State bill introduces simplified steps for ending neighborhood councils
A Republican state representative from Miami-Dade County introduced legislation this month to simplify the process for homeowners to dissolve their neighborhood governing associations. The proposed bill would reduce the required homeowner approval from 75% to two-thirds and allow dissolution to begin with a petition signed by 20% of residents.
The measure also establishes a new Community Association Court Program within existing circuit courts, funded through the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation, to handle disputes without mandatory mediation.
State Representative Juan Carlos Porras cited repeated complaints from homeowners across Florida, including criminal cases involving board members in the West Kendall community of The Hammocks, where authorities accuse past leaders of theft through fraudulent companies. Current law mandates mediation before lawsuits and involves a trustee and public-record filings.
The Community Associations Institute stated it is assessing the bill while noting that 86% of homeowners rate their associations as good or neutral. Some legal experts have raised concerns about potential instability from easier dissolutions, while other industry figures support aspects of the dispute-resolution proposal.
HB 657 was filed ahead of the legislative session beginning January 13 but has not yet been scheduled for committee review.