Florida HOA-homeowners at board meetings

[flrider]

What is the name of your state? Florida
Our HOA Board of Directors meetings are sometimes held in the residence of one of the Directors. Florida statutes and our DOCCRs state homeowners are allowed to attend Board meetings, and allow for homeowners to speak a minimum of 3 minutes for each topic covered, record and or video meetings...

My question is: When the board meeting is in a director's home, can that director restrict or limit the rights of general homeowners who attend the meeting in any way? As opposed to a meeting held at a public office, etc. Can the director have a homeowner removed from their home, or otherwise threaten, taunt, harass, etc. the homeowners who attend?

[Paddy Reagan]

I've attended hundreds of association meetings over the years in locations ranging from pool decks to noisy restaurants. The presumption has always been the same: Once a meeting has been called to order, the locale ceases to be a factor. Florida's sunshine statutes require open meetings and, with rare exceptions, the condo/co-op/HOA rules state that owners cannot be barred from meetings.

It's also true that some issues provoke heated debate and tempers aren't always controlled. On more than one occasion it's been necessary to call in security or police officers to maintain peace. However, unless something like this precipitated the events you described, the director in question seems far off base and the location of the meeting gives him/her no special privilege.

It's up to the board of directors to maintain control and prevent such behavior. If they're incapable of doing so in this home, the meetings should be moved. Otherwise, the next step for the offended owner(s) is a formal complaint to the State's Department of Business and Professional Regulation.