ORLANDO, Fla. — A major overhaul to Florida’s community association laws could soon change how disputes between homeowners and HOAs are resolved.
What You Need To Know
House Bill 657 would eliminate pre-suit mediation and create a statewide Community Associations Court
Supporters say the bill could speed up decisions and shift power back to homeowners
Community association managers warn the bill could create challenges for HOA governance and amenities
The proposal would also require HOAs to standardize and publicly update governing documents every year
House Bill 657 is being described as one of the largest rewrites of HOA and condo law in years. Experts say the proposal could significantly impact how homeowners challenge associations—and how quickly cases are decided.
Under the current system, many HOA and condo disputes must first go through pre-suit mediation, a process where a neutral third party helps both sides attempt to resolve conflicts before a lawsuit is filed.
Attorney Erin Glover Frey says the new bill would eliminate that step entirely.
“What this new bill does it eliminate all of that. It eliminates all the mediation process and creates a special dedicated Community Associations Court,” Glover-Frey said
Glover-Frey said the proposed court would be a statewide system focused only on HOA and condo issues, rather than routing cases through already-burdened local courts.
“Homeowners would have the ability to get to the decision maker a lot faster. The mediator doesn’t make decisions; they just facilitate an agreement,” Glover-Frey said.
Currently, many HOA-related cases can take months or even years to resolve. Supporters of the bill argue that centralizing disputes into one specialized court could lead to faster and more consistent rulings.
However, HB 657 goes beyond dispute resolution. It would also introduce a new process for terminating an HOA altogether, something community association managers say raises serious concerns.
“HOAs have lots of moving parts. There are sub-associations that are part of master associations. So I think more thought needs to go into that,” said Joseph Rains, a community association manager who, along with Marisa Rains, oversees HOA operations.
They say many homeowners choose to live in HOA communities for access to shared amenities such as pools, playgrounds, and other common spaces. Without an HOA, they question who would be responsible for maintaining and funding those amenities.
“You want exclusive use of these amenities and to protect your property values,” Rains said.
The bill would also require HOAs to standardize and publicly update their governing documents every year—a requirement that association managers say could be costly and difficult to manage.
“It would be a huge, cumbersome task each year, and it’s not reasonable. Do those governing documents need to be updated? Yes. However, legal costs are involved with that, membership votes are required. So, thinking about doing that annually would be very stressful,” Marisa Rains said.
The bill’s sponsor, State Representative Juan Porras, says HB 657 would create a “transparent, fair, and efficient” system to protect homeowners. On social media last week, Porras referred to HOAs as “a failed experiment,” adding, “It’s time we hold them accountable.”
HB 657 is still moving through the Florida Legislature. If it passes, experts say homeowners could see some of the most significant changes to their rights and dispute options in decades.