Every January, boards and unit owners swear that this will be the year their association finally gets its act together. And every year, the same mistakes repeat themselves. Budgets are delayed. Meetings are mishandled. Rules are enforced inconsistently. Owners complain loudly but participate quietly. By summer, everyone is frustrated, and by fall, someone is threatening litigation.
So instead of vague good intentions, here are resolutions that work…grounded in Florida law, association realities, and decades of hard-earned experience.
Condo and HOA Board Member Resolutions:
Governance That Actually Functions!
- Read the Governing Documents (Again)
One of the most common…and costly…Condo and HOA board mistakes is acting outside its authority. Declarations, bylaws, rules, and amendments are not suggestions. They are contracts. Yet boards routinely rely on institutional memory or “how we’ve always done it” instead of the documents that control their power.
Before voting, enforcing, or spending:
• Confirm the board actually has authority
• Identify owner approval requirements
• Verify amendment and notice procedures
Ignorance of the documents is not a defense, not to owners, and not to a judge.
2. Respect Open Meetings and Due Process
Florida’s open meeting and notice requirements are not optional.
Boards must:
• Provide proper statutory notice
• Avoid side conversations and “parking lot votes”
• Allow owner participation when required
These violations don’t just create distrust…they undermine enforcement actions and hand plaintiffs’ lawyers ammunition they don’t deserve. If the process is flawed, the decision is vulnerable.
3. Fix Financial Discipline…Now
Deferred maintenance and underfunded reserves are no longer theoretical risks. Boards must resolve to:
• Adopt budgets on time
• Fund reserves when required by law
• Stop delaying inevitable special assessments
The 2025–2026 reality is simple: yesterday’s savings become tomorrow’s seven-figure lawsuits. Insurance carriers, engineers, and courts are far less forgiving than they used to be.
4. Document Everything
If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen.
That applies to:
• Enforcement policies
• Violation letters
• Architectural decisions
• Board deliberations and votes
Consistency lives on paper. So does credibility. When disputes arise…and they will…records protect the association, not memories.
5. Know When to Call Counsel
Legal advice should not be the board’s last resort.
Counsel should be consulted for:
• Major repair and restoration projects
• Rule changes and amendments
• Escalating enforcement disputes involving residents or visitors
• Perceived violations of unit owner rights (Counsel works for all unit
owners, not just the Board.)
The resolution for the new year: Stop waiting until the problem is already in court.
