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A Road Map to Your Ideal Waterbody by SOLitude

A Road Map to Your Ideal Waterbody by SOLitude

  • Posted: Jan 16, 2024
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A Road Map to Your Ideal Waterbody

Navigating Your Lake Management Journey

As any lake owner or manager knows, maintaining a waterbody is hard work. At best, you may experience a few hiccups every now and then like small mats of algae or cloudiness. At worst, you may face toxic blooms of cyanobacteria, severe erosion issues, or flooding. Achieving the lake or pond of your dreams is not a linear process; it’s a journey. Whether you’re new to water management or well into your quest, it’s never too late to reevaluate your trajectory and make sure you’re taking the safest and most efficient route toward your waterbody goals.

Identify your goals and stakeholders

In order to achieve the goals you’ve set for your lake or pond, it’s important to visualize them. Maybe you desire a small backyard pond for swimming, fishing, and kayaking with friends and family. You may need a stormwater pond that efficiently collects rainwater while providing aesthetic beauty. Perhaps you oversee a large lake or drinking water reservoir that requires safe, clean water for the public. With the support of an experienced Aquatic Expert, HOA managers, property owners, municipal leaders, golf course superintendents, and other decision-makers can develop a detailed roadmap tailored to their unique needs and budget, as well as to the one-of-a-kind characteristics of their waterbodies.

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Conduct lake water quality testing

One of the most important steps when navigating your journey is establishing baseline knowledge about your aquatic ecosystem. Professionals conduct visual surveys and advanced water quality testing to learn about the physical and chemical properties of an aquatic ecosystem. Parameters like dissolved oxygen (DO), nutrient levels, pH, and turbidity provide valuable context by allowing professionals to identify potential imbalances, predict future problems, and develop a timeline to implement short- and long-term management solutions.

Plan ahead to prolong your lake’s lifespan

In lake and pond management, every waterbody has a countdown. Over time, sediment, debris, animal waste, and other organic materials accumulate at the bottom of all lakes and ponds. As an ecosystem becomes more shallow, it loses its capacity to hold water, which can increase the risk of flooding during storms and severely damage shoreline areas. Eventually, dredging services will be needed to physically remove these materials and restore the waterbody to its original depth and volume. Though this is a natural occurrence, it can be expedited by human activities such as construction and urban development, agriculture, and recreation. Luckily, by planning ahead, stakeholders can cruise past these dead-ends, ensuring a smoother journey.

Proactive management helps you stay ahead of water quality issues

If dredging is a dead-end street on the roadmap towards the waterbody of your dreams, proactive management solutions are shortcuts. By implementing preventive measures and sustainable practices, you can sidestep the need for extensive restoration efforts, as well as smaller roadblocks like nuisance weeds and algae. Shoreline management, nutrient mitigation, biological bacteria, fountains and aeration, and ongoing water quality monitoring can help you cultivate a healthy, beautiful, functional waterbody – and enjoy it for as long as possible.

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Elevate your pond management plan with new technologies

Furthermore, advanced technologies and solutions like professional drones, bathymetric mapping, and electrofishing can serve as navigational tools on your management journey. These technologies help stakeholders better understand depth, underwater features, and even fish populations, allowing them to use their time, attention, and resources more efficiently.

Achieve your ideal waterbody with help from experts

Lake and pond management is never smooth sailing. Water is in a constant state of change, impacted by weather conditions, wildlife, land use, and countless other factors. Navigating these complexities requires a proactive approach that incorporates as much knowledge and innovation as possible. With an experienced Aquatic Expert as your guide, you can enjoy each milestone on your journey while keeping your goals firmly on the horizon.

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4 Things to Consider Adding to Your Budget For an Amazing Resident Experience by BuildingLink

4 Things to Consider Adding to Your Budget For an Amazing Resident Experience by BuildingLink

  • Posted: Jan 04, 2024
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If you’re like most multifamily communities, August marks the beginning of your budgeting season. To create an amazing resident culture, property managers need to get ready to sharpen their pencils. In today’s competitive environment, however, that means more than just nailing down your expense forecasting for the new year.

 

 Residents these days expect more than ever from their community’s amenities and services, reflecting broader changes in their lifestyle and work habits. With the continued trend of working from home, many residents are now looking to their apartment amenities to serve as extended living and working spaces. This presents an exciting opportunity to create an outstanding culture and experience that drives them to renew their leases and recommend the property to others. In this post, we share four things that property managers should consider adding to their budgets this planning season.

 

1. Community Events

If you haven’t already considered hosting community events, now is the time. By hosting fun and exciting events for your residents, you’ll help them form connections with their neighbors and engage with the property. These connections can create a sense of belonging and mutual support, leading to a happier and more harmonious community. The increased engagement between residents can also foster a culture where residents take better care of shared spaces, since they have a stronger sense of pride and ownership within their surroundings.

The scale of your community events can range from more casual gatherings, such as coffee hours in the lobby, to more elaborate occasions, such as holiday parties or outdoor movie nights. Budgeting for these events may vary accordingly. A small-scale event can be executed with a minimal budget, while a larger-scale event may need a more significant budget allocation to factor in food, entertainment, and decorations.

For those wrapping up the end of summer with a resident event, our blog, “Six Resident Event Ideas: Summer Edition,”can provide some great inspiration.

2. Concierge Services

For many, concierge services are one of the first things that comes to mind when you think about high-rise lavish apartment home living. Providing services that make residents’ lives easier is a huge draw that can drive satisfaction up and enhance their quality of life.

Don’t worry if your property can’t afford a full-time concierge to work as a front desk associate. You can choose to provide select key services that can be managed within your budget. Package tracking is an excellent example, as it eliminates the stress of missing deliveries for residents. Similarly, a reliable key management system can provide residents with peace of mind regarding access for guests, cleaners, pet sitters, and more.

Pro Tip: To optimize your front office and concierge services, consider using a platform such as ConciergeLink. From enhanced incident report management to paperless shift logs and time tracking, you’ll know your property is always running smoothly.

3. Fitness & Wellness Amenities

In today’s health conscious society, providing fitness and wellness amenities within your property is an excellent way to improve the culture, allowing residents to stay active without needing to leave the property. Consider budgeting for updated exercise machines, spa facilities such as a sauna, or meditation areas to help residents unwind and relax. If your property is limited in physical space, consider establishing a partnership with a local wellness center or gym as an alternative solution. You may be able to offer residents discounted gym memberships or wellness services adding value to their residency.

Providing ways for residents to take care of their physical fitness does more than improve their individual quality of life. It also helps create a vibrant community culture that residents can enjoy and take pride in, positioning your property as one that truly cares for and invests in its residents.

4. A Branded Mobile App

Leveraging a branded mobile app is a powerful way for property managers to improve communication with residents and enhance their overall living experience. These branded apps can serve as a centralized platform for residents to access important information, receive communication, request service fixes, and more. With a mobile app that reflects your property’s branding, you can foster a stronger sense of belonging and familiarity among residents.

BuildingLink offers custom mobile apps for both iOS and Android platforms. You can customize the app to your property’s logo and colors, providing your residents with a seamless and professional look that aligns with your brand identity. Learn more about our custom mobile apps here.

Partner With BuildingLink

Trusted by condos, co-ops, HOA’s and multifamily properties around the globe, BuildingLink helps property managers deliver superior resident experiences while streamlining maintenance and operations. We offer tools that will simplify your record-keeping and administration, communications, maintenance, and front desk operations.

When you’re ready for smarter property management, book your BuildingLink demo today.

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Condos and HOAs Follow Different Budgeting Rules,” by Becker

Condos and HOAs Follow Different Budgeting Rules,” by Becker

  • Posted: Jan 04, 2024
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Condos and HOAs Follow Different Budgeting Rules

Joseph E. Adams / Becker

 

Q: Our association will be holding its annual budget soon. After receiving the notice for this meeting, I called our association manager to ask how and where I could obtain a copy of the proposed budget. I was told that a copy of the approved budget would only be provided to the members after the budget meeting. In other words, the proposed budget would not be provided to the members in advance of the budget meeting at which the proposed budget would be considered and adopted. Is this right? I cannot help but feel very apprehensive about the contents of the proposed budget, considering the fact that it has been made unavailable for review in advance of the meeting? (P.M., via e-mail)

 

A: The answer to your question depends on several factors, including whether your association is a condominium or homeowners’ association.

Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes, the Florida Condominium Act, requires that at least 14 days prior to the meeting where the board will consider the budget, the association must mail, hand deliver, or electronically transmit (to those unit owners who have consented in writing to receive electronic notice) notice of the meeting along with a copy of the proposed budget. The notice of the meeting must also be posted on the condominium or association property at least 14 days in advance of the meeting.

For associations managing a condominium with 150 or more units, these materials must also be posted on the association’s website or make such documents available through an application (app) that can be downloaded on a mobile device

By comparison, Chapter 720 of the Florida Statutes, the Florida Homeowners’ Association Act, only requires 48 hours posted notice of the budget meeting and requires the notice to state that assessments will be considered. There is no requirement that the notice be sent to the owners, and there is no general website posting requirement for HOAs in Florida.

The Homeowners’ Association Act also requires the associations to provide each member with a copy of the annual budget, or a written notice that a copy of the annual budget is available upon request at no charge, within 10 business days of the board adopting the annual budget. There is no requirement for homeowners’ association to send the members the proposed budget in advance of the budget meeting.

Therefore, for condominiums, the proposed budget needs to be sent out 14 days in advance, but the adopted budget does not need to be sent to owners. For homeowners’ associations, it is the opposite, the budget is sent or made available to the owners after adoption but is not required to be circulated before the meeting. Notice procedures are also more relaxed in the HOA context. This is probably one area where the two statutes should contain the same procedures, as this does create some confusion, especially at this time of year when budgets are the main order of business.

There are other important differences between condominium and homeowners’ association budgeting procedures, specifically regarding reserves. In general, all condominiums must present reserves with the budget based on a statutory list of required items, and these reserves must be “fully funded” unless the owners have voted to waive or reduce the full funding of reserves. Conversely, in homeowners’ associations, there is no general statutory requirement for reserves and the provisions of the governing documents are usually determinative.

From your description, it sounds like you are a member of a homeowners’ association. The procedures you describe do not violate the Homeowners’ Association Act. Of course, any additional procedures or requirements of your community’s governing documents need to be followed. The proposed budget is also an “official record” and you are also legally entitled to require the association to produce it for your inspection, and if you choose, copying. The association generally has 10 working days to respond to official records inspection requests.

Joseph Adams is a Board Certified Specialist in Condominium and Planned Development Law, and an Office Managing Shareholder with Becker & Poliakoff. Please send your community association legal questions to jadams@beckerlawyers.com. Past editions of the Q&A may be viewed at floridacondohoalawblog.com.

 

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COAs must prepare operationally and financially for new legislation by Jim Weaver, Market President – First Federal Bank

COAs must prepare operationally and financially for new legislation by Jim Weaver, Market President – First Federal Bank

  • Posted: Jan 04, 2024
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 COAs must prepare budgets operationally and financially for new legislation by Jim Weaver, Market President – First Federal Bank

 

It would seem in today’s world the life of many Condo Associations are financially battling a 3–headed dragon known as Insurance, Milestone Inspections and Structural Integrity Reserve Studies. Alone, any one of these could result in a substantial financial blow to an Association but being impacted by all three could result in a financial crisis. To dissect this “dragon” from a Banker’s perspective, let’s look at a high–level overview of each of these:

 

Insurance:

Many Associations (and homeowners in general) are aware of the growing insurance crisis in the State of Florida and anticipated their premiums to increase but not to the levels many have experienced in 2023. After discussions with several property managers, most Associations were told in 2022 that they should expect increases in the neighborhood of 25% – 50% year over year. Although, at the time, these appeared shockingly high, the reality for many in 2023 has been increases of 100% to as much as 400% of their 2022 premiums. It is safe to say that even the most conservative of budgets and the best prepared Associations were not financially prepared for this hike. Many Associations have been forced to either finance their premiums through their insurance company or look to their bank partner for lines of credit to supplement what they had assumed would be sufficient reserves. While legislation is pending to assist with this problem, it is unlikely a return to the “old normal” will ever occur and financing of insurance premiums will become the “new norm”.

 

Milestone Inspections:

A milestone inspection is an on-site review of all the primary structural components within the condominium building(s). The inspections must be completed by a licensed architect or engineer. The initial Phase 1 inspection is a thorough visual examination. If no signs of “substantial structural deterioration” is found, no further investigation is needed. If there are signs of “substantial structural deterioration”, a Phase 2 milestone inspection must be performed. This inspection will be as limited or extensive as required to complete the investigation into the problem areas as identified in the Phase 1. If necessary, the inspector could require destructive testing on portions of the structure to complete the report. Upon completion of the Phase 2, the report should provide guidance for remediation/repair of distressed areas of the building.

Milestone Inspection reports are required for all condominiums three or more stories in height which aged 30 or more years by July 1, 2022; the initial milestone inspection must be completed by December 31, 2024. If the condominium reaches 30 years of age on or after July 1, 2022 and before December 31, 2024 the initial inspection must be completed before December 31, 2025. All others must have their initial inspections completed in the year in which the reach 30 years old and in all cases, every 10 years thereafter.

While the cost for these inspections may not present a financial crisis, the cost of needed repairs could. Well reserved and monitored Associations may have little or minor needs for additional funds, but others may have an immediate need to raise significant funds for near term required repairs.

 

Structural Integrity Reserve Study:

All condominium buildings of 3 stories or more are required to perform a Structural Integrity Reserve Study. This is performed to ensure proper availability of funds at the time of anticipated needed structural repairs or replacement as per the study. This study must cover the following:

Roof

Structure including load bearing walls and all primary structural members

Fire proofing and fire protection systems

Plumbing

Electrical Systems

Waterproofing and exterior painting

Windows and Exterior Doors

Any other item that has a deferred maintenance expense or replacement cost that exceeds $10,000 and the failure to replace or maintain such item negatively affects the items listed above.

At a minimum the study must:

1) Identify each item of the condominium being visually inspected

2) State the estimated useful life and estimated replacement cost or deferred maintenance expense of each item of the property being visually inspected

3) Provide a funding reserve schedule with a recommended annual reserve amount that achieves the estimated replacement cost or deferred maintenance expense of each item.

As of December 31, 2024 it is mandated that Associations may not vote to waive or provide for reserves in an amount less than full funding for those items included within the Structural Integrity Reserve Study.

 

For many Associations who have historically partially funded or waived reserve funding, the requirement to fully fund for items included in the study will have an immediate and impactful shock to their financial structure moving forward. Depending upon the findings, Associations may need to raise large sums of reserves in a relatively short period of time. Fortunately for most Associations, the full impact will not be felt until the 2025 budget; however being proactive in 2024 will help prepare for the inevitable impact.

Disclosure: The commentary above should not be considered a legal opinion and does not encompass the full requirements of the legislation of Senate Bill 154 as discussed above. It is strongly suggested that any Association confer with their Attorney and/or CPA to understand the full requirements and impact of the legislation well in advance of any deadlines specified in the bill.

Authored by:

Jim Weaver

Market President

First Federal Bank*

Weaverj@ffbf.com

*First Federal Bank is available to serve financial needs of their local markets. Visit FFBF.com/locator to find the nearest location.

 

Find First Federal Bank on the Members Directory

First Federal Bank is a community-based bank offering consumer and commercial banking solutions, services, and loans through banking offices in Florida’s Panhandle, North Central and East Florida, and coastal South Carolina.

Mortgage, SBA and USDA customers are served through lending offices across the Southeast and Midwest.

First Federal is headquartered in Lake City, Florida with assets totaling over $3.6 billion. First Federal has received a “5-Star, Superior” financial rating from BauerFinancial, Inc., of Coral Gables, Fla. for more than two decades and was recognized by Newsweek as “Best Small Bank in Florida” in 2020 and 2021. For more information, visit http://www.ffbf.com.

 

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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 13, 2023
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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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4 “Tricks” to a Healthier Lake! Regularly test the water quality! by Allstate Resource Management

4 “Tricks” to a Healthier Lake! Regularly test the water quality! by Allstate Resource Management

  • Posted: Dec 08, 2023
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The first step in keeping your lake healthy is regularly testing the water quality. Ensure that your lake management company is testing the water before treatments.

Use algae control.
Algae is a common problem in Florida lakes, but there are methods you can use to control it. Partnering with a professional lake company is key! A lake maintenance company can put together a comprehensive plan designed specifically for your lake.
Use aeration to promote healthy oxygen levels.
Aeration is essential for maintaining healthy oxygen levels in your lake. Use a lake aerator to keep the water moving and to promote healthy oxygen levels.
Control invasive plant species.
Invasive plant species, such as cattails or water hyacinths, can quickly take over your lake and create an unhealthy environment for aquatic life. Let our lake specialists work with your HOA to help control and eradicate invasive plants.
Contact us today: info@allstatemanagement.com or 954-382-9766
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Condominium Board Member Certification by KBR Legal

Condominium Board Member Certification by KBR Legal

  • Posted: Nov 29, 2023
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Condominium Board Member Certification

Nov 30, 2023 02:00 PM

Course # 9630075

Instructor: Kerstin Henze, Esq. of KBR Legal

This webinar covers the essentials of condominium board membership, updated regularly to remain current with legislative amendments to Florida’s Condominium Act. In addition, this webinar satisfies Florida’s requirement for new condominium board members. It also serves as an excellent refresher course. Licensed CAMS will receive two (2) CE credits as IFM or ELE.

Register NOW: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-UDSvuIFSA6z1uRsnF-_ww#/registration

 

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Please call, text or email Chuck’s Painting, Inc. for all your Commercial and Residential painting needs.

Please call, text or email Chuck’s Painting, Inc. for all your Commercial and Residential painting needs.

  • Posted: Nov 07, 2023
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This Project Located in Weston, Florida this house was fully renovated on the interior. The only thing left to do was to make the outside as beautiful as the inside. As you can see, we exceeded the homeowner’s expectations. For the past 44 years Chuck’s Painting, Inc. has been servicing the South Florida area

 

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Members can now upload articles to our BLOG.

Members can now upload articles to our BLOG.

  • Posted: Nov 06, 2023
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Our IT Team is adding the ability for members to write articles.

SFPMA BlogSFPMA has been asked “Can members write articles that can be published on our website” The answer is yes!

Write Articles, Upload them These will be set to the category you selected. We will use these and share them with our over 200,000+ subscribers and through other RSS web services we use for distribution in our industry. Start today sending articles. Let the industry know what you do? and new company news? Let us share them or you can click the social media sharing buttons and post these to your pages, Let others find these on your pages.

View our Blog Page: you will see   Members Submit your Articles  This is the form on the Front End that will allow you to write these and upload them.
We are still coding this and will have all features working properly, you can still send us articles via email, membership@sfpma.com

Thank You

SFPMA State of Florida Property Management Association.
SFPMA.COM

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Who is SFPMA ? -We are a member organization for Florida’s Condo, HOA and Property Management Industry.

Who is SFPMA ? -We are a member organization for Florida’s Condo, HOA and Property Management Industry.

  • Posted: Oct 23, 2023
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We are a member organization for Florida’s Condo, HOA and Property Management Industry. SFPMA.COM

Our Goal is to promote the many member companies in our industry and get you in front of the decision makers.

Our team is made up of professionals who work in our industry. These leading professionals who genuinely want to see you succeed and who will be thoroughly committed to helping you achieve your goals.

Our Members include: Property Management Companies, Building Owners, HOA’s, Condo Boards, Self Managed Associations, Business and Service members throughout Florida.

Working with professionals at offices throughout Florida. We are dedicated exclusively to clients that work with condominium, homeowners associations and property managers.

 

  • It starts with your membership listing on the Florida Directory, where management professionals can easily find and select companies needed for getting repairs completed and requests for proposals on new projects.
  • Our Directory makes it easy for Condo & HOA Boards and Managers to find trusted companies throughout Florida. In addition our team helps them find the right companies for their buildings.
  • Every month we add events to our Calendar, many offer ECU Credits and Certifications for Board Members to Management Professionals. 
  • We market our members using many avenues, through industry articles written by members, advertising in our publications and direct emails sent each week to over 230,000 clients. 
  • On the business side are our committees that lobby on issues related directly to our industry with a voice in our state capital. They advocate to achieve our goals and the goals for our members. 

*Join the State of Florida Property Management Association: ( sfpma.com ) Be found on our members directory by clients looking for the services you provide.

this week over 140. calls came in asking us if we are a property management company. we took the time to let these clients know about us, they were vendors trying to get infront of the decision makers for their services…Many of them are now members of sfpma.

Keep reading our Email blasts for all the new members, with such a large amount of new members we are doing our best to add all of them with all of their company information.

We are adding to our directory, redesigning and adding Category Pages. We are also working on our magazine, with  new info and new look it will be packed with more helpful information for our industry. Florida Rising Magazine

 

Thank you from all of us at SFPMA! ~Frank J Mari / Executive Director

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HOW TO COLLECT WHAT’S DUE? By Eric Glazer, Esq.

HOW TO COLLECT WHAT’S DUE? By Eric Glazer, Esq.

  • Posted: Oct 23, 2023
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We are already starting to see an uptick in the amount of owners falling behind on paying their assessments to their association.  It is wise for an association to know how the collections process works in for the board to put in place a policy that works best for the association.

In both condos, Co-ops, and HOAs, the procedure is the same.

  1. To start, the association must first deliver a thirty day written notice of late assessments to the unit owner which specifies the amount owed the association and provides the unit owner an opportunity to pay the amount owed without the assessment of attorney fees.
  2. If the owner fails to bring their account current, the association must then provide the delinquent unit owner with another letter which is a 45 day notice of its intent to file a lien and its intent to foreclose its lien. The association can demand attorney’s fees, interest and late fees in this letter.
  3. If the owner fails to bring their account current, the attorney can record a lien and threaten to foreclose on the lien if their account is not brought current within 45 days.  The association can demand attorney’s fees, interest and late fees in this letter.
  4. If after 45 days the owner still fails to bring their account current, the association may file a foreclosure action in court.

Keep in mind that because the unit owner must receive a 30 day letter, a 45 day letter and another 45 day letter, it takes a long time to bring a delinquent owner into court.  That is why associations may need to rethink their collection process and start it a little earlier.  If not, by the time it gets to court, the owner may by 9 or 10 months delinquent.

Especially in condominium buildings, things are about to get tough.  There are now mandatory inspections, mandatory repairs, mandatory fire sprinkler or ELSS installation, a tremendous rise in insurance and the inability to waive reserves.  Stay on top of your collections.

About HOA & Condo Blog

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Eric Glazer

Eric Glazer graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 1992 after receiving a B.A. from NYU. He has practiced community association law for three decades and is the owner of Glazer and Sachs, P.A. a five attorney law firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.

Eric is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Condominium and Planned Development Law.

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