Condominium safety and management has been under a microscope since the June 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside. This month's passing of Florida House Bill 1021 is a direct result of that increased scrutiny and features some legal changes tied to Board accountability and building safety. Highlights of the new bill include:

• If an association receives a bid to conduct a service on grounds that exceeds $2,500, multiple bids must be solicited.
  
  
• Associations of 10+ units must meet at least quarterly and four times each year the agenda must allow members to ask questions concerning the status of construction or repair projects, revenues and expenditures and other condominium issues.
  
  
• Prospective purchasers of a condominium unit must now acknowledge receipt of the community's most recent annual financial statement and annual budget as part of the purchasing process.
  
  
• Newly-appointed/elected directors must submit written certification that they've read the association's governing documents and have completed an approved condominium education course. Additional educational requirements for Board members include:
  • 4 hours of training tied to: milestone inspections, SIRS, elections, recordkeeping, financial literacy and transparency, levying of fines and meeting requirements.
  • 1 hour of annual continuing education tied to recent changes to condominium laws and rules that have taken place over the past year.

Additionally, effective January 1, 2026, the threshold requirement for an association to maintain specific records on their community website (or approved mobile device) decreases from 150 units to 25 units.

The bill goes on to detail updated criminal penalties related to condominium recordkeeping, disclosures and kickbacks, as well as a number of other items, so please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the bill thoroughly. You can read more details on the Florida Senate website HERE.