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Article
Courtesy of AOL Today
By Baileigh Bockover
Published March 21, 2026
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The Brief
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Residents of Concorde Estates are questioning
how nearly $1 million was spent in just 20 days.
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Senate Bill 1180, currently on the Governor’s
desk, would create the first-ever process to recall
Community Development District (CDD) board members.
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The Board Chairman maintains the spending was
for legitimate infrastructure and bond obligations, citing
clean independent audits.
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KISSIMMEE - Residents in the Concorde Estates
neighborhood say they want answers after discovering that nearly $900,000 of
their community district’s budget was spent within about three weeks late
last year.
In the quiet streets of Concorde Estates, homeowners Aidee Velez and Debbie
Zertuche say they are at a breaking point with their community.
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The backstory
The neighborhood, managed by a Community Development
District (CDD), has become the center of a million-dollar
mystery that residents claim is costing them their homes.
"I’ve seen a huge increase in the mortgage," said Zertuche.
"I was at $1,400—I'm at $1,900 now."
The financial strain began to peak after residents started
digging through district records. They discovered that in
December 2024, nearly $900,000—roughly half of the
district's annual budget—was spent in a single 20-day
window. With grass reportedly reaching five feet tall in
common areas and parks falling into disrepair, neighbors are
demanding to know exactly where that money went. |
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Board’s perspective
The Concorde Estates CDD sees things differently. In a statement to FOX 35,
Board Chairman Victor Cruz explained that the expenditures were tied to the
"normal operation" of the district. Cruz noted that a significant portion of
the funds went toward maintaining the neighborhood and addressing old bond
obligations from properties that had previously gone into foreclosure.
Cruz further emphasized that independent financial audits have not
identified any findings of fraud or material misappropriation of funds.
New path to accountability
This back-and-forth comes as a new bill sitting on the governor's desk,
Senate Bill 1180, promises to change the power dynamic between homeowners
and CDD boards. Currently, Florida law offers no mechanism for residents to
remove CDD supervisors before their terms end. SB 1180 would mirror the
recall process used for city and county officials, allowing homeowners to
oust members for malfeasance, misfeasance, or neglect of duty.
"We are so excited. It's absolutely amazing," said Velez. "We are so happy,
so thankful that the bill passed."
However, Cruz warns the new recall law could cause significant problems. He
argues it could create "governance instability" and uncertainty, as CDD
boards are responsible for complex, long-term financial management,
including infrastructure bonds and community maintenance.
What's next
The future of the Concorde Estates board now rests with Governor Ron
DeSantis. If the bill is signed, it is slated to go into effect on July 1,
2026.
The Source
This story was written based on information shared by residents in the
Concorde Estates neighborhood in Osceola County and from Senate Bill 1180.
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