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About five years ago, Aventura Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks asked the Aventura Marketing Council/Chamber of Commerce (AMC) if they were interested in providing valuable programming for Board Members of associations. Since Aventura has over 100 associations within its 3.2 square miles, the answer was a resounding “Yes!”.
Since that time, Dr. Marks, who has served as President of the Master Association of The Point of Aventura and is currently a Board Member of that association with ample hands-on experience of issues facing all association Board Members, she agreed to serve as Chair of this committee. “We called the committee exactly what it was: Condo and Homeowner Association Board Members (CHOAB) and soon started including Property Managers to the meetings.”
At the most recent virtual CHOAB meeting, Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman greeted everyone and announced, “Aventura is now posting all engineering, electrical, structural and other requirements for our buildings . We are here to be of service to you, so please reach out to Dr. Marks or myself with any questions or problems. And as the Thanksgiving and winter holidays are coming, on behalf of the City of Aventura, let me wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season—stay safe!”
Dr.Linda Marks, took on the important issue facing association members and property managers right now, “The Impact of Rental Units on Your Property” . Dr. Marks said, “A big dilemma facing certain buildings is deciphering what condo docs say about rentals. There are some investors buying units only to rent them out, and there are issues percolating around that: banks won’t provide mortgages if there is over a certain % of renters; Board members need to have conversations at the Board level about any limitations to length of rentals.” For more information, linda@drlindamarks.com; www.aventuramarketingcouncil.com
Dennis Eisinger, Founding Member and Managing Director of Eisinger Law, an expert with over 30 years of experience in dealing with legal issues facing all associations, spoke on “New Laws Affecting Condominiums”. Eisinger covered a number of the new laws already passed by our Florida legislature, including limiting Board Members terms of office; Board eligibility; Budget adoption deadline; Renters access to condo docs; Collection of assessments; Transfer fees; Conflicts of interest; E-vehicles; COVID liability by associations; Dispute resolution; and Emergency powers of the Board. Eisinger then reviewed the Task Force report post-Champlain Towers . “These are just some of the recommendations from a panel of attorneys, and they will likely be taken very seriously by the Legislature. 1) Recognizing conflict between realities of the association and the economic situation of the unit owners. The recommendation was to have condo docs require, in all 67 counties, the Board to repair and replace all items that need it; 2) Precluding associations from being liable for move-outs when work has to be done in a building 3) Special assessments for borrowing—if it’s for safety and health issues, it will be the Board of Directors responsibility.” For more information, deisinger@eisingerlaw.com; www.eisingerlaw.com
Bob Hollander, Executive Vice President of Brown & Brown, spoke on “The Condo Insurance Conundrum”. Brown & Brown is a Fortune 500 company and the #1 independent insurance agency in Florida. Hollander explained that it isn’t just the tragedy of Surfside and the collapse of the Champlain Towers that is driving up insurance rates for associations. “There have been 20 storms from tropical depressions, so the environment has had a tremendous effect as well. It’s a matter of supply and demand as some of the major players in the insurance industry have left the market because they couldn’t reach a profitability level. 2022 pricing trends will continue to rise and the best options for associations now are to request and document all inspections, and not wait until the required 40-year inspection.” For more information, rhollander@bbmia.com; www.bbinsurance.com
Gary Bodner, General Manager for The Master Association of The Point of Aventura, overseeing seven communities in the property, covered “Unpredictable Costs of Construction in the Age of COVID”. Bodner said, “ Here’s some recommendations when an association is considering any major construction project: have a well-defined project; ensure great communication between your property manager and Board members; create a schedule; whatever you thought the costs would be, add 30%-40% ; hold progress meetings; check with your bank to see about a line of credit or consider special assessments; be aware of change orders that can dramatically increase costs; think about the noise and safety of the residents during the project; create a vendor safety precaution list including COVID rules; if possible, try to purchase all supplies in advance and storage them on your property to contain costs.” For more information, manager@thepointofaventura.org
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Maia Mediavilla, Business Development Manager at Vi at Aventura, spoke about this luxury senior living community. “ Vi at Aventura provides a place to live life to the fullest with beautiful accommodations, a dedicated staff, elevated cuisine, and a vibrant community of friends and neighbors. As a Life Plan Community, living at Vi not only features resort-like surroundings and top-notch service and amenities, it also includes access to their care center should the need arise, so you can live for today while planning for tomorrow.” For more information, mmediavilla@viliving.com; www.viliving.com
Sydney Hughes, Founder and CEO of Senior Proof shared the fact that one out of every three seniors over the age of 65 will fall in their homes. “We are CAP-certified and provide safety at home, from grab bars to bed rails–our goal is to help seniors, or anyone in need, feel protected in their home. As General Contractors, we also provide walk-in shower conversions and multi-level cabinetry for cabinet accessibility. With age comes vulnerability, and our dedicated team of safety professionals will help assess your property and execute a safety plan for you and your loved ones.” For more information, shughes@seniorproofinc.com; www.seniorproofinc.com
Alan Gucovschi, Co-founder and COO of ONRapp, specializes in community management software. “We provide the best digital community online portal so residents can vote, read the association rules, pay association bills, make reservations for amenities, handle packaging and so much more. We have transformed the digital experience for associations, and encourage you to consider creating an app for your building.” For more information, alan@onrapp.com; www.onrapp.com
David Cejas, Regional Director of Account Management for Hotwire Communications, said, “Hotwire holds our service performances, technology and partnerships at the highest level. We specialize in the client experience while leveraging our fiber-to-home technology to deliver internet, video, phone, WI-FI and security options to both within the homes and throughout the property. We own our own fiber…we take it from the street all the way up to your home and proudly announced that Hotwire broke the fastest speed record reported by Netflix in the July 2019 Internet Service Provider (ISP) Speed Index with an average speed of 5.08 Megabits per second, an accomplishment added to their many others in the arenas of quality and service .” For more information, dcejas@hotwirecommunication.com; www.gethotwired.com
