Communications

Primary methods for Association communication with members are as follows:

•   Newsletters & bulletins
    Board & Committee meeting Notices with agendas
    First & second Annual Meeting notices (January/February & March)
    Proposed and final annual budgets (November)
    Annual audited financial report (April)
    Board letters to specific owners (as required)

Regular, as a minimum quarterly, and timely Newsletters provide another important official Board communication tool. Newsletters should clearly communicate factual information to help owners understand the progress and accomplishments of the Association. They should not be used to promote a particular opinion, agenda, or political position.

As described in the "Ownership" page of this website, the homeowners in Jupiter Bay own their unit, and collectively they own the rest of the Association (each homeowner owns a fractional share of everything else).  The Association staff, vendors, maintenance supplies, and utility services are funded by the owners, and board members are elected to represent and serve the owners.

The Association records can inform the owners how their Association is structured, how it's being run and how their money is being spent.  Likewise, nearly all of the records of the association, whether financial or otherwise, are available to the homeowners.  Please reference the "Management" page of this website for a listing of the Association's Official Records, which can be viewed and/or copied by owners.

Community Associations Institute (CAI) is a national organization dedicated to fostering vibrant, responsive, competent community associations. Founded in 1973, CAI represents association-governed communities, such as condominium and homeowner associations, cooperatives, and planned communities.

Principles for Homeowners and Community Leaders 

Homeowners Have the Right To:

1. A responsive and competent community association.
2. Honest, fair and respectful treatment by community leaders and managers.
3. Participate in governing the community association by attending meetings, serving on committees and standing for election.
4. Access appropriate association books and records.
5. Prudent expenditure of fees and other assessments.
6. Live in a community where the property is maintained according to established standards.
7. Fair treatment regarding financial and other association obligations, including the opportunity to discuss payment plans and options with the association before foreclosure is initiated.
8. Receive all documents that address rules and regulations governing the community association -- if not prior to purchase and settlement by a real estate agent or attorney, then upon joining the community.
9. Appeal to appropriate commmunity leaders those decisions affecting non-routine financial responsibilities or property rights.

Homeowners Have the Responsibility To:

1. Read and comply with the governing documents of the community.
2. Maintain their property according to established standards.
3. Treat association leaders honestly and with respect.
4. Vote in community elections and on other issues.
5. Pay association assessments and charges on time.
6. Contact association leaders or managers, if necessary, to discuss financial obligations and alternative payment arrangements.
7. Request reconsideration of material decisions that personally affect them.
8. Provide current contact information to association leaders or managers to help ensure they receive information from the community.
9. Ensure that those who reside on their property (e.g., tenants, relatives, friends) adhere to all rules and regulations.

Community Leaders Have the Right To:

1. Expect owners and non-owner residents to meet their financial obligations to the community.
2. Expect residents to know and comply with the rules and regulations of the community and to stay informed by reading material provided by the association.
3. Respectful and honest treatment from residents.
4. Conduct meetings in a positive and constructive atmosphere.
5. Receive support and constructive input from owners and non-owner residents.
6. Personal privacy at home and during leisure time in the community.
7. Take advantage of educational opportunities (e.g., publications, training workshops) that are directly related to their responsibilities, and as approved by the association.

Community Leaders Have the Responsibility To:

1. Fulfill their fiduciary duties to the community and exercise discretion in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the community.
2. Exercise sound business judgment and follow established management practices.
3. Balance the needs and obligations of the community as a whole with those of individual homeowners and residents.
4. Understand the association’s governing documents and become educated with respect to applicable state and local laws, and to manage the community association accordingly.
5. Establish committees or use other methods to obtain input from owners and non-owner residents.
6. Conduct open, fair and well-publicized elections.
7. Welcome and educate new members of the community—owners and non-owner residents alike.
8. Encourage input from residents on issues affecting them personally and the community as a whole.
9. Encourage events that foster neighborliness and a sense of community.
10. Conduct business in a transparent manner when feasible and appropriate.
11. Allow homeowners access to appropriate community records, when requested.
12. Collect all monies due from owners and non-owner residents.
13. Devise appropriate and reasonable arrangements, when needed and as feasible, to facilitate the ability of individual homeowners to meet their financial obligations to the community.
14. Provide a process residents can use to appeal decisions affecting their non-routine financial responsibilities or property rights— where permitted by law and the association’s governing documents.
15. Initiate foreclosure proceedings only as a measure of last resort.
16. Make covenants, conditions and restrictions as understandable as possible, adding clarifying “lay” language or supplementary materials when drafting or revising the documents.
17. Provide complete and timely disclosure of personal and financial conflicts of interest related to the actions of community leaders, e.g., officers, the board and committees. (Community associations may want to develop a code of ethics.)

The email address that you provide becomes part of the Association's "Roster of Unit Owners", and its use is regulated by the Official Records section (12) of Florida Statute 718.111.

Paragraph (a)7 of this section says that the Association shall maintain: "A current roster of all unit owners and their mailing addresses, unit identifications, voting certifications, and, if known, telephone numbers. The association shall also maintain the electronic mailing addresses and facsimile numbers of unit owners consenting to receive notice by electronic transmission. The electronic mailing addresses and facsimile numbers are not accessible to unit owners if consent to receive notice by electronic transmission is not provided in accordance with subparagraph (c)5. However, the association is not liable for an inadvertent disclosure of the electronic mail address or facsimile number for receiving electronic transmission of notices."

Paragraph (c)5 says that this information is used to fulfill the association's notice requirements.  The paragraph also regulates the printing and distribution of the owners' directory.

Following is a summary of the statutes referenced above:

• An association may print and distribute to owners a directory containing the name, address and phone number (but not email address) of each owner.  An owner may request in writing to exclude telephone number.
• Owner email addresses are maintained by the association for those owners who consent to receive notices by electronic transmission.
• The electronic mailing addresses are not accessible to unit owners if consent to receive notice by electronic transmission is not provided.
• The association is not liable for an inadvertent disclosure of electronic mail addresses.

Prompt Board response to owner correspondence (emails, letters, etc.) is very important, enabling owners to feel that their input and concerns are valued.

Florida Statute 718.112(2)(a)2 says that "when a unit owner files a written inquiry by certified mail with the board of administration, the board shall respond in writing to the unit owner within 30 days of receipt of the inquiry. The board’s response shall either give a substantive response to the inquirer, notify the inquirer that a legal opinion has been requested, or notify the inquirer that advice has been requested from the division."

If the board requests advice from the division, the board must respond within 10 days of its receipt of the advice.  If a legal opinion is requested, the board has 60 days to respond.

10 Business Days -- Official records of the association shall be made available to a unit owner after receipt of a written request to the Board.

• Smartphone, tablet or other portable device can be used to scan or photograph.
• The association may adopt reasonable rules regarding the frequency, time, location, notice, and manner of record inspections and copying.

Owner Inquiry by Certified Mail:

• 30 Days Substantive response (or) sought legal/division opinion
• 10 Days After receipt of Division advice
• 60 Days After owner inquiry when Board seeks legal advice

60 Days -- Time Board has to place an item on a Board Meeting agenda If 20 percent of the voting interests petition the board to address an item of business.

5 Business days -- to file an elevator accident report ($1,000 max fine for failure to report).

Reasonable period -- Converting recorded meeting minutes to written form.

Condominium Association websites provide valuable information regarding the Association and community activities.

Their purpose is "to provide condominium owners helpful information to keep them informed of Association activities, enhance community spirit, increase transparency, and promote inclusiveness of all owners. The content of the websites needs to be strictly controlled by the Association.  The website should not contain information that violates generally accepted privacy standards, is political in nature, is offensive to individuals or organizations."

Websites need to comply with Florida statute 718.111(12)(g) requirements and be reviewed and updated regularly as they are important communication sources for unit owners.

The association’s website or mobile device application must be:

1. An independent website, application, or web portal wholly owned and operated by the association; or
2. A website, application, or web portal operated by a third-party provider with whom the association owns, leases, rents, or otherwise obtains the right to operate a web page, subpage, web portal, collection of subpages or web portals, or an application which is dedicated to the association’s activities and on which required notices, records, and documents may be posted or made available by the association.
3. Accessible through the Internet and must contain a subpage, web portal, or other protected electronic location that is inaccessible to the general public and accessible only to unit owners and employees of the association.

Upon a unit owner’s written request, the association must provide the unit owner with a username and password and access to the protected sections of the association’s website or application which contain any notices, records, or documents that must be electronically provided.