Can snowbirds serve on your condo board?

by: Daniel Vasquez September 9th, 2011 | 10:13 AM

Serving on a condominium or homeowners board of directors is serious work and can be a full-time endeavor. But should communities allow owners who do not live in a community or only live in a community part of the year serve?

Are there restrictions about residency?

The Florida Condominium Act states “every owner” is eligible to serve on the board except for certain exceptions that have been carved out concerning delinquency, past felony history and co-ownership, says attorney and guest Sun Sentinel blogger Donna Berger. Statutes for homeowner communities are similar, though no exceptions are made for co-ownership. That means that in a condo and HOA community, snowbirds and non-residents who still own their property would be entitled to run for and serve on the board.

However many governing documents do require that directors be owners, which is why board members and owners should check the language in their documents to be sure.

So the law seems to stand by the notion that owners who do not live full-time in a community - snowbirds and landlords/investors included - have the right to serve on a board.