Search Results

New HOA & Condominium Laws: Do They Apply To Your Residential Owners Association By Christopher Carter - Real Estate Broker Associate July 18, 2024 Share The Florida Legislature had a very busy session earlier this year, passing some far-reaching Bills related to residential Owners Associations, HB-1203 for HOAs and HB-1021 for Condominiums. The Governor signed them into law in time for their effective date of July 1st, so we now have notable changes in the laws regulating HOAs and Condominiums in our State. In the short time these new laws have been in place, multiple news outlets, property owners, Association Boards, and Social Media "experts" have made sweeping statements about how the changes no longer allow (something) or must now allow (something else). Many of these statements are based on incomplete information or hopeful assumptions. Even Florida attorneys can't fully determine to what degree the changes may affect a residential Owners Association without first interpreting that Association's Governing Documents in relation to the new laws. It is quite likely that for the same Association some Statute changes may apply, yet others may not. Yes, really. Every Homeowners Association (HOA) or Condominium Owners Association (COA) must comply with the appropriate Chapter of Florida Statutes and their own Governing Documents which are recorded in Public Records of the County where the property is located. HB-1203 became law that amended the Homeowners Association Act (FS Chapter 720), and HB-1021 became law that amended the Condominium Act (FS Chapter 718). Governing Documents cannot conflict with the applicable Florida Statute, so what happens when a Statute is amended? Here are some Discussion Points related to our headline question: An Association's Governing Documents may or may not contain what is called Kaufman language ("...as amended from time to time") referring to the Homeowners Association Act or the Condominium Act. If similar language is in an HOA's Declaration of Covenants or a COA's Declaration of Condominium, the Governing Docs automatically stay in agreement with any amended Statutes. Kaufman language keeps an Association's Governing Docs in step with Chapter 720 or Chapter 718 as the Acts may be amended over the years. Best practices suggest that Boards send notices to all Association members/property owners explaining any changes when they occur. The language is called Kaufman because it comes from a 1977 Florida Civil Lawsuit in which judgment was made in favor of the lead plaintiff, Mr. Kaufman. The suit was filed over Florida Statute application in a North Miami Condominium Association and has become often referred-to case law which is part of this discussion. Things get much more complex when an HOA or COA Declaration does NOT contain this Kaufman language. Without some version of "...as amended from time to time" referring to the Homeowners Act or Condominium Act, periodic Statute amendments by State governments may not apply to that Association. Governing Docs without Kaufman are often considered frozen in time to the version of Chapter 720 or 718 that was in place when the Docs were drafted and recorded in County Public Records. Though it is not quite that simple... Attorneys also mention the difference between substantive (affecting owners' rights) changes in the law, and procedural (administrative) changes, which can affect application and enforcement even when there is no Kaufman language in the Declaration. Changes affecting owners' existing rights are handled very differently from procedural changes. This is one of the areas in which some parts of the new laws may apply, and some may not. The Association's attorney has to make that call, not the Board or management. Neither of the Bills (nor the Statute amendments they brought about) seem to say they apply retroactively. Unless specifically stated otherwise, Florida Statutes are presumed to apply prospectively (going forward from their effective dates). What could this suggest for application to existing Governing Docs? Without specific language, we will likely have to wait for a few civil lawsuits to create case law. Attorneys tell us that Governing Documents create a contract between an Association and its members (property owners). Florida's Constitution includes a section saying that State legislation cannot interfere with an existing contract between parties. Does this have any bearing on how Statute amendments are applied to Associations without Kaufman language in their Declarations? The Florida legislature's intent when considering and enacting changes in the HOA and Condominium Acts was to protect property owners' rights while promoting proper administration and management of residential Owners Associations. If Boards do not apply certain parts of the new laws, could that be construed as a Breach of Fiduciary Duty? We have already heard rumors of Boards selectively deciding which parts of the amended Statutes they want to apply, and which they do not. Some Directors and owners are allowing their own Confirmation Bias to influence their interpretations of what the new laws say. This means that parts of the amended Statutes supporting their points of view could be taken as applicable and enforceable, while those clauses that conflict with their own opinions could be disregarded. Scenario 1: A property owner in a Florida HOA community wants to park her pickup truck in her driveway, not in the garage as the community's Governing Docs have required since the original Declaration was recorded back in the late 1990’s. She tells the Board they can no longer issue a violation when she parks her pickup in the driveway because she saw on the evening news that the recently-amended HOA Act specifically says so. Not exactly... To determine applicability and enforcement, interpretation and legal advice from the Association's attorney is needed. This situation may affect an owner's rights (a substantive issue), though the existing Governing Docs requiring trucks to be parked in a property's garage are part of the owner's contract with the HOA. Does the Declaration include "...as amended from time to time..." language? If not, are the posted and distributed Rules & Regulations for residents sufficient basis for continued enforcement? Scenario 2: A Condominium building in South Florida has a high percentage of seasonal residents. Not many owners occupy their individual units during the summer months from May to October, so no Board meetings are held during those months. Also, for many years the Board has been comfortable with newly-elected Directors just signing a self-certification saying they read the Governing Docs rather than attending a State-approved certification class presented by a law firm specializing in COA governance. A well-informed owner brings it to the Board's attention that recently amended Statutes now require open, properly-noticed Condominium Board meetings to be held at least once each calendar quarter, and that Director self-certification is no longer an option, class attendance is mandatory and retroactive to sitting Directors. The Board President quickly responds that their Declaration does not include "...as amended from time to time" (Kaufman) language, so NONE of the new clauses apply to them. The owner reminds the President that the amended Statute sections on quarterly meetings and mandatory Director certification classes are procedural and do not affect owners' rights, so they DO apply to their Association. Who is right? Only an attorney can answer that question after closely reviewing the Association's Governing Documents and interpreting the Statute amendments in relation to them. Are you starting to see some of the complications with applying and enforcing the changes? (In my opinion, procedural changes DO apply, even without Kaufman language.) The amended HOA and Condominium Acts contain many more changes than the few I mention in this article. For a comprehensive overview, here is a link to one of the better ones I have read. It was written by Attorney Jeffrey Rembaum of the Firm Kaye Bender Rembaum PL, who is Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law: The Complete 2024 Legislative Guide Affecting Florida’s Community Associations | Rembaum's Association Roundup: https://rembaumsassociationroundup.com And here is a link to downloadable PowerPoint presentations on the 2024 HOA and Condo laws prepared by Attorney Eric Glazer of Glazer & Sachs, PA who is Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law: 2024 HOA-Condo Laws www.thefloridarealestateblog.com All property owners in Condominium buildings and HOA communities should be aware of the significant changes made in Florida Statutes that regulate their Associations. I suggest Boards of Directors consult with the Association's attorney for clarification on applicability and enforcement, then schedule a Board meeting (with the attorney attending) to present the changes to all owners. Since it is now summer and many owners are "up north," it is a good idea to arrange real-time video of the meeting (Zoom or similar platform) to present the changes within the context of your own Governing Docs and encourage owner questions. Announce the meeting well in advance and multiple times in order to promote owner participation. Yes, attorneys' time and legal advice cost money, though this is a very important issue for all HOA and Condominium property owners, and any legal fees are money well-spent. Best practices regarding these changes to the HOA and Condominium Acts will take time to sort out. The Florida legislature has a long history of passing legislation before receiving sufficient input from professionals trained and experienced in the matter being reviewed and debated. As mentioned above, future civil lawsuits may create case law on which to base more reliable application of these new Statute changes. (After all, Kaufman language itself is based on the outcome of a civil lawsuit that became very significant Florida case law.) Until then, your Association's attorney is the only one who can provide dependable interpretation and guidance. Editor's Note: Christopher Carter is NOT an attorney. He does not give legal advice. For interpretation and application to specific circumstances of anything you read in this article, you must speak with a Florida-Licensed attorney. Have a question or comment about anything you see here, if so, visit: www.TheFloridaRealEstateBlog.com < Previous News Next News >

500 FREE Microchips Available: Should Your Pet Become Lost, This Could Be The Difference Thu Jun 30 2022 04:10:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A Sign of The Times: An Unexpected Cost of $6,500 Would Put Most Florida Homeowners Into Debt Thu Jun 16 2022 04:02:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Fall Into Fun: Third Annual Pumpkins & Palm Trees Fall Fest Thu Sep 21 2023 16:12:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Cost of the Nation’s Endless Wars: In An Ongoing Effort to Police The Globe, War spending is Bankrupting America By John & Nisha Whitehead March 2, 2023 Share “Autocrats only understand one word: no, no, no. No you will not take my country, no you will not take my freedom, no you will not take my future... A dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never be able to ease the people’s love of liberty. Brutality will never grind down the will of the free.” President Biden Oh, the hypocrisy. To hear President Biden talk about Russia's aggression against Ukraine, you might imagine that Putin is the only dictator bent on expanding his military empire through the use of occupation, aggression and oppression. Yet the United States is no better, having spent much of the past half-century policing the globe, occupying other countries and waging endless wars. What most Americans fail to recognize is that these ongoing wars have little to do with keeping the country safe and everything to do with propping up a military industrial complex that has its sights set on world domination. War has become a huge money-making venture, and the U.S. Government, with its vast military empire, is one of its best buyers and sellers. America’s part in the showdown between Russia and the Ukraine has already cost taxpayers more than $112 Billion and shows no signs of abating. Clearly, it’s time for the U.S. Government to stop policing the globe. The U.S. military reportedly has more than 1.3 million men and women on active duty, with more than 200,000 of them stationed overseas in nearly every country in the world. Incredibly, America’s military forces aren’t being deployed abroad to protect our freedoms here at home. Rather, they’re being used to guard oil fields, build foreign infrastructure and protect the financial interests of the corporate elite. In fact, the United States military spends about $81 Billion a year just to protect oil supplies around the world. The reach of America’s military empire includes close to 800 bases in as many as 160 countries, operated at a cost of more than $156 Billion annually. As investigative journalist David Vine reports, “Even US military resorts and recreation areas in places like the Bavarian Alps and Seoul, South Korea, are bases of a kind. Worldwide, the military runs more than 170 golf courses.” This is how a military empire occupies the globe. After 20 years of propping up Afghanistan to the tune of trillions of dollars and thousands of lives lost, the U.S. military may have finally been forced out, but those troops represent just a fraction of our military presence worldwide. In an ongoing effort to police the globe, American military service-people continue to be deployed to far-flung places in the Middle East and elsewhere. This is how the military industrial complex, aided and abetted by the likes of Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and others, continues to get rich at taxpayer expense. Yet while the rationale may keep changing for why American military forces are policing the globe, these wars abroad aren’t making America—or the rest of the world—any safer, are certainly not making America great again, and are undeniably digging the U.S. deeper into debt. War spending is bankrupting America. Although the U.S. constitutes only 5% of the world's population, America boasts almost 50% of the world's total military expenditure, spending more on the military than the next 19 biggest spending nations combined. In fact, the Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health, education, welfare, and safety. The American military-industrial complex has erected an empire unsurpassed in history in its breadth and scope, one dedicated to conducting perpetual warfare throughout the earth. Since 2001, the U.S. Government has spent more than $4.7 Trillion waging its endless wars. Having been co-opted by greedy defense contractors, corrupt politicians and incompetent government officials, America’s expanding military empire is bleeding the country dry at a rate of more than $32 million per hour. In fact, the U.S. Government has spent more money every five seconds in Iraq than the average American earns in a year. Future wars and military exercises waged around the globe are expected to push the total bill upwards of $12 Trillion by 2053. Talk about fiscally irresponsible: the U.S. Government is spending money it doesn’t have on a military empire it can’t afford. Unfortunately, even if we were to put an end to all of the government’s military meddling and bring all of the troops home today, it would take decades to pay down the price of these wars and get the government’s creditors off our backs. As Investigative Journalist Uri Friedman puts it, for more than 15 years now, the United States has been fighting terrorism with a credit card, “essentially bankrolling the wars with debt, in the form of purchases of U.S. Treasury bonds by U.S.-based entities like pension funds and state and local governments and by countries like China and Japan.” Americans have thus far allowed themselves to be spoon-fed a steady diet of pro-war propaganda that keeps them content to wave flags with patriotic fervor and less inclined to look too closely at the mounting body counts, the ruined lives, the ravaged countries, the blowback arising from ill-advised targeted-drone killings and bombing campaigns in foreign lands, or the transformation of our own homeland into a warzone. That needs to change. James Madison was right: “No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.” As Madison explained, “Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceeds debts and taxes… known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.” We are seeing this play out before our eyes. The government is destabilizing the economy, destroying the national infrastructure through neglect and a lack of resources, and turning taxpayer dollars into blood money with its endless wars, drone strikes and mounting death tolls. Clearly, our national priorities are in desperate need of an overhauling. As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, war is the enemy of freedom. As long as America’s politicians continue to involve us in wars that bankrupt the nation, jeopardize our servicemen and women, increase the chances of terrorism and blowback domestically and push the nation that much closer to eventual collapse, “we the people” will find ourselves in a perpetual state of tyranny. Editor’s Note: John Whitehead is an Attorney and Author who has written, debated and practiced widely in the area of Constitutional Law, Human Rights and Popular Culture. John Whitehead's Commentary are his views and he is open for discussion, he can be contacted at: johnw@rutherford.org . Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at: www.rutherford.org < Previous News Next News >

Dystopia Disguised as Democracy: All the Ways in Which Freedom Is an Illusion By John W. Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead February 17, 2022 Share “The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it’s profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.”— Frank Zappa We are no longer free. We are living in a world carefully crafted to resemble a representative democracy, but it’s an illusion. We think we have the freedom to elect our leaders, but we’re only allowed to participate in the reassurance ritual of voting. There can be no true electoral choice or real representation when we’re limited in our options to one of two candidates culled from two parties that both march in lockstep with the Deep State and answer to an oligarchic elite. We think we have freedom of speech, but we’re only as free to speak as the government and its corporate partners allow. We think we have the right to freely exercise our religious beliefs, but those rights are quickly overruled if and when they conflict with the government’s priorities, whether it’s COVID-19 mandates or societal values about gender equality, sex and marriage. We think we have the freedom to go where we want and move about freely, but at every turn, we’re hemmed in by laws, fines and penalties that regulate and restrict our autonomy, and surveillance cameras that monitor our movements. We think we have property interests in our homes and our bodies, but there can be no such freedom when the government can seize your property, raid your home, and dictate what you do with your bodies. We think we have the freedom to defend ourselves against outside threats, but there is no right to self-defense against militarized police who are authorized to probe, poke, pinch, taser, search, seize, strip and generally manhandle anyone they see fit in almost any circumstance, and granted immunity from accountability with the general blessing of the courts. We think we have the right to an assumption of innocence until we are proven guilty, but that burden of proof has been turned on its head by a surveillance state that renders us all suspects and overcriminalization which renders us all lawbreakers. Police-run facial recognition software that mistakenly labels law-abiding citizens as criminals. A social credit system (similar to China’s) that rewards behavior deemed “acceptable” and punishes behavior the government and its corporate allies find offensive, illegal or inappropriate. We think we have the right to due process, but that assurance of justice has been stripped of its power by a judicial system hardwired to act as judge, jury and jailer, leaving us with little recourse for appeal. A perfect example of this rush to judgment can be found in the proliferation of profit-driven speed and red light cameras that do little for safety while padding the pockets of government agencies. We have been saddled with a government that pays lip service to the nation’s freedom principles while working overtime to shred the Constitution. By gradually whittling away at our freedoms—free speech, assembly, due process, privacy, etc.—the government has, in effect, liberated itself from its contractual agreement to respect the constitutional rights of the citizenry. Under the new terms of this revised, one-sided agreement, the government and its many operatives have all the privileges and rights and “we the people” have none. Sold on the idea that safety, security and material comforts are preferable to freedom, we’ve allowed the government to pave over the Constitution in order to erect a concentration camp. The problem with these devil’s bargains, however, is that there is always a catch, always a price to pay for whatever it is we valued so highly as to barter away our most precious possessions. We’ve bartered away our right to self-governance, self-defense, privacy, autonomy and that most important right of all: the right to tell the government to “leave me the hell alone.” In exchange for the promise of safe streets, safe schools, blight-free neighborhoods, lower taxes, lower crime rates, and readily accessible technology, health care, water, food and power, we’ve opened the door to militarized police, government surveillance, asset forfeiture, school zero tolerance policies, license plate readers, red light cameras, SWAT team raids, health care mandates, overcriminalization and government corruption. In the end, such bargains always turn sour. We asked our lawmakers to be tough on crime, and we’ve been saddled with an abundance of laws that criminalize almost every aspect of our lives. So far, we’re up to 4500 criminal laws and 300,000 criminal regulations that result in average Americans unknowingly engaging in criminal acts at least three times a day. We wanted criminals taken off the streets, and we didn’t want to have to pay for their incarceration. What we’ve gotten is a nation that boasts the highest incarceration rate in the world, with more than 2.3 million people locked up, many of them doing time for relatively minor, nonviolent crimes, and a private prison industry fueling the drive for more inmates, who are forced to provide corporations with cheap labor. We wanted law enforcement agencies to have the necessary resources to fight the nation’s wars on terror, crime and drugs. What we got instead were militarized police decked out with M-16 rifles, grenade launchers, silencers, battle tanks and hollow point bullets—gear designed for the battlefield, more than 80,000 SWAT team raids carried out every year (many for routine police tasks, resulting in losses of life and property), and profit-driven schemes that add to the government’s largesse such as asset forfeiture, where police seize property from “suspected criminals.” We fell for the government’s promise of safer roads, only to find ourselves caught in a tangle of profit-driven red-light cameras, which ticket unsuspecting drivers in the so-called name of road safety while ostensibly fattening the coffers of local and state governments. Despite widespread public opposition, corruption and systemic malfunctions, these cameras are particularly popular with municipalities, which look to them as an easy means of extra cash. We’re being subjected to the oldest con game in the books, the magician’s sleight of hand that keeps you focused on the shell game in front of you while your wallet is being picked clean by ruffians in your midst. This is how tyranny rises and freedom falls. With every new law enacted by federal and state legislatures, every new ruling handed down by government courts, and every new military weapon, invasive tactic and egregious protocol employed by government agents, “we the people” are being reminded that we possess no rights except for that which the government grants on an as-needed basis. We can no longer maintain the illusion of freedom. As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, “we the people” have become “we the prisoners.” Editor’s Note:John Whitehead's commentary are his views and he is open for discussion, he can be contacted at: johnw@rutherford.org . Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at: www.rutherford.org < Previous News Next News >

Don’t Be Distracted: Circus Politics Are Intended To Distract Us By John & Nisha Whitehead April 6, 2023 Share It is easy to be distracted right now by the bread and circus politics that have dominated the news headlines lately, but don’t be distracted. Don’t be fooled, not even a little. We’re being subjected to the oldest con game in the books, the magician’s sleight of hand that keeps you focused on the shell game in front of you while your wallet is being picked clean by ruffians in your midst. This is how tyranny rises and freedom falls. What characterizes American Government today is not so much dysfunctional politics as it is ruthlessly contrived governance carried out behind the entertaining, distracting and disingenuous curtain of political theater. And what political theater it is, diabolically Shakespearean at times, full of sound and fury, yet in the end, signifying nothing. We are being ruled by a government of scoundrels, spies, thugs, thieves, gangsters, ruffians, extortionists, bounty hunters, battle-ready warriors and cold-blooded killers who communicate using a language of force and oppression. The U.S. Government now poses the greatest threat to our freedoms. More than Terrorism, more than domestic extremism, more than gun violence and organized crime, even more than the perceived threat posed by any single politician, the U.S. Government remains a greater menace to the life, liberty and property of its citizens than any of the so-called dangers from which the government claims to protect us. No matter who has occupied the White House in recent years, the Deep State has succeeded in keeping the citizenry divided and at each other’s throats. After all, as long as we’re busy fighting each other, we’ll never manage to present a unified front against tyranny in any form. Unfortunately, what we are facing is tyranny in every form. The facts speak for themselves. We’re being robbed blind by a government of thieves. Americans no longer have any real protection against government agents empowered to seize private property at will. For instance, police agencies under the guise of asset forfeiture laws are taking Americans’ personal property based on little more than a suspicion of criminal activity and keeping it for their own profit and gain. In one case, police seized more than $17,000 in cash from two sisters who were trying to start a dog breeding business. Despite finding no evidence of wrongdoing, police held onto the money for months. We’re being taken advantage of by a government of scoundrels, idiots and cowards. When you’ve got government representatives who spend a large chunk of their work hours fundraising, being feted by lobbyists, shuffling through a lucrative revolving door between public service and lobbying and making themselves available to anyone with enough money to secure access to a congressional office, you’re in the clutches of a corrupt oligarchy. We’re being locked up by a government of greedy jailers. We have become a carceral state, spending three times more on our prisons than on our schools and imprisoning close to a quarter of the world’s prisoners, despite the fact that crime remains relatively low and the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world’s population. The rise of overcriminalization and profit-driven private prisons provides even greater incentives for locking up American citizens for such non-violent “crimes” as having an overgrown lawn. We’re being spied on by a government of Peeping Toms. The government, along with its corporate partners, is watching everything you do, reading everything you write, listening to everything you say and monitoring everything you spend. Omnipresent surveillance is paving the way for government programs that profile citizens, document their behavior and attempt to predict what they might do in the future, whether it’s what they might buy, what politician they might support, or what kinds of crimes they might commit. We’re being ravaged by a government of ruffians, rapists and killers. It’s not just the police shootings of unarmed citizens that are worrisome. It’s the SWAT team raids gone wrong—more than 80,000 annually—that are leaving innocent citizens wounded, children terrorized and family pets killed. It’s the roadside strip searches—in some cases, cavity searches of men and women alike carried out in full view of the public—in pursuit of drugs that are never found. We’re being forced to surrender our freedoms—and those of our children—to a government of extortionists, money launderers and professional pirates. The American people have repeatedly been sold a bill of goods about how the government needs more money, more expansive powers and more secrecy (secret courts, secret budgets, secret military campaigns, secret surveillance) in order to keep us safe. Not surprisingly, the primary ones to benefit from these government exercises in legal money laundering have been the corporations, lobbyists and politicians who inflict them on a trusting public. We’re being held at gunpoint by a government of soldiers: a standing army. The U.S. Government is creating its own standing army of militarized police and teams of weaponized, federal bureaucrats. These civilian employees are being armed to the hilt with guns, ammunition and military-style equipment; authorized to make arrests and trained in military tactics. There are now reportedly more bureaucratic (non-military) government civilians armed with high-tech, deadly weapons than U.S. Marines. Whatever else it may be—a danger, a menace, a threat—the U.S. Government is certainly no friend to freedom. You cannot have a republican form of government—nor a democratic one, for that matter—when the government views itself as superior to the citizenry, when it no longer operates for the benefit of the people, when the people are no longer able to peacefully reform their government, when government officials cease to act like public servants, when elected officials no longer represent the will of the people, when the government routinely violates the rights of the people and perpetuates more violence against the citizenry than the criminal class, when government spending is unaccountable and unaccounted for, when the judiciary act as courts of order rather than justice, and when the government is no longer bound by the laws of the Constitution. As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, we no longer have a government “of the people, by the people and for the people.” Rather, what we have is a government of wolves. Editor’s Note: John Whitehead is an Attorney and Author who has written, debated and practiced widely in the area of Constitutional Law, Human Rights and Popular Culture. John Whitehead's Commentary are his views and he is open for discussion, he can be contacted at: johnw@rutherford.org . Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at: www.rutherford.org < Previous News Next News >

Aventura Updates: Advisory Board Applications, Park Hours & Aventura Police Reaccreditation November 19, 2021 Share The City of Aventura is accepting applications for a limited number of member positions available on the Arts and Cultural Center’s Advisory Board from Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021 through Wednesday, December 8th, 2021. Potential board members should have an interest and/or experience in the performing arts and relevant cultural programming. The Mission of the Board is to assist the City in maintaining a facility that offers a wide range of quality entertainment year-round and cultivates partnerships with other local and regional organizations to enhance the quality of life for Aventura by providing a variety of performing arts and relevant cultural programming for audiences of all ages. The downloadable application is available on-line at: www.cityofaventura.com . All completed applications and resumés can be submitted by mail to: Office Of The City Manager 19200 West Country Club Drive, Aventura, Florida 33180. By fax to: (305) 466-8919. Or by e-mail to: wassonr@cityofaventura.com . Aventura Park Hours Change for the Upcoming Season The City changed its parks hours of operation for the upcoming winter season as of Sunday, November 7th, 2021. Founders Park, Peace Park and Veterans Park, will be open daily (excluding Tuesdays) from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Waterways Park will be open Monday through Friday (excluding Tuesdays) from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on weekends from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. On the weekday(s) when the neighboring Don Soffer Aventura High School is not in session, the park will be open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Waterways Dog Park will be open daily (excluding Wednesdays) from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Get outdoors and enjoy Aventura’s City Parks! For more information, contact the City of Aventura Community Services Department at: (305) 466-0183. Or via e-mail at: parksrec@cityofaventura.com . Aventura Police Department Reaccreditation The Aventura Police Department is scheduled for a virtual assessment as part of a program to achieve reaccreditation by verifying it meets professional standards. The assessment will occur Monday, November 15th, 2021, Tuesday, November 16th, 2021 and Wednesday, November 17th, 2021. Administered by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with the state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations and support services. As part of the virtual assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments during a call-in session and public hearing. The call-in session and public hearing provide a venue for members of the public to interact with the assessors, ask questions about the accreditation process, or comment on the Department's compliance with accreditation standards. Anyone wishing to offer comments to the Assessment Team can call: (305) 466-8070. On Monday, November 15th, 2021 between the hours of 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. A Public Hearing will be conducted virtually via Zoom. To join the session, visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86223693467 Webinar ID: 862 2369 3467 Tuesday, November 16th, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Telephone comments, as well as appearances at the public information session, are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency's ability to comply with CALEA's standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Aventura Police Department, located at 19200 West Country Club Drive, Aventura, Florida 33180. For more information, call The Aventura Police Department’s Captain, Cosimo Castronovo at: (305) 466-8047. Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Aventura Police Department's ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them by mail to: The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (GALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia 20155. Or by e-mail to: calea@calea.org with "Aventura Police" listed in the subject line. This information session is open to the public. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, all persons who are disabled and who need special accommodations to participate in the information session because of that disability should contact the office of the City Clerk no later than two days prior to such proceedings, by calling: (305) 466-8901. Please be advised that one or more members of the Aventura City Commission and Advisory Boards of the City may attend and participate in this public information session. < Previous News Next News >

The City of Hollywood Rewards Customers for Saving Water September 1, 2022 Share For more than 12 years, the City of Hollywood has been providing qualified water customers up to $100 with the Toilet Rebate Program. Toilets are the third highest water use item in your home, behind showers and washing machines. To help customers conserve water, the City of Hollywood Department of Public Services offers this rebate program to customers who purchase and install new, more efficient toilet fixtures. More than 5,000 toilets have been distributed since the rebate program began more than 12 years ago. That’s more than 400 toilets each year! Public Utilities is a proud partner in helping customers achieve lower water usage by encouraging the installation of new fixtures that use less water. Water customers who participate in the rebate program receive a credit of up to $100 towards the cost of a new toilet, plus they save on future bills while conserving water. That conservation also saves energy that is used in the water production process, thereby reducing the City’s overall carbon footprint. If you are a City of Hollywood water customer, getting a rebate is as easy as 1-2-3: 1. Qualify by having a toilet that uses 1.6 or more gallons per flush that you want to replace and a City of Hollywood Water Account* 2. Replace the water-wasting toilet with a new EPA-approved toilet of your choice. Look for the “WaterSense” label (below). 3. Complete your rebate application (including signed form, water bill, itemized toilet receipt and photo of toilet showing it has been installed) and submit by emailing to: H2Oprogram@hollywoodfl.org . Once your application is approved you will receive a water bill credit for up to $100 of the pre-tax cost of the toilet on a future water bill. To download an application or for more information, please visit: www.hollywoodfl.org/404/Toilet-Rebates *Applicants under third party water billing (e.g. Condo/HOA) may still apply. However, the bill recipient must provide a copy of the water bill to be credited and sign the rebate application stating that they will reimburse the toilet purchaser (you) for the credit via monthly maintenance or other fees. < Previous News Next News >

Celebrate Diversity: August Is National Black Business Month Fri Jul 19 2024 16:16:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A Night of Laughter And Luxury: Bryan Callen Takes Center Stage In Aventura December 28, 2023 Share Aventura is about to witness a comedic extravaganza as the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa proudly presents an evening with the multitalented Bryan Callen. Set for Saturday, January 13th, 2024, the King Ballroom at the luxurious resort will transform into a laughter hub, promising an unforgettable experience for comedy enthusiasts. Bryan Callen, the Prolific American Actor, Comedian and Podcasting Luminary, brings his Seasoned Stand-Up Comedy to the heart of Aventura. Renowned for his roles in iconic TV Shows like ABC's 'Schooled' and 'The Goldbergs,' alongside scene-stealing performances in movies such as 'The Hangover' series and 'Joker,' Callen's versatile talent has etched him into the fabric of Hollywood's Comedic Realm. His comedic journey is a tapestry woven with appearances on a myriad of shows ranging from classics like 'Friends' to contemporary hits such as 'How I Met Your Mother.' Callen's Filmography spans from cult favorites like 'Old School' to recent hits like 'Ride Along' and 'Think Like A Dog,' showcasing his adaptability across genres. But it's not just his on-screen charisma that garners attention; Callen's prowess extends beyond acting. As a veteran headliner in theaters and comedy clubs globally, he's a maestro in tickling funny bones. His third one-hour special, "Complicated Apes," soared to the top of iTunes Charts upon its release in 2019, cementing his status as a comedic virtuoso. Beyond the spotlight, Callen's presence is felt in the podcasting sphere, notably Co-Hosting 'The Fighter & The Kid,' a Podcast that consistently dominates the iTunes Charts. His appearances on revered shows like 'The Joe Rogan Experience' and 'Fight Companion' have further solidified his place in the podcasting pantheon. For the ardent fans, Callen's solo venture, 'The Bryan Callen Show,' remains a must-listen. And for loyalists of the uproariously funny 'Ten Minute Podcast,' the banter between Callen, Chris D'Elia, and Will Sasso continues to captivate audiences. Saturday, January 13th, 2024 marks an exclusive opportunity to witness Callen's comedic genius live. The King Ballroom at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa will host this special event, starting at 8:30 p.m. Attendees can indulge in a Pre-Show Culinary Delight with a Specially Curated Menu at CORSAIR Kitchen & Bar or BOURBON STEAK, available at an exclusive price of $60 Per Person, Excluding: Tax and Gratuity upon Presentation of Concert Tickets. Admission to the comedic spectacle is priced at $75 Per Person, offering an evening filled with unrivaled laughter. For an added touch, a Meet And Greet option is available for $95, allowing fans to get up close and personal with the comedic luminary himself. For those seeking a complete immersion in luxury and entertainment, a Special One-Night-Only Package awaits. It includes: Two Meet And Greet VIP Tickets alongside a $25 Resort Credit, ensuring a night of indulgence and laughter. This exclusive offer can be purchased online at: www.jwturnberry.com - using the Booking Code: AJF. Nestled between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa epitomizes accessible luxury spread across 300 acres of tropical paradise. Its array of offerings, from two championship golf courses redesigned by Raymond Floyd to the acclaimed âme Spa & Wellness Collective and the engaging Turnberry Kids camp, paints a canvas of opulence and rejuvenation. With 685 Spacious Guest Rooms and Suites, the resort boasts 121,000 Square Feet of Meeting Space and the culinary excellence of Celebrity Chef Michael Mina's BOURBON STEAK and CORSAIR Kitchen & Bar. Notably, the resort's accolades, including: The Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Award and recognition in U.S. News & World Report's Best Hotels, underscore its commitment to excellence. As the date approaches, anticipation mounts for an evening brimming with laughter, luxury, and unforgettable moments. Reduced Valet Parking is available for all attendees, ensuring a seamless arrival at the resort's enchanting setting. Prepare to immerse yourself in an evening of comedy and opulence as Bryan Callen graces the stage for an exclusive performance, promising an experience that transcends the ordinary and resonates with the extraordinary. For further details and reservations, visit: www.jwturnberry.com - with Booking Code: AJF. < Previous News Next News >

A City Of Hallandale Beach First: The City Of Hallandale Beach Has Installed Stormwater Pollution Prevention Filters September 9, 2021 Share This pilot project will not only reduce the amount of plastics, chemical pollution, and debris that enter the local waterbodies The City Of Hallandale Beach, is the first City in South Florida, to install a patented Storm Drain Marker System including, Special Pollution Prevention Filters. The System was recently installed, into some of the Stormwater Catch Basins, in the Three Islands Neighborhood, Of The City. This Pilot Location, was selected based on Resident Feedback, about the width of, The Catch Basin Openings, in The Neighborhood and the resulting amount of debris caught and carried, into The City's Waterways. This Pilot Project will not only reduce the amount of plastics, chemical pollution and debris that enter the local water bodies, but it will also provide an opportunity for residents to engage with the City. Community Members are encouraged to scan unique QR codes, placed on the storm drains, to upload photos of storm drain conditions in real time and report debris buildup, report illegal dumping of pollutants and also, to learn more about the City’s rules and regulations, related to stormwater, sustainability and environmental compliance. “This is a great project that will do a tremendous amount, to help us mitigate flooding, by keeping our stormwater system clean. Our City’s motto is “Progress, Innovation, Opportunity” and projects such as these, are a fantastic example ,that our City is living up to that motto, for the benefit of all of its Residents,” said City Manager Dr. Jeremy Earle. “In 2018, we passed Broward County’s First, Plastic Straw Ban, helping to reduce, The Sources Of Plastic Pollution. This Pilot Project helps us deal with The Local Plastic Pollution, which still remains. A great deal of Pollution enters our environment via streets and stormwater systems, so I am proud that The City is installing these and engaging our Residents, through this Pilot Project,” said Alyssa Jones Wood, The City’s Sustainability & Resiliency Officer. The Storm Drain Marker System, is a product of SOP Technologies, in Miami, Florida, which provides technologies to prevent ocean pollution, prevent floods, and provide cost savings to communities and businesses around the world. < Previous News Next News >