The Florida Homeowners' Association Act also provides guidelines for establishing a reserve fund but doing so is not mandatory. If your HOA has one, the reserve budget acts as a savings account for large projects that don't happen annually. Major repairs and projects are funded through this fund.
Reserves are like savings accounts – an accumulation of funds for a future purpose. The source of funding for a reserve might be surpluses from operations, or scheduled transfers that have been planned and budgeted.
Except as provided below, all associations are required to prepare a reserve study at least once every three (3) years with a review to be conducted annually to determine if adjustments are necessary to the association's reserve account requirements. (Civ. Code §§ 5300(b), 5550(a).)
Homeowners' associations in Florida can legally enforce the rules and regulations established in their governing documents, which can cover a wide range of issues such as the maintenance and upkeep of parcels, architectural guidelines, the standards for landscaping, pet policies, and more.
Having well-funded reserves is not only smart planning, but it's also now a legal requirement in Florida. As your community prepares for the future, inium Associates is here to ensure your reserves are compliant and your finances are in order.
The legislation requires condo associations to maintain reserve funds specifically allocated for structural repairs and maintenance. These funds must be determined based on reserve studies conducted every ten years, as outlined in SB-4D.
The records of the association shall be made available to a unit owner within 45 miles of the inium property or within the county in which the inium property is located within 10 working days after receipt of a written request by the board or its designee.
Answer: As of 2024, Florida law requires all condos over three stories to conduct mandatory building inspections and a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) every 10 years. Additionally, associations can no longer waive or reduce reserve funds, ensuring they are fully funded to cover future repairs.
On average, The Board should be setting aside 15% to 40% of their total assessments towards reserves, although for some simpler situations, a more minimal reserve fund ratio of 10% to 15% may be sufficient. Develop a funding plan that aligns with the calculated reserve fund requirements.
While there is no ideal funding level, having adequate reserve funds to replace reserve components as they are due over time is the goal. For instance, if an association has a 75% reserve fund level, they can only replace 75% of their reserve components as they become due.