Homeowners’ groups stave off regulation again

A proposal to give the state the power to oversee homeowners’ associations died after failing to gain legislative support.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Alan Hays, would have placed HOAs under the same kind of regulatory regimen that condominium boards are subject to, the Palm Beach Post reported. Under that setup, the state would be able to review complaints from residents, assign fines and recount board members, if necessary, according to the paper.

Currently, the state can only mediate in some matters, like election disputes, the paper reported.

This “condoization,” which was vehemently opposed by community boards, would have also marked the next phase in regulation for associations. The first phase — a census of homeowners’ associations mandated by a law enacted last year — showed that Palm Beach County has the most HOAs in the state, with more than 1,500 associations overseeing nearly 300,000 homes, the paper reported.

Hays hopes to pursue the bill again next year, he told the Post. [Palm Beach Post] — Angela Hunt