees.

If you’re looking for trained security officers, you’ll find that hiring your own staff can be extremely expensive. The last thing you want when it comes to security is less-than-qualified workers. A reputable security provider will have the money and resources to properly recruit and hire highly qualified officers. In other words, outsourcing can give you access to security resources of a caliber unavailable to you on your own, and save you money in the process.

Condo associations and HOA’s may not have the resources to properly vet security experts in their employ. The officers who fill these crucial positions, must be stable, reliable, trustworthy, and well-trained. A failure on any level could spell disaster.

 

 

By outsourcing or on-boarding your current in house staff to a firm that makes security their business, you can rest easier knowing that anyone they send your way has been properly vetted, trained, and held to the highest standards. After all, the security provider that hired them has a reputation to uphold, just as you do.

HR Costs/Bill Rate

According to the US Department of Labor legally required benefits such as social security, workers compensation insurance, unemployment and Medicare costs can add an additional 14.5% to your payroll costs.
If you provide other benefits such as health & life insurance, 401K contributions, and/or paid leave time those costs can add an additional 24% to your payroll and operating expenses.

What does this mean to you?

Let’s say your annual in-house security payroll is $75,000 per year. Factoring in the mandated benefits and your actual payroll costs leap to $85,875, that’s over a $10,000 increase. If you offer benefits your actual costs skyrocket to over $105,000. That’s $35,000 additional dollars you’re spending on payroll without any additional personnel or job tasks being performed.

Insurance Savings

You more than likely currently have general liability insurance coverage that protects you and any governing board from losses resulting in accidents or injuries that occur on the property. Risk is the single biggest factor in determining how much coverage costs. No one anticipates accidents or mistakes. The rising cost of general liability insurance is another area of concern for managers, board members and residents.

If you’ve had accidents or faced lawsuits in the past then expect to pay more.

A reputable security contractor will carry sufficient liability and workers compensation insurance which will provide you indemnification from losses and employee injuries and illness, thereby reducing your overall insurance costs and risk factors.

Better Training, Oversight and Supervision

As a board member or property manager how much time out of your day do you have to check on and provide oversight to your security personnel? Do you even know what to look for or what questions to
ask?

Any reputable and reliable third-party security provider should provide comprehensive supervisory and managerial oversight to its guards including random and periodic unannounced inspections of the site and the personnel assigned there.

Outside of showing your in-house team where to put packages, which contractors are allowed access and what the pool hours are, what training has your team received. Does your team have the expertise or resources to provide that training? A professional security company does.

At a minimum any professional security officer should be trained in emergency first aid, CPR and fire suppression.

“But we love our in-house staff and don’t want to lose them!” is something we hear very often when talking to property managers, condo board members and HOA presidents about on-boarding in-house staff. In a properly structured transition you retain your current staff. Pay rates and benefits remain unchanged as does seniority ranking.

As your operation grows, so too will your needs where support is concerned. You may acquire additional facilities that require additional physical security. Either way, flexible security solutions that easily adapt to the changing needs of your business or property are a must.
All of these factors are where outsourcing can really ease the transition process as your needs change, while you grow and expand. You have plenty on your plate already without having to worry about increasing on-site security teams. A reputable and reliable third-party service provider can handle these concerns for you.

 

 

Choosing the Right Provider

The south Florida contract security market is one of the most competitive in the nation. There are currently over 1,200 licensed security agencies in Broward and Miami-Dade counties alone.

These agencies range from huge national companies to one or two man agencies working out of someone’s home garage or spare bedroom. So choosing the right security provider is crucial.

When evaluating security firms you need to ask the following questions.

  1. Does the agency provide general liability insurance and do they indemnify you in the event of a
    loss from any incident or accident caused by any negligent, grossly negligent, willful act or
    omission or intentional act, of their guard?

  2. Are their guards actual employees of the company or are they paying them as sub-contractors?
    Some less than reputable security providers will do this to avoid the high costs of workers
    compensation insurance, payroll taxes and social security contributions.

  3. How responsive is their management team to problems, issues or concerns of yours?

  4. Do they utilize the latest technology to provide you officer accountability and transparency?

  5. Do they have an actual brick and mortar corporate presence or footprint?

  6. Do their supervisors or manager conduct periodic unannounced inspections of the sites and staff?

  7. What training have your guards had? First Aide, CPR, Fire Suppression?

  8. Do they conduct random drug tests of their employees?

 

Way back in the fifteenth century English satirist Gabriel Bell recognized that, “You get what you pay for;” which Webster defines as meaning “a thing that can be bought for a very low price probably isn’t very good”, and that’s especially true when evaluating security companies.
Any security provider that quotes you a bargain basement bill rate in the low teens ($14 per hour or less) is probably NOT going to provide suitable answers to these questions nor will they provide you the level
of service and support you need or want. They’re going to be using sub-contractors or paying their employees minimum wage to stay profitable. What caliber of officer are they delivering at that pay rate?

 

The Trident Ground Protection Difference

Dependability, discipline and dedication to the client are the hallmarks of being a member of the Trident Ground Protection team.

The principles of Trident Ground Protection have over 80 years of military, law enforcement, private security and special ops experience in both field, command and executive level positions. We pride ourselves in helping our clients – large or small. We have the expertise, knowledge and ability to secure and protect your property, business or event. Trident Ground Protection was established with one  goal in mind, to provide our clients with more than simply a security guard. Our team consists exclusively of true security professionals.

Trident Ground Protection actively recruits and hires our military veterans and former or retired law enforcement personnel. By hiring this caliber of employee, we provide our clients with a more disciplined, dedicated and focused security officer.

Our management and field staff are solely dedicated to providing you a level of service, awareness and discipline far above that of any other security provider. A member of our corporate management team is available to you 24/7 by way of either our corporate headquarters in located Oakland Park or after hours from our Global Security Operations Center located in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

When you contract your security functions with Trident Ground Protection we assume the liability for any incident or accident caused by any negligent, grossly negligent, willful act or omission or intentional act, of one of our team members up to one million dollars per occurrence. Our officers are employees of our company, not sub-contractors and are fully covered under our workers compensation insurance coverage.

As part of our commitment to provide the highest level of professional security services, every new client receives a vulnerability analysis, comprehensive threat assessment and crime statistics report for their site, building or property. We then use the results as the basis for designing a comprehensive and cost effective security program and post orders specific to your needs and desires.

We work with and build relationships with your local law enforcement agency to maximize leveraged law enforcement services g=for your property. Technology within the security industry has greatly advanced from the days of the old Detex Watch Clock Stations. © Trident Ground Protection deploys the latest and most advanced web-based applications for officer accountability and activity. As part of our commitment to transparency the systems allows you the client and TGP management to see in real time an officer’s location and review their current and past activity.

The system can also be configured to send instant e-mail alerts regarding incidents occurring at your property.

Personnel management has also accomplished via a web-based portal which only allows an officer to “clock in” once he or she is on site. It also can be set up to provide you, the client with e-mail notifications about late employees or personnel and scheduling changes. So whether your looking to develop a comprehensive security program, out-source your in-house security program or just in the market for professional and dedicated security services, you can be assured that Trident Ground Protection is the best solution.

We’re committed to providing you with top notch local support and knowledge. We approach every client with a focus on support, integrity, advocacy, and understanding.

Find out more about Trident Ground Protection

 

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Lake Management: Don’t Feed the Wildlife!

Lake Management: Don’t Feed the Wildlife!

  • Posted: Mar 26, 2019
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Lake Management: Don’t Feed the Wildlife!

by: SOLitude Lake Management   |   Mar 26, 2019

Written by Industry Expert Gavin Ferris, Ecologist

A few years back in the spring, residents of South Hampton, NH found six dead deer in a suburban lot. Several biologists and a game warden then investigated the site and found six more. The deer had not been shot or killed by predators, nor had they starved or died of exposure. They had been fed to death. With their stomachs and digestive systems used to their winter diet of woody browse, a sudden bounty of corn from a well-meaning human can be a shock to the system, in this case resulting in fatal enterotoxemia.

This example is dramatic, perhaps even extreme, but it illustrates the potential consequences of feeding wildlife. Certainly, not every animal that gets fed by a human will inevitably suffer a gruesome and untimely death. All the same, it usually isn’t good for the wildlife, it might not be good for the aquatic environment or its human inhabitants, and in the vicinity of a lake or pond it can be extremely bad for the water. It is perfectly natural, even admirable, for people to want to help the wildlife that they share their surroundings with. Unfortunately, there are several major consequences to feeding wildlife that make anything more than a backyard bird feeder quite unhealthy for all involved.

 

 

Don't Feed the Ducks - SOLitudeThe foods we provide to wildlife are not the foods they are adapted to eat. Corn, bread and other grain-based foods are high in carbohydrates, which few natural foods are. Wildlife that eat these foods may become unhealthy as a result of taking in too many carbohydrates in a short time, or it may interfere with their ability to process the rest of their more natural diet. Some aquatic animals, such as pond turtles, may become reliant on food provided by humans. As a result, they may stop eating aquatic plants and decaying matter, which can negatively affect the balance of the ecosystem.

The feeds provided by humans to wildlife also generally amount to junk food, and can cause excessive weight gain. This is particularly true of waterfowl in areas where bread feeding is popular. In addition to the direct effect on their health, this weight gain can inhibit migration, and affect their long-term fitness.

Access to feeding sites also alters animal behavior. Animals that are typically dispersed over a wide area in order to find food will instead congregate near the food source. This increased population density makes disease transmission more likely. It also goes against the natural territoriality present in many species, and the inevitable altercations may result in injuries or even death. Higher densities of animals also equates to higher densities of those animals’ parasites. In the case of deer this means ticks, including the deer ticks that transmit Lyme disease, and the dog ticks and lone star ticks that transmit a number of other pathogens.

The feeding of waterfowl, in particular, has an additional environmental impact, as the practice affects nutrient levels in lakes and ponds. Whether from bread that is missed by the ducks and geese being fed, or from their resulting droppings, feeding waterfowl can be a significant source of excess pond nutrients. As an undergraduate, I was involved in a study of Pymatuning Reservoir, a man-made lake located on the border of Pennsylvania and Ohio. We found that people feeding bread to the carp and waterfowl that congregate by the spillway was the largest single source of phosphorus going into the reservoir. Excess phosphorus is the leading cause of algae blooms and, ultimately, fish kills in freshwater ponds and lakes.

It is perfectly natural to want to help the wildlife that shares your environment, and I encourage you to do so. You can provide food for wildlife by planting native plantsthat support the food chain. You can provide habitat by leaving areas unmowed to provide cover, and by installing nest boxes and bat boxes. In short, the better your efforts to aid the wildlife in your community mimic the resources that animals would make use of under natural conditions, the more successful they will be.

https://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/blog/lake-management-dont-feed-the-wildlife

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Subscribe to the:  FLORIDA RISING MAGAZINE

Subscribe to the: FLORIDA RISING MAGAZINE

  • Posted: Mar 20, 2019
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Subscribe to the:  FLORIDA RISING MAGAZINE

The FLORIDA RISING MAGAZINE by SFPMA We publish this monthly and send to our subscribers, members and clients all over Florida. Utilizing social media we post many featured pages and highlighted articles giving our advertisers a larger audience reading the magazine.  It is important to us to inform our industry and the decision makers of companies being used in the management industry today. Published for the State of Florida’s Condo HOA & Property Management Industry.

Help us with bringing you content you can trust while keeping you up to date with our industry.

 

Subscribe Now get the Full Magazine sent to you each month

 

One of the Best Industry Magazine’s:

  • Keep up to date with the CONDO, HOA AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY
  • Read top stories and information written by top industry professionals
  • Learn more through ads placed throughout the pages, Find Management Companies, Business and Service Vendors ready to help you with your properties.
  • Find companies fast on our directory these companies work with the management industry and have been screened so you get Trusted Member Companies.

 

ADVERTISE IN OUR NEXT EDITION:  We offer the best pricing, YOU GET MORE MONTHS TO BE INFRONT OF THE DECISION MAKERS.

 

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Here are five holiday party ideas that are sure to please your residents

Here are five holiday party ideas that are sure to please your residents

  • Posted: Nov 25, 2018
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Want to throw a holiday party that will bring residents of your community together for a fun-filled evening?

Here are five holiday party ideas that are sure to please your residents:

 

  1. Tacky Sweater Party

While so cliché these days, hosting a tacky sweater party is a great way for residents to break the ice and start mingling with each other. The ugly holiday sweater that was once popular in the 80s is making a big come back, and residents can easily find this festive attire online or come up with their own creations. Encourage residents to channel their inner-tackiness by offering prizes for the ugliest sweaters. If hosting the party at your neighborhood clubhouse, you can spruce up your community amenities for the event with bright-colored lights, oversized holiday inflatables, and tinsel-filled trees.

 

  1. Holiday Caroling Party

Round up your neighbors to meet at the community clubhouse for hot chocolate (and perhaps a seasonal adult beverage) and holiday cookies. Once everyone arrives, head out for an evening of holiday caroling. Having several copies of sheet music on hand will be beneficial for the group. It’s also helpful if you notify neighbors ahead of time that you will be caroling in the community to ensure that you will have an audience.

 

  1. Beer Tasting Party

There’s a very good chance that residents in your community have been to a wine tasting party, but what about a beer tasting party? Craft beer is on the rise, and it seems as though there are new breweries popping up in Florida every day. Encourage your guests to make an unbiased vote on their favorite beers by concealing the beverages in brown paper bags. As the evening comes to an end, make a toast and reveal the winning beers.

 

  1. Holiday Cookie Exchange Party

A cookie exchange is a classic holiday party and provides guests with an opportunity to load up on a diverse selection of festive cookies. Ask each guest to bring two dozen cookies and copies of the recipe to trade at the party. You can choose to either ask guests to bring a separate container to collect the cookies or provide containers for the guests.

 

  1. Winter Wonderland Party

While snow is a rare site in Florida, you can still get into the holiday spirit by hosting a winter wonderland party. Choose food and beverages that correspond with the snowy theme, such as marshmallows for roasting, snow cones, cheese fondue, and a white party punch. Decorate your community amenities with an abundance of white string lights, and take the ambiance up a notch by renting a snow machine.

As you begin to plan the holiday party for your HOA community, take these five suggestions into consideration to throw a party that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

 

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VIOLATIONS! IT’S NOTHING PERSONAL

VIOLATIONS! IT’S NOTHING PERSONAL

  • Posted: Nov 20, 2018
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VIOLATIONS! IT’S NOTHING PERSONAL

by Enrolled Agent Steven J. Weil, Ph.D., EA, LCAM, president, Royale Management Services, Inc.

We know that the first thing most owners think when they receive a violation notice is that they are being targeted and that the board or management is out to get them. Nothing could be further from the truth. The board is charged by the governing documents with oversight of association operations along with protecting the property value and enforcing the rules.

Violation notices are not personal or targeted. They are simply the means by which the association lets owners know about rule violations and gives them a chance to correct a problem.  Violation notices can be generated by a manager’s observations, board observations and even from observations by fellow owners. While you may feel as though you are the only one to receive a violation notice, this is generally not the case. The truth is that most of the violation notices can be easily remedied by simply fixing the problem or complying with the rule and letting management know the problem has been resolved.

We are often asked why we sent a violation notice instead of simply knocking on the door or calling. There are several reasons we send written notices.  The first is that while it’s easy to misinterpret what is said, and it can often turn into “he said/ she said,” a written notice clarifies what is being said and assures that there is a written record. The second is that it’s inappropriate and unsafe in this day and age for association employees, managers and/or board members to confront owners in person. The purpose of a violation is to get the problems corrected and maintain community standards while protecting the safety and quiet enjoyment of all unit owners.

The board and management know that rules can sometimes be complex, and it’s easy to make a mistake and violate the rule or misunderstand the governing documents. No one enjoys sending violation notices, and we all know that it’s upsetting to get a violation notice; but in truth correcting the problem and letting management know that you have taken action is all that is required to relegate it to history.

 

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Having a Building Condition Assessment performed

Having a Building Condition Assessment performed

  • Posted: Nov 14, 2018
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Having a Building Condition Assessment performed

As buildings age they become more inefficient, which can mean unnecessary, out of pocket expenditures every month. Having a Building Condition Assessment performed by a P.E. is especially important for aging facilities. It is imperative to the overall health and future of your building to conduct a “checkup” every 3-5 years. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an assessment.

Find us on the Members Directory:  https://sfpma.com/listing/the-falcon-group/

 

40/50 Year Recertification for Miami-Dade and Broward County, Florida

Is your building approaching 40 years of age? Are you aware that there may be county requirements that as a building owner you may need to comply with, known as the 40 Year Recertification?

Even if you have not yet received a “Notice of Required Inspection” by the code compliance section of your county or city, it is the property owner’s responsibility to acquire the initial 40/50-year (re)certification and to recertify their building every 10 years thereafter. Because of this, the inspections must be done by or under the supervision of a qualified, Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA).

Florida – Miami
15405 NW 7th Avenue
Miami, FL 33169
P: (305) 663-1970

 

 

Falcon is here to help

We provide both Structural and Electrical inspection expertise in-house with Professional Engineers, Registered Architects and Licensed Inspectors. Our professionals are able to perform site visits, prepare reports, and provide repair recommendations and specifications. Falcon can also assist with the bidding process for the repair work, along with the construction oversight to ensure all repairs are being done with all recommended requirements enforced. We provide a list of the necessary repairs in the report at no cost to you.

Our services are provided in these South Florida Cities:

  • Aventura
  • Boca Raton
  • Carol City
  • Coconut Creek
  • Coconut Grove
  • Cooper City
  • Coral Springs
  • Dania Beach
  • Davie
  • Deerfield Beach
  • Fort Lauderdale
  • Hallandale Beach
  • Hallandale
  • Hialeah
  • Hillsboro Beach
  • Hollywood
  • Homestead
  • Lauderhill
  • Miami Dade and Broward Counties
  • Miami
  • Miramar
  • North Lauderdale
  • North Miami Beach
  • North Miami
  • Oakland Park
  • Parkland
  • Pembroke Pines
  • Plantation
  • Pompano Beach
  • Sunrise
  • Tamarac
  • West Park
  • Weston

 

“The Falcon Group is one of the best for all of your Buildings. When you need architectural, Engineering Services and Structural including 40 Year Recertification. They should be the number one choice. In Florida, William Pyznar and the Team who are members of SFPMA are the type of company we stand behind for our Property Management Industry.” SFPMA

 

 

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DON’T LET TAXES COMPOUND THE PROBLEM OF A NATURAL DISASTER

DON’T LET TAXES COMPOUND THE PROBLEM OF A NATURAL DISASTER

  • Posted: Oct 10, 2018
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DON’T LET TAXES COMPOUND THE PROBLEM OF A NATURAL DISASTER

by Enrolled Agent Steven J. Weil, Ph.D., EA, LCAM, Royale Management Services, Inc.

In the unlikely event that you or someone you know becomes the victim of a natural disaster, and where you or where they live becomes a federally-declared disaster area, you will want to know all the ways to mitigate the results.  Not only can preparation help to protect life and property, it can also guard against staggering financial loss.

The key is to know what to expect.  If you live in a condo or HOA, you will want to know what the association’s master insurance policy covers and what it does not.  Insurance may help defray some of the costs associated with restoring and replacing damaged and destroyed property, but to keep monetary losses as low as possible, it helps to understand the relevant sections of the tax code.  Under the new Tax Cut and Jobs Act, for example, there is tax relief for victims who suffer casualty losses and are living in a federally-declared disaster area.

Claims require documentation.  You will surely want to make an inventory of the valuables in your home to help you document losses for insurance and tax purposes.  Take photos or videotape not only the interior of your home but also the property and structures outside it.  Damage to your vehicles, landscaping and other possessions may also be tax deductible.

If there’s a chance you might have to evacuate your home, take important documents with you or move them to a safer location, like a bank safe deposit box or a waterproof or fireproof container. Consider photographing important documents like birth certificates, car registration, driver’s license, proof of home ownership, insurance policies, important contracts, medical information, passport, tax documents, etc., and upload these electronic records to a secure cloud-based service.

Tax deductions for homes and buildings with structural damage require a qualified appraisal and records of the repairs to restore the building to its previous condition. Homeowners insurance will cover some personal goods in many cases, whether or not the home is covered for the type of disaster that occurred. Keep in mind that all claims for damage must first be submitted to the property owner’s insurance carrier, even if the property is not covered, in order to take a casualty loss deduction. In other words, your disaster loss may be tax deductible but only to the amount over any insurance reimbursement.

Two additional limitations may be waived in certain federally-declared disaster areas:  You must deduct $100 per event and reduce the total of all personal use property losses by 10 percent of your adjusted gross income.

Be aware that the IRS may extend tax filing deadlines, permit easier access to victims’ funds held in workplace retirement plans, and make other provisions designed to provide financial relief to those affected by a natural disaster.  The IRS website can help you learn about any special announcements, bulletins or special relief being offered during ongoing disasters.

Disaster-related losses can be deductible on your tax return, but only if you follow the rules and provide the appropriate documentation.  You also may be permitted to choose either the current year or the previous year to claim your losses, and your refund could be greater in the non-disaster year than in the current disaster year.

Help in determining the best course in your situation is always available from a qualified tax professional to help you make sure you are taking advantage of every relevant tax provision available to you.

 

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Keep Everyone Up to Date and Connected

Keep Everyone Up to Date and Connected

  • Posted: Jul 21, 2018
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Keep Everyone Up to Date and Connected

What’s on your Desk? Members should send us information and news, We use this to post and send to our industry.

Keep everyone up to date and connectedSFPMA using Mail Chimp and Direct E-Mail makes it easy to send timely, personalized, relevant messages to large groups, small groups, or specific individuals. Recipients can customize how they receive messages and they can respond via the links within. Keeping everyone up to date and connected is key.

Add to our Events Calendar
Members can send us an Email and fill out the form on the Members Portal when they are having an event, meeting, and seminars. We add this to our events calendar a place that everyone can view. The events are also sent to our Social Media pages and the Many Groups we are part of. If you look at any social media group they have hundreds and some have thousands of members our goal is to let many people view the events and show up, We believe in information and through these events many companies get new clients once they find out what you do and how you can help Managers, Board Members, Condo and HOA professionals.

Just click this link to List your company.

Continue reading

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Three Kaye Bender Rembaum Attorneys Receive New Florida Bar Certification as Specialists in Condominium and Planned Development Law

Three Kaye Bender Rembaum Attorneys Receive New Florida Bar Certification as Specialists in Condominium and Planned Development Law

The law firm of Kaye Bender Rembaum announced that the Florida Bar has confirmed that three of its attorneys, founding and managing member Robert L. Kaye, firm member Andrew B. Black and senior associate Allison L. Hertz, are among the inaugural class of esteemed attorneys to be officially certified in the new area of Condominium and Planned Development Law. The new certification is effective as of June 1, 2018.


Robert L. Kaye, Andrew B. Black and Allison L. Hertz

Board certification is the highest level of recognition by the Florida Bar and recognizes attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of law and professionalism and ethics in practice. Only certified attorneys may utilize terms such as “specialist,” “expert” and/or “B.C.S.” (Board Certified Specialist) when referring to their legal credentials. Board Certified Florida Bar Members are rigorously evaluated for professionalism and tested for their expertise in their areas of law. According to the Florida Bar, certification is the highest evaluation of attorneys’ competency. Attorneys must meet stringent application criteria before officially becoming certified, including satisfactory peer review as it relates to character, ethics and professionalism, satisfying the certification area’s continuing legal education requirements and passing a rigorous examination.

“For more than 30 years, I focused my practice on community association law. I am honored and proud to be recognized by the Bar for this high level of expertise in this area, as demonstrated by being awarded this certification,” said Kaye. “I am also proud of Allison and Andrew joining me among The Florida Bar’s inaugural class to receive this particular certification. We are pleased to not only offer our clients the high-quality legal services that they are accustomed to receive from all of our attorneys but to also have available board certified legal services in this area of law.”

Kaye, Black and Hertz are among the first lawyers obtaining the Condominium and Planned Land Development Law certification by the Florida Bar. They account for less than one percent (1%) of nearly 118,000 Florida lawyers. Thus far, only 127 lawyers obtained this certification. The Florida Bar website maintains a free online directory of all board certified attorneys, categorized by specialty area. Find it at FloridaBar.org/certification.

Kaye Bender Rembaum is a full-service commercial law firm concentrating on the representation of more than 1,000 community associations throughout Florida. With offices in Broward and Palm Beach counties, the Firm was recently presented with the 2018 Readers’ Choice Award for Legal Services by the Florida Community Association Journal, an award they’ve received annually since 2014. Members of State of Florida Property Management Association (SFPMA.com) For more information, visit www.KBRLegal.comcall 954-928-0680 and follow the Firm on www.facebook.com/KayeBenderRembaum.

 

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The Algae Triangle: Managing Nuisance Aquatic Plants Without Pesticides

The Algae Triangle: Managing Nuisance Aquatic Plants Without Pesticides

The Algae Triangle: Managing Nuisance Aquatic Plants Without Pesticides

I frequently use herbicides and algaecides in my line of work. Having attended college and graduate school to be an Ecologist, it isn’t something I thought I would do very often, but with the frequency of environmental problems that involve invasive flora, nuisance aquatic weeds and potentially-toxic algae, EPA-approved pesticides are an invaluable tool. There are, however, times when pesticide use is impractical, imprudent, illegal or impossible. Maybe the HOA or property manager prefers that pesticides not be applied to nearby waters. Perhaps the regulatory bodies in a given area aren’t permitting the use of certain products. Whatever the reason, sometimes this option just isn’t on the table. But how do we effectively manage algae and weeds without pesticides?

I employ a simple concept that I call the algae triangle, though it works for all forms of vegetation. If you had the same fire safety lessons in elementary school, you may remember the Fire Triangle, which is based on the idea that three elements are necessary for fire: fuel, oxygen and heat. If you have enough of all three, you’ll ignite a fire. Eliminate any corner of the triangle, and the fire goes out. Similarly, if you have water, sunlight and nutrients, you’ll likely develop some form of algae or vegetation. If the triangle becomes too imbalanced, the resulting plant species can become a nuisance.

Obviously, in the lake management field, we aren’t removing water from the equation, so establishing balance between each factor is the focus. Putting this concept into practice means understanding how sunlight and nutrients affect the ecology of the waterbody in question. Communities have several natural options to help mitigate against algae and aquatic weed growth, including limiting sunlight, improving water circulation and reducing excess nutrients.

If a stormwater pond receives full sunlight during the growing season, this directly impacts plants and algae by increasing water temperatures and providing the light necessary for photosynthesis. To prevent sunlight from penetrating the water column and stimulating the growth of deep submersed plants and benthic algae, water levels can be increased. Dredging is an effective strategy to increase the depth of a lake or pond, however, it is often the costliest project a community will ever face. Instead, proactive hydro-raking can help maintain existing water depths and prolong the need for dredging by removing unconsolidated muck and organic debris from the bottom of a lake or stormwater pond. Likewise, blue or black pond dye can be applied to reflect sunlight. Pond dye can enhance the aesthetics of a waterbody while simultaneously absorbing sunlight before it can penetrate the waterbody and fuel excessive plant growth.

In addition to thriving in water that receives lots of sunlight, algae and nuisance weeds also flourish in stratified waterbodies. A stagnant, sun-warmed layer floating on top of colder, deeper water can serve as a perfect habitat for undesirable species. Circulation with a diffused aeration system breaks this stratification and allows the water to mix more evenly, resulting in more consistent temperatures and less warming in the sunlit portions of the water. Aeration is also effective at improving the health of an aquatic ecosystem in a number of other ways, such as preventing oxygen depletion and fish kills, improving beneficial bacteria levels, and preventing the release of excess nutrients from the sediment. This brings us to the real meat and potatoes of preventative maintenance: nutrient management.

Phosphorous is the most important nutrient contributing to excess vegetation in lakes and stormwater ponds, and it can enter the water column in runoff containing lawn fertilizers, grass clippings, pet droppings, and waste from faulty septic systems. A number of nutrient reduction strategies should be considered if water quality tests reveal nutrient levels are too high. A professional lake manager can apply beneficial bacteria to the waterbody to utilize nutrients that would otherwise be available for plant and algae growth. Water quality can also be amended by using products that bind with phosphorous to keep it from becoming fuel for nuisance plants. Additionally, strategically planting desirable buffer vegetation around the shore of the waterbody can help to intercept phosphorus before it enters the water and is absorbed by unwanted vegetation. Your lake manager can help identify buffer plants that are native to your region.

When it comes to quickly and effectively managing nuisance aquatic weeds and algae, EPA-approved pesticides can be very useful, and in many instances, they are the safest and most practical option available. Nonetheless, natural and proactive management techniques can be tremendously effective at improving the health and appearance of almost any community waterbody before a problem occurs, which is why it’s important for homeowners associations and property managers to consider sustainable and holistic plant management methods whenever possible.

 

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