For years, it was relatively simple to become a board member of your homeowners’ association. In most cases, you raised your hand, went through an election and you served your community. There was often no competition because serving on an association board is a significant time commitment.
Rarely does an association board member join with years of experience managing associations. These are volunteer positions held by all types of people from all walks of life.
For training, the state required board members to read over board documents and sign an affidavit to say this was accomplished.
Classes were available, but not required. Frankly, for most associations, the volunteer board members relied on professional assistance from a professional community association manager and/or a law firm with association experience.
Not any longer. There are new requirements for volunteer board members that require very specific training and continuing education with HB 1203, which takes effect on July 1, 2024.
The attorneys at The Orlando Law Group represent more than 100 communities in Central Florida. If you live in Orlando, Winter Garden, Altamonte Springs, Kissimmee or anywhere throughout Central Florida, The Orlando Law Group is ready to help you.
How much training does a board member need?
With this new law, all board members of an association in Florida will be required to take an approved training course specifically tailored to association management. These classes have been available for some time, only now they are required.
They don’t take long – only about 90 minutes or so – but cover very specific topics listed in the new law. Specifically, the class must include “training relating to financial literacy and transparency, recordkeeping, levying of fines, and notice and meeting requirements.”
That class is required to be taken every four years as well.
But that’s not all.
If you are a board member of an association with fewer than 2,500 houses, you are now required to take four hours of continuing education every year. If you are a board member of an association with more than 2,500 homes, you are required to take eight hours.
What does continuing education for board members involve?
Unlike the board member training, there is very little information available about what is required to be taught in those continuing education classes.
Currently, the law only says the Department of Business & Professional Regulation will
“adopt rules to implement and administer the educational curriculum and continuing education requirements.”
We assume the continuing education classes will be similar to those attended by community association managers and cover items similar to the courses required for new board members.
The Orlando Law Group has provided those types of courses for many years and will be offering them for board members as well.
What happens if we don’t take the classes?
The Florida Legislature is very specific. Any board member who hasn’t filed his or her certificate with the department within 90 days of being elected or appointed is suspended from the board.
Plus, the homeowners’ association must keep the certificates on file for up to five years.
The law was not clear as to an existing board member’s need to take the new board member classes. However, we are advising all board members to take the classes as soon as possible and not risk being suspended.
The attorneys at The Orlando Law Group can help association board members and managers in Orlando, Waterford Lakes, Altamonte Springs, Winter Garden, Lake Nona, St. Cloud, Kissimmee, and throughout Central Florida.
If you have questions about anything discussed in this article or other legal matters, give our office a call at 407-512-4394 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation to discuss your case. We have an office conveniently located at 12301 Lake Underhill Rd, Suite 213, Orlando, FL 32828, as well as offices in Seminole, Osceola and West Orange counties to assist you.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
Last Updated on June 12, 2024 by The Orlando Law Group
June 12, 2024 / by Alan Byrd