The entire board of a homeowner’s association (HOA) in Florida has resigned following an uproar over a decision to levy a $60,000 special assessment on each homeowner. The controversy erupted at the Villas of Carillon in Feather Sound, where residents received letters demanding the substantial sum to fully fund the HOA’s maintenance accounts, allegedly required by new state regulations.
The state of Florida has increased funding requirements for multi-family residential complexes following the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers in Surfside in 2021. These regulations aim to ensure adequate maintenance funds to prevent similar disasters. However, confusion arose over whether these requirements applied to the Villas of Carillon and if the HOA board’s hefty assessment was necessary.
Patricia Staebler, a certified reserve specialist, argued that the HOA misinterpreted the law. “There is a difference between being 100% funded and funding your reserve requirements for the upcoming fiscal year 100%,” Staebler explained to WTSP-TV. She added that in her 15 years of experience, she had never seen an association that was fully funded upfront. According to Staebler, the HOA was not required to demand 100% funding from the homeowners at once.
Further complicating matters, the new state rule applies to buildings with three or more stories, while the Villas of Carillon townhomes are only two stories tall. This discrepancy raised questions about whether the assessment was legally necessary.
Outraged by the unexpected financial burden, more than 100 homeowners gathered in a Hilton ballroom to challenge the assessment. They succeeded in postponing the vote based on a technicality in the rules. That same evening, residents received an email announcing the resignation of the entire HOA board.
Homeowners expressed deep concern about the potential financial impact. “There will be a lot of people that lose their home either they have to sell or they can’t make these payments. They’ll have a lien put on their house, foreclosures. I’m concerned about the overall community,” said Tammy Rodeffer, a homeowner.
Feather Sound, a community in Pinellas County with approximately 3,600 residents, is now left to navigate the aftermath of this contentious decision and find a way forward without the former HOA board.
