THE INCOMPETENT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGERS EMPLOYMENT ACT

An Opinion By Jan Bergemann
President, Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.

Published January 17, 2026

Senator Joe Gruters and Representative Danny Nix filed companion bills HB 465 and SB 822. They headlined the bill: Community Association Management! That’s actually very misleading because in all reality the bill should be headlined: “THE INCOMPETENT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGERS EMPLOYMENT ACT”.

I had to read the bill twice before believing my eyes. The bill would force community associations with a budget of more than $500.000.00 to hire a community association management company or a licensed community association manager (CAM). It’s pretty obvious that the sponsors of this bill listened more to campaign funds than to their constituents.

There have been many media reports about “battles” and lawsuits between boards – and owners – and management companies and there have been as well reports about CAMs being involved in embezzlement scams. Just days before the bills were officially published, owners won a $5.8M JURY VERDICT against the SOUTH FLORIDA CONDOMINIUM MANAGEMENT, INC. More and more associations are no longer willing to work with management companies and decided to manage the association without the “help” of a management company.

After reading the bill I sent this message to the two bill sponsors:

Dear Senator Joe Gruters and Honorable Representative Danny Nix,

I am not sure what Mark Anderson told you when asking you to file SB 822 + HB 465(Community Association Management). Lots of community associations had serious problems with CAMs (Community Association Management Companies). From embezzlement to fraud, false interpretations of laws to failure to follow record inspection requests, we have seen it all! The media permanently reports about lawsuits between management companies and community associations. Just last week a condo association won a $6.3M lawsuit against a management company in Miami. The DBPR, supposedly in charge of CAM licensing, is totally failing to follow up on serious complaints against CAMs.

Many community associations are happy to have finally gotten rid of their management company. And your bill wants to force them to hire a management company again?

I can gladly supply you with more detailed complaints and lawsuits against management companies.

I ask you to please reconsider pushing this bill that is definitely not in the best interest of associations and owners. It should be left to owners and associations if they want to hire a management company.

Thank you for listening to our concerns!

Warm Regards,

Jan Bergemann

President

Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.

I didn’t get a response and both legislators continue to push their bills. The House bill was on Tuesday voted favorably out of the Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee. Next stop the HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.

I did send the members of this committee the following message:

Honorable Representative,

As a member of the House Commerce Committee you will soon hear HB 465 – headlined “Community Association Management”. The headline should rather read: “THE INCOMPETENT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGERS EMPLOYMENT ACT”.

This is the message I sent to the two bill sponsors - Representative Danny Nix and Senator Joe Gruters - after seeing this bill published:

I am not sure what Mark Anderson told you when asking you to file SB 822 (Community Association Management). Lots of community associations had serious problems with CAMs (Community Association Management Companies). From embezzlement to fraud, false interpretations of laws to failure to follow record inspection requests, we have seen it all! The media permanently reports about lawsuits between management companies and community associations. Just last week a condo association won a $6.3M lawsuit against a management company in Miami. The DBPR, supposedly in charge of CAM licensing, is totally failing to follow up on serious complaints against CAMs.

Many community associations are happy to have finally gotten rid of their management company. And your bill wants to force them to hire a management company again?

I can gladly supply you with more detailed complaints and lawsuits against management companies.

I never received a response from these legislators. This bill is a typical example why some legislators are more interested in campaign funds than in the welfare of their constituents.

If you are interested in further information about this bill, you might want to read my OP-ED on this bill.

Please vote “NAY” on this bill. It is definitely against the interest of your constituents living in community associations. They already have enough problems in their communities caused by quickly increasing cost of living. Please don’t add more cost to their financial disasters!

Thank you for listening to our concerns!

Warm Regards,

Jan Bergemann

President

Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.

Let’s see if the members of the House Commerce Committee are more interested in the opinion of their constituents than Representative Danny Nix and Senator Joe Gruters.

This leaves me with three unanswered questions:

Don’t we already have enough laws regulating community association laws that are only enforceable – like the record inspection law -- if you risk a lawsuit that may cost around $500.000.00?
Who would enforce such law if the board – and the owners – decides to ignore this law – if enacted?
Shouldn’t the owners, who are paying the bills, be the ones to decide if they want a community association management company to run their business – and not some legislators in Tallahassee?

I was always under the impression that Republicans were against OVER-REGULATING? Obviously Representative Danny Nix and Senator Joe Gruters didn’t get the message!