Your The Key

Be a Homeowner Advocate...

Thank you to the Homeowner advocate who passed this information on to me, so that I might share this with you. I was particularly struck by how this identified many of the issues we have with the Surfside Board. We all need to follow a course of action as outlined below.  Let us all be the sunshine that exposes where corrections are needed. 


Your HOA needs a Homeowner Advocate. You. Homeowner Advocate: A member of your HOA who helps preserve Homeowner Rights by monitoring, analyzing, and responding to Board actions that may be in violation of state law or governing documents.

Why does your HOA need a Homeowner Advocate?
 HOA Boards rely on member apathy in order to operate with minimal accountability. Without consistent member oversight, predictable problems may arise: Neglect of common areas, loss of records, secret meetings, selective enforcement, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of funds, violation of State Code or Governing Documents, rigging of elections, property seizures, and fraud. Your well intentioned scrutiny is essential. Once monitored, illegal and unethical HOA Board actions will be exposed and, ideally, eliminated. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

Your role as Homeowner Advocate is critical in preserving Homeowner Rights and keeping your Board from operating outside the scope of their authority. Without a Homeowner Advocate, the Board: 1. May take actions that violate State Code or Governing Documents; 2. May get careless or deceitful in maintaining documents and records; 3. May establish policies that discourage or disregard owner questions, input, or criticism: 4. May hold secret meetings; 5. May claim more authority than allowed by State Code or Governing Documents; 6. May consolidate power to eliminate change to Board composition; 7. May threaten members with legal action to create a culture of fear.

What does a Homeowner Advocate do? As a Homeowner Advocate, your goal is to strengthen individual Homeowner Rights within your HOA by monitoring the actions of the Board. You watch, research, and report. Remember, the Board is elected to serve the HOA and must do so within their limited scope of authority. Your thorough knowledge of State Code and Governing Documents is crucial. The Board may attempt to silence your questions by defending actions as being in the best interest of the HOA according to advice from HOA legal counsel. They will often liberally excuse themselves for infractions claiming they are simply volunteers doing their best, when in fact there is no excuse for violating State Code or Governing Documents.

 Homeowner Advocates, look at the facts and hold the Board accountable. Your carefully crafted and respectful letters to the Board—even when those letters appear to be ignored—can be valuable in getting the Board to correct their behavior. Further, they may be significant evidence of the Board’s full knowledge of their violation should there be legal action later on. Your letters are valuable. As a Homeowner Advocate you strengthen your HOA. 1. Help preserve critical Homeowner Rights. 2. Give a voice to ignored or mistreated members. 3. Face the board with courage and facts. 4. Ask pertinent and essential questions. 5. Research State Code and Governing Documents. 6. Acquire and review Board reports, minutes, budgets, and financials. 7. Share your findings. As a result of your consistent monitoring of Board actions you will be a valuable resource to the Owners. Your HOA needs a Homeowner Advocate. You.