CONDO LINE

It's not nice to identify deadbeats

Q: Several board members are curious as to whether the board can publish, in the monthly board minutes, the names of delinquent owners. I understand that liens, foreclosures and bankruptcies are public information, so is it appropriate for us to publish these unit numbers and owners' names in the monthly treasurer's report? Like many condominium associations, we are experiencing substantial financial distress due to nonpayment, and some board members feel that the other owners should know who the ''deadbeats'' are. What is your advice?

CONDO LINE

Who has to pay for carpet removal?

Q: A few years back, some owners were allowed to install carpet on the walks of their building. We are planning to paint and weatherproof our building. The board is requiring that the owners have the carpet removed at their expense. The board says that the carpet is not in compliance with Florida law. Who is now responsible for the cost of removal of the carpet?

CONDO LINE

Homeowners not paying dues

Q: I have paid my homeowners' association fees for years. Recently, all homeowners were assessed an extra fee because many homeowners have not paid their dues, some of them for more than one year. Although I realize that foreclosures and hardships have hurt many individuals, some have simply refused to pay their dues. My understanding from attending the meeting was that every time the association has to pay a lawyer to send a letter and/or put a lien on a property, the rest of the association is absorbing the cost.

CONDO LINE

New owner worries about short sales

Q: We are about to close on a short sale in a condominium association. We understand that many of the condos are available on a short sale status in this building. We have heard that on our unit, the bank is negotiating with the builder on back HOA unpaid fees. Reading your column regularly, we see that the builder should have made efforts to foreclose on the delinquent units. Now we are concerned that when the property moves from the builder to the association all these short sale units that are not sold will be pending unpaid liabilities for the community. Can you help us to understand what the situation might be?

CONDO LINE

Directors left, association dissolved

Q: I live in a condominium and since late 2007 we have been without a working board of directors. One by one, the directors have moved and some have sold their units. Some have just failed to serve as directors. Two years ago the former president filed the annual report but none has been filed since. Our condominium has been dissolved by the state. We notified the Division of Corporations but it advised us to seek the advice of an attorney. Should we file for a new association or keep the same association?

CONDO LINE

Owners want to combine 2 units

Q: We now realize that we are unable to maintain both our home up North and our condominium here in Florida. Because we have two homes of furnishings, we would like to buy the unit next to ours and open the wall to provide the area we will need. We know we will have to pay taxes and fees on both units. Would it be legal to own both units and can we connect the units?

CONDO LINE

Too many hands on the money?

Q: Our board has relieved our treasurer of her position while disclosing at a shareholder meeting that she has done nothing wrong or illegal. Now three people on the board have taken over the job of writing checks and distributing funds. The board is also talking about having a nonvoting shareholder do data entry of the finances. From what I have been told, a nonvoting shareholder does not have to be bonded. If this is so, who would be accountable for financial errors or losses?

CONDO LINE

Trash bags raise neighbor's ire

Q: I live in a deed-restricted townhome community and have a neighbor who thinks the county's right-of-way is her property. She will not allow me to put out my trash bags for pickup even though it is a common area. She throws my garbage and yard waste onto my driveway. The association, police officers and waste removal service representatives have spoken to her yet she refuses to allow me to utilize this service area. What do you suggest I do?

REAL ESTATE

Former South Florida condo-hotel king Robert Falor accused of misspending millions

Former condo-hotel magnate Robert Falor is accused of using investor dollars to buy Bentleys and jet rides instead of converting South Beach hotels into condominiums.

Miami event to focus on condo market

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce examines the downtown condo market Wednesday in the session: Downtown Housing: An Honest Appraisal.

The event is at the chamber, 1601 Biscayne Blvd., at noon. Registration and lunch begin at 11:30 am. Tickets cost $30. For more information, contact Tania Valenzuela, 305-577-5491 or tvalenzuela@miami chamber.com.