723.079 Powers and duties of homeowners’ association.
723.079 Powers and duties of homeowners’ association.
(1) An association may contract, sue, or be sued with respect to the exercise or nonexercise of its powers. For these purposes, the powers of the association include, but are not limited to, the maintenance, management, and operation of the park property.
(2) The powers and duties of an association include those set forth in this section and ss. 723.075 and 723.077 and those set forth in the articles of incorporation and bylaws and any recorded declarations or restrictions encumbering the park property, if not inconsistent with this chapter.
(3) An association has the power to make, levy, and collect assessments and to lease, maintain, repair, and replace the common areas upon purchase of the mobile home park.
(4) An association shall maintain accounting records in the county where the property is located, according to good accounting practices. The records shall be open to inspection by association members or their authorized representatives at reasonable times, and written summaries of such records shall be supplied at least annually to such members or their authorized representatives. The failure of the association to permit inspection of its accounting records by members or their authorized representatives entitles any person prevailing in an enforcement action to recover reasonable attorney’s fees from the person in control of the books and records who, directly or indirectly, knowingly denied access to the books and records for inspection. The records shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(a) A record of all receipts and expenditures.
(b) An account for each member, designating the name and current mailing address of the member, the amount of each assessment, the dates on which and amounts in which the assessments come due, the amount paid upon the account, and the balance due.
(5) An association has the power to purchase lots in the park and to acquire, hold, lease, mortgage, and convey them.
(6) An association shall use its best efforts to obtain and maintain adequate insurance to protect the association and the park property upon purchase of the mobile home park. A copy of each policy of insurance in effect shall be made available for inspection by owners at reasonable times.
(7) An association has the authority, without the joinder of any home owner, to modify, move, or create any easement for ingress and egress or for the purpose of utilities if the easement constitutes part of or crosses the park property upon purchase of the mobile home park. This subsection does not authorize the association to modify or move any easement created in whole or in part for the use or benefit of anyone other than the members, or crossing the property of anyone other than the members, without his or her consent or approval as required by law or the instrument creating the easement. Nothing in this subsection affects the rights of ingress or egress of any member of the association.
(8) Any mobile home owners’ association or group of residents of a mobile home park as defined in this chapter may conduct bingo games as provided in s. 849.0931.
(9) An association organized under this chapter may offer subscriptions, for the purpose of raising the necessary funds to purchase, acquire, and operate the mobile home park, to its members or other owners of mobile homes within the park. Subscription funds collected for the purpose of purchasing the park shall be placed in an association or other escrow account prior to purchase, which funds shall be held according to the terms of the subscription agreement. The directors shall maintain accounting records according to generally accepted accounting practices and shall, upon written request by a subscriber, furnish an accounting of the subscription fund escrow account within 60 days of the purchase of the park or the ending date as provided in the subscription agreement, whichever occurs first.
(10) For a period of 180 days after the date of a purchase of a mobile home park by the association, the association shall not be required to comply with the provisions of part V of chapter 718 or part V of chapter 719, as to mobile home owners or persons who have executed contracts to purchase mobile homes in the park.
(11) The provisions of subsection (4) shall not apply to records relating to subscription funds collected pursuant to subsection (9).
History. s. 1, ch. 84-80; s. 3, ch. 91-206; s. 1, ch. 91-223; s. 2, ch. 91-421; s. 15, ch. 92-148; ss. 3, 6, ch. 92-280; s. 1, ch. 93-160; s. 932, ch. 97-102; s. 4, ch. 2007-228.