HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - January 30, 2026
Published: Fri, 01/30/26
Updated: Thu, 02/05/26
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HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - January 30, 2026
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An HOAleader.com reader says their board passed a mistake-filled budget, over their objections, and didn't provide proper notice for the meeting at which they did that.
In this week's tip, we figure out whether this is the hill this owner should die on.
According to our reader: “Our Florida condo association board along with the community association manager generated the 2026 proposed budget increasing our dues by $20 per month.
I reviewed the budget in detail and found errors on several line items that would reduce the increase in dues down to at least $2 per month instead of $20. I emailed the board and the CAM three times with detailed spreadsheets supporting my numbers. I heard nothing from the board over the following three weeks.
The final approval of the budget was held last Tuesday, and once again I brought up the errors in certain line items, some of them so apparent, anyone could see it. The board chose to completely ignore my input to adjust the final budget, as well as two other homeowners, and left it as it was originally proposed with a unanimous vote.
My question is, although the budget doesn't meet the 115 percent increase threshold from the previous year, can we as homeowners demand that the budget be updated to remove the errors due to mismanagement with a signed petition from membership?
In addition, the agenda that had the budget approval stated on it was sent out to membership 12 days prior to the board meeting instead of 14 days. The board also didn't attach a copy of the proposed budget to the agenda. Our governing documents follow Florida statutes as stated. What recourse do we have regarding the process or lack thereof in finalizing the budget?”
Our experts say this board might have made some technical errors. It's not entirely clear what our reader means by mistakes in the budget, says Lisa Magill, CCAL, of counsel based in Pompano Beach, Fla., Kaye, Bender & Rembaum, who represents about 80 condos and HOAs throughout Florida.
“It could mean a couple of different things,” she says. “People make mistakes. There could be adding mistakes. There could be transposed lines, like putting pest control where they needed to put landscaping. There are all kinds of different mistakes you could make in a budget. If it's a math mistake, management can say that, and it can be corrected at any time, and whatever any people had paid based on that can be adjusted.
“But here, we don't know what the owner is really saying,” notes Magill. “The owners elect the board, and the board is responsible for adopting the budget. That's the operative budget of the association, and they may or may not want to take input from members who see ways to reduce the numbers.”
Our other experts also say this board may not have done much wrong in passing the budget. That notice, however? It looks flawed. But will a battle over these issues end any differently than the situation now stands? Find out in our new article: https://www.hoaleader.com/members/5246.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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