Community Association Law
Association Law or Community Association Law is a term used for the law that governs homeowner associations (HOA), condominium (condo) associations, cooperative associations, vacation and timeshare plans, and mobile home associations.
Florida Community Association Law
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Florida law has multiple statutes governing community associations:
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Chapter 718 - Condominium (condo) Associations
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Chapter 719 - Co-Operative Ownership
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Chapter 720 - Homeowner Associations (HOA)
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Chapter 721 - Vacation and Timeshare Plans
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Chapter 723 - Mobile Homes
Owners of property within deed-restricted communities are subject to the laws that govern that type of community.
Furthermore, community associations record a Declaration, By-Laws, Covenants and Restrictions for their particular community that owners of property must abide.
Read more about community association governing documents
In order to address important legal and socioeconomic matters, the laws pertaining to community associations are continually evolving.
At Larsen Slaten, we focus exclusively on Community Association Law.
To provide excellent service to our clients, community associations and community association managers, we detail each change to Florida Community Association Law.
What is a Community Association?
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A community association is a nongovernmental association of participating members of a community, i.e. neighborhood, village, condominium, cooperative, or group of homeowners.
The community association is typically a non-profit corporation with various amenities that enforces rules and regulations within the community.
Upon purchasing a property within a deed-restricted subdivision, the owner is required to pay assessments to, and abide the rules of, the community association.
In return, the owner is permitted access to the community's amenities and has the opportunity to participate in the governance of the community.
What is the purpose of Community Associations?
Early community associations were established by land developers as a means to control who may buy property in a development.
Covenants and deed restrictions used to discriminate against certain races, religions and creeds until the Fair Housing Act of 1968 put an end to such discrimination.
Today, community associations are established in order to maintain 'common areas' within the association, such as parking lots, clubhouses and landscaping.
HOAs and condo associations are composed of a board of directors, elected from within the community, that are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the association.
The board of directors oversee actions and compliance to the declaration and bylaws of the HOA or condo association.
Why buy property within a Community Association?
There are many benefits to owning property within a community association.
A vast majority of people choose to purchase into an HOA or condo association for the appeal of uniformity.
Community associations often have appearance standards and guidelines that can help to maintain property values.
Property owners within an HOA or condo association are able to participate in the community by voting on various matters within the association.
Additional benefits may include maintenance and management services, recreational amenities such as pools and parks, and the opportunity to plan development.
Where we come in...
Condo Lawyers - HOA Lawyers
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At Larsen Slaten we are condo lawyers and HOA lawyers. We represent homeowners' associations and condominium associations with all legal matters relating to their community association. We assist communities with enforcing the Declaration, Bylaws, Covenants and Restrictions, as well as providing a wide variety of additional legal services to HOAs and condo associations. Some of our services include debt collections, legal opinions, mortgage foreclosure and monitoring, and more.
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Read more about the services we offer
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Community Association Attorneys
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We exclusively practice Community Association Law. Our lawyers are equipped with a wealth of experience within the realm of Association Law. We are known for our innovations in the field of Community Association Law and our unwavering commitment to our clients. We understand the pressures and challenges our clients face and recognize the importance of transparency when working on your legal matters.
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We will analyze, educate, and guide you to the best solution.
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Continuing Education
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As well as representing HOAs and condo associations, Larsen Slaten also offers continuing education to our clients and community association managers through LarsenLearn. We regularly teach DBPR-approved board certification courses to assist new board members and community associations with their certification requirements. We are diligent in maintaining current with changes to Florida Community Association Law; creating and distributing annual Legislative Updates to our board members and community association managers at no charge.
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