Know Your Rights

You can ask to see any HOA records — budgets, meeting minutes, contracts, financial statements — and the board has to give them to you within 10 business days. They have to keep records for at least 7 years. If they refuse, you can take legal action.

Every board meeting must be open to all homeowners. The board has to give you at least 48 hours notice before any meeting. They can't make decisions behind closed doors — if they do, those decisions may not be valid.

The HOA can't just fine you. They must: (1) send you a written notice, (2) give you 14 days to fix the problem, and (3) if you don't fix it, hold a hearing with a committee of 3 people who are NOT on the board. Only that committee can impose a fine. The board itself cannot fine you directly.

The board can't raise your dues without a vote of the homeowners. A majority of all homeowners (not just those at the meeting) must approve any increase in assessments. Your current quarterly dues are $132.

If the board isn't doing their job, homeowners can vote to remove them. You need a majority of ALL homeowners (not just those at a meeting) to sign a recall petition. This is exactly what happened at Pineloch — the DBPR confirmed the recall was valid on April 6, 2026.

If you submit an ARC request to modify your home, the committee has 30 days to respond. If they don't respond within 30 days, your request is considered approved. They also can't unreasonably deny modifications — they need a valid reason based on the community rules.

The board must create a yearly budget and make it available to every homeowner for free. You have the right to see exactly how your dues money is being spent. No hidden fees, no secret accounts.

If you don't pay your dues, the HOA can put a lien on your home — but they must give you 45 days written notice first. They can't just file a lien without warning. If you're having trouble paying, talk to the board before it gets to that point.

Before the HOA can sue you (or you can sue them), both sides must try mediation first. This is a meeting with a neutral third party to try to work things out. It's cheaper and faster than going to court.

As of 2024, every board member must complete 4 hours of training each year. If a board member is charged with stealing HOA money, they're automatically removed. This law was passed to protect homeowners from bad board members.