MUCH
NEEDED CHANGE ARRIVED…
By
Rafael Aquino
Published June 1, 2022
Change finally came for condos and cooperative
associations, and no one expected it to happen at a special session.
HB 5D was passed by the Florida House and Senate and signed into law
by the Governor last week. Some of the major components are:
Mandatory Structural Inspections for Condos &
Coops - "Milestone Inspections" - are required for all buildings
three stories or greater in height. The report must be performed by
December 31st of the year in which the building reaches 30 years of
age. If the building is within 3 miles of the coast, it will be 25
years of age. Structural inspection of a building includes an
inspection of load-bearing walls and the primary structural members
and primary structural systems. Inspection must be conducted by a
licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in the state
and understand life safety and structures. If a building does not
pass this report, it will be required to conduct phase two of the
milestone, which may involve destructive or non-destructive testing
at the inspector's direction. Upon the completion of phase one and
or phase two must be provided to the association and local
government that has jurisdiction.
Structural Integrity Reserve Studies - a
study of the reserve funds required for the future major repairs and
replacement of the common areas. The report can be conducted by
anyone who is qualified; however, the visual inspection must be
conducted by an engineer. The report must be updated at least every
ten years.
Mandatory Reserves: The
bill prohibits unit owners from waiving or reducing reserves after
December 31st, 2024, for certain specified components identified by
the structural integrity reserve study.
I'm glad that the needed change came; however,
I'm afraid I must disagree with how it all went down last minute.
The following two years will probably be spent cleaning up what was
passed—there are too many questions that need to be answered and
clarified. The next few years will be very interesting and
challenging for many communities. If there was ever the right time
to have the right management team by your side, it is now.
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As the Co-Founder and CEO
of Affinity Management Services, Rafael P. Aquino leads his team to
redefine excellence. They serve community associations
efficiently |
and effectively with
dedication and passion. Rafael’s energy and positive
spirit is the foundation of Affinity Management
Services’ company culture, which instills enthusiasm and
excitement when providing expert advice to its board
members and relieving the day-to-day burdens of running
a community association.
Since 2007, Rafael has
developed a work culture that values responsive and
high-quality services. He has led his team by following
a proactive vs reactive philosophy. The same approach
Rafael instills in the day to day operations of each
association. Today, Affinity Management Services
maintains its success and benefits as a result of the
foundation Rafael has built and continues to foster by
providing educational seminars, continuing education
classes for association managers and board members
alike.
Rafael and his team help condominium and homeowners’
associations save money and improve their communities.
His calm, personable, and service-oriented nature helps
him to establish strong relationships with ease. Rafael
is known as a sincere and honest leader who looks out
for the best interests of his clients and communities,
and he strongly advocates for their needs. His role
requires coordination and communication, as such he
takes logical and intelligent steps to approach
challenges head-on.
As a graduate of Florida International University’s
electrical engineering program and a licensed community
association manager, Rafael’s education and skills equip
him with unique insights to tackle complex problems
through critical thinking. He understands how each
component within a system works together in order to
effectively arrive at solutions, techniques, and
conclusions. Therefore, as he manages the multiple
challenges of running a community association management
company, he understands how each property is its own
unique system and tailors’ specific services to assure
that all their needs are met.
For more information about Rafael P. Aquino and Affinity
Management Services please visit
www.ManagedByAffinity.com or call 1-800-977-6279
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Doral Office: 8200 NW 41st ST
Suite 200
Doral, FL 33166
Broward Office: 150 S Pine Island RD Suite 300
Plantation, FL 33324
O: 800-977-6279 ● F: 305-325-4053
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