KISSIMMEE, Fla. \u2014\u00a0New legislation is currently being discussed in Tallahassee that would allow community development districts (CDD) to have the ability to recall their seated directors.<\/p>\n
What You Need To Know
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\nCDD boards oversee infrastructure and amenities within a community
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\nConcorde Estates CDD meeting with\u00a0Joint Legislative Auditing Committee is planned for later this month
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\nFDLE is investigating\u00a0Concorde Estates CDD
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While Florida comprises tens of thousands of HOAs, there are over 1,000 CDDs in the state as well.<\/p>\n
CDDs are a government unit created to serve the long-term needs of communities for planning, finance, infrastructure and amenities.<\/p>\n
One CDD group in Kissimmee stated their board is bleeding them dry, and they are often left in the dark.<\/p>\n
Whether you have said it, or have a friend who has said it, \u201cI would never live in an HOA because of the rules.\u201d<\/p>\n
How would you feel if your CDD kept raising costs which show up on your tax bill each year and you weren\u2019t seeing improvements in the community?<\/p>\n
An HOA you pay to your management company or community. Your CDD fees are collected by the tax collector, and for Concorde Estates residents, they say their community is borderline unaffordable tax-wise.<\/p>\n
Inside a Kissimmee community are both the Concorde Estates Community Development District and Park View at Lakeshore\u00a0HOA.<\/p>\n
Aidee Velez moved to this community in Kissimmee in 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cI moved here from Philadelphia, and I was told the HOA (fees) here was $140 for the year,\u201d Velez recalls. \u201cI said, \u2018That\u2019s incredible, this place looks amazing, that\u2019s completely doable.\u2018\u201d<\/p>\n
In Velez\u2019s community, the HOA has oversight on property inspections and can send violations if personal properties or individual home lots are not in compliance.<\/p>\n
Velez had to learn however what a CDD is after seeing her first tax bill from the county tax collector.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CC was never explained to me,\u201d Velez says when recalling closing on her home. \u201cI had to have it explained to me what it was.\u201d<\/p>\n
A CDD is a government entity that has oversight on maintaining and financing community infrastructure. In Velez\u2019s community, that means maintaining the roads, playgrounds, pool, volleyball court, and landscaping.<\/p>\n
In 2020, Velez\u2019s non-ad valorem assessment for the community was just more than $2,400. A payment that is collected by the county tax collector. The next year it went up $400, and then about another $700, and then in 2023 nearly another $1,000.<\/p>\n
Velez began to be suspicious as to why she saw big increases.<\/p>\n
\u201cI took the budget and I took all my tax forms to an attorney, and I had him look over all of the information,\u201d Velez explained. \u201cHe said he felt there was mismanagement of funds.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said she began going to CDD meetings, but said when residents asked questions, the meetings would stop.<\/p>\n
Jason Showe is a senior district manager with Governmental Management. He oversees 15 CDDs in Central Florida. He does not manage, nor does his company manage Concorde Estates.<\/p>\n
But he did explain the importance of transparency and records requests when members of his district request them.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a CDD, we are held to the Florida\u2019s public records law,\u201d Showe points out. \u201cIt means that almost every document that is part of the CDD is available for any resident at any time to inspect or ask about. It also means our meetings are all open to members of the public.\u201d<\/p>\n
Velez says she has submitted at least 30 records requests to the CDD attorney and management company, but has had no luck.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the times they ignore me, I\u2019ve gotten cease and desist from the management company,\u201d Velez says, frustrated. \u201cAt one point, I did get one email asking for $350 per hour per records request.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spectrum News 13 reached out to the then-property management company Avid Property Management for comment, but did not hear back.<\/p>\n
While Velez\u2019s taxes for the CDD increased, she says the upkeep of her community didn\u2019t reflect the extra costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I was a resident in a CDD I think you can generally expect an increase of 3 or 4% pretty regularly,\u201d\u00a0Showe explains.<\/p>\n
These increases Showe credits to costs to provide services for utilities, landscaping, and following the community\u2019s reserve study.<\/p>\n
Velez and her neighbors tried to organize a recall. The problem is, unlike an HOA, residents can\u2019t recall a sitting CDD director.<\/p>\n