About Penthouse Villas

Understanding Your Role in Our Community

If you’re considering joining our community or have recently become a homeowner here, it’s important to understand the unique dynamics and responsibilities that come with living in a small condo association like ours.

Small Community Living

Our HOA consists of just 12 units, which means EVERY homeowner plays a crucial role in the maintenance and management of our shared spaces. Unlike larger communities with professional management, our board is made up of volunteers—your neighbors—who dedicate their time and effort to ensure everything runs smoothly. With only 12 units, and 3 board positions, you may actually need to be on the board.

Board Responsibilities

Being on the board is more than just attending occasional meetings. There is always a lot of work to do that each board member is held accountable for. Here are some key “Fiduciary” responsibilities:

  • Financial Management: The board handles the budgeting, collection of dues, and management of our bank accounts. We do not keep reserves.
  • Maintenance and Upkeep: The board coordinates the maintenance of common areas, from landscaping to structural repairs. This requires ongoing communication with contractors and sometimes dealing with emergency situations.
  • Community Communication: Keeping everyone informed about community issues, upcoming projects, and changes in rules is a critical part of the board’s role. This includes sending out newsletters, emails, and hosting meetings.
  • Compliance and Governance: Ensuring that all homeowners adhere to community rules and regulations is necessary for the smooth functioning of the HOA. This can include enforcing fines or taking other measures to address non-compliance.

New HOA laws (HB1203)

There are new laws for HOA’s that went into effect July 1st, 2024. Recent legislation, HB1203, has introduced new requirements for HOAs, adding to the board’s workload:

  1. Enhanced Record-Keeping: We now need to maintain more detailed records of meetings, financial transactions, and communications. This means more administrative work for board members.
  2. Increased Transparency: The law requires greater transparency in decision-making, necessitating more rigorous documentation and communication.
  3. Legal Compliance: With stricter regulations, there’s an increased need for legal expertise, which can add to the community’s expenses.
  4. New board education requirements: It is harder now to be a board member and not many homeowners want to be on the board in the first place.
    • Within 90 days after being elected or appointed to the board of directors, the director must complete a new director education curriculum.
    • Must complete at least four hours of continuing education annually.
  5. For More information about the new laws: https://beckerlawyers.com/hb-1203-changes-to-the-homeowners-association-act-florida-community-association-journal/

New Homeowners

We absolutely LOVE our community. Joining a small community like ours means more than just living in a shared space—it means becoming an active participant in our management and upkeep. The board can’t handle everything alone; we rely on the involvement of all homeowners to keep our costs down and community thriving.

As mentioned above, you may actually need to be an active participant on the board as well. We encourage new homeowners to get involved, whether by joining the board, or volunteering for specific projects. You may even need to get your hands a little dirty from time to time.

Your participation helps ensure that our community remains a great place to live and keep our costs down. Please consider how you can contribute to the well-being of our shared spaces and the effective management of our HOA if you decide to own.