Live in a home governed by a condominium, co-op or homeowner’s association? Have questions about what they can and cannot do? Ryan Poliakoff , an attorney and author based in Boca Raton, has answers.
Question: My hurricane shutters were removed to do concrete restoration work. They were taken down prior to July 1, 2024. Since the restoration is not finished, who is responsible to put them back up? Also, when the shutters were taken down, they worked fine, but the manner in which they were taken down damaged the shutters, and so I cannot reinstall them. Is the association and or the contractor responsible for the damage to the shutters? Signed, C.Z.
Dear C.Z.,
I touched upon this issue in a prior column, but I did not evaluate it in detail. Effective July 1, 2024, the Condominium Act now provides that “a unit owner is not responsible for the cost of any removal or reinstallation of hurricane protection, including exterior windows, doors, or other apertures, if its removal is necessary for the maintenance, repair, or replacement of other condominium property or association property for which the association is responsible.”