Fla. Stat. § 719.301 — Florida Code / Title XL / Chapter 719 / Part III / Section 719.301
719.301 Transfer of association control.
Status: in_force

(1) When unit owners other than the developer own 15 percent or more of the units in a cooperative that will be operated ultimately by an association, the unit owners other than the developer shall be entitled to elect not less than one-third of the members of the board of administration of the association. Unit owners other than the developer are entitled to elect not less than a majority of the members of the board of administration of an association: (a) Three years after 50 percent of the units that will be operated ultimately by the association have been conveyed to purchasers; (b) Three months after 90 percent of the units that will be operated ultimately by the association have been conveyed to purchasers; (c) When all the units that will be operated ultimately by the association have been completed, some have been conveyed to purchasers, and none of the others are being offered for sale by the developer in the ordinary course of business; (d) When some of the units have been conveyed to purchasers and none of the others are being constructed or offered for sale by the developer in the ordinary course of business; or (e) Seven years after creation of the cooperative association, whichever occurs first. The developer is entitled to elect at least one member of the board of administration of an association as long as the developer holds for sale in the ordinary course of business at least 5 percent in cooperatives with fewer than 500 units and 2 percent in cooperatives with 500 or more units in a cooperative operated by the association. After the developer relinquishes control of the association, the developer may exercise the right to vote any developer-owned units in the same manner as any other unit owner except for purposes of reacquiring control of the association or selecting the majority of the members of the board.

(2) Within 75 days after the unit owners other than the developer are entitled to elect a member or members of the board of administration of an association, the association shall call, and give not less than 60 days’ notice of, an election for the members of the board of administration. The election shall proceed as provided in s. 719.106(1)(d). The notice may be given by any unit owner if the association fails to do so. Upon election of the first unit owner other than the developer to the board of administration, the developer shall forward to the division the name and mailing address of the unit owner board member.

(3) If a developer holds units for sale in the ordinary course of business, none of the following actions may be taken without approval in writing by the developer: (a) Assessment of the developer as a unit owner for capital improvements. (b) Any action by the association that would be detrimental to the sales of units by the developer. However, an increase in assessments for common expenses without discrimination against the developer shall not be deemed to be detrimental to the sales of units.

(4) When unit owners other than the developer elect a majority of the members of the board of administration of an association, the developer shall relinquish control of the association, and the unit owners shall accept control. Simultaneously, or for the purpose of paragraph (c) not more than 90 days thereafter, the developer shall deliver to the association, at the developer’s expense, all property of the unit owners and of the association held or controlled by the developer, including, but not limited to, the following items, if applicable, as to each cooperative operated by the association: (a)1. The original or a photocopy of the recorded cooperative documents and all amendments thereto. If a photocopy is provided, it shall be certified by affidavit of the developer, or an officer or agent of the developer, as being a complete copy of the actual recorded cooperative documents. 2. A certified copy of the association’s articles of incorporation, or if it is not incorporated, then copies of the documents creating the association. 3. A copy of the bylaws. 4. The minute books, including all minutes, and other books and records of the association, if any. 5. Any house rules and regulations which have been promulgated. (b) Resignations of officers and members of the board of administration who are required to resign because the developer is required to relinquish control of the association. (c) The financial records, including financial statements of the association, and source documents since the incorporation of the association through the date of turnover. The records shall be audited for the period of the incorporation of the association or for the period covered by the last audit, if an audit has been performed for each fiscal year since incorporation, by an independent certified public accountant. All financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards and shall be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards as prescribed by the Board of Accountancy. The accountant performing the review shall examine to the extent necessary supporting documents and records, including the cash disbursements and related paid invoices to determine if expenditures were for association purposes and the billings, cash receipts, and related records to determine that the developer was charged and paid the proper amounts of assessments. (d) Association funds or control thereof. (e) All tangible personal property that is property of the association, represented by the developer to be part of the common areas or ostensibly part of the common areas, and an inventory of that property. (f) A copy of the plans and specifications utilized in the construction or remodeling of improvements and the supplying of equipment to the cooperative and in the construction and installation of all mechanical components serving the improvements and the site, with a certificate in affidavit form of the developer, the developer’s agent, or an architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state that such plans and specifications represent, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the actual plans and specifications utilized in the construction and improvement of the cooperative property and for the construction and installation of the mechanical components serving the improvements. If the cooperative property has been organized as a cooperative more than 3 years after the completion of construction or remodeling of the improvements, the requirements of this paragraph shall not apply. (g) A list of the names and addresses, of which the developer had knowledge at any time in the development of the cooperative, of all contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers utilized in the construction or remodeling of the improvements and in the landscaping. (h) Insurance policies. (i) Copies of any certificates of occupancy which may have been issued for the cooperative property. (j) Any other permits issued by governmental bodies applicable to the cooperative property in force or issued within 1 year prior to the date the unit owners other than the developer take control of the association. (k) All written warranties of the contractor, subcontractors, suppliers, and manufacturers, if any, that are still effective. (l) A roster of unit owners and their addresses and telephone numbers, if known, as shown on the developer’s records. (m) Leases of the common areas and other leases to which the association is a party. (n) Employment contracts or service contracts in which the association is one of the contracting parties or service contracts in which the association or the unit owners have an obligation or responsibility, directly or indirectly, to pay some or all of the fee or charge of the person or persons performing the service. (o) All other contracts to which the association is a party. (p) Notwithstanding when the certificate of occupancy was issued or the height of the building, a turnover inspection report included in the official records, under seal of an architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state or a person certified as a reserve specialist or professional reserve analyst by the Community Associations Institute or the Association of Professional Reserve Analysts, consisting of a structural integrity reserve study attesting to required maintenance, condition, useful life, and replacement costs of the following applicable cooperative property: 1. Roof. 2. Structure, including load-bearing walls and primary structural members and primary structural systems as those terms are defined in s. 627.706. 3. Fireproofing and fire protection systems. 4. Plumbing. 5. Electrical systems. 6. Waterproofing and exterior painting. 7. Windows and exterior doors. (q) Notwithstanding when the certificate of occupancy was issued or the height of the building, a turnover inspection report included in the official records, under seal of an architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state or a person certified as a reserve specialist or professional reserve analyst by the Community Associations Institute or the Association of Professional Reserve Analysts, and attesting to required maintenance, condition, useful life, and replacement costs of the following applicable cooperative property comprising a turnover inspection report: 1. Elevators. 2. Heating and cooling systems. 3. Swimming pool or spa and equipment. 4. Seawalls. 5. Pavement and parking areas. 6. Drainage systems. 7. Irrigation systems. (r) A copy of the association’s most recent structural integrity reserve study.

(5) If, during the period prior to the time the developer relinquishes control of the association pursuant to subsection (4), any provision of the Cooperative Act or any rule adopted thereunder is violated by the association, the developer shall be responsible for such violation and shall be subject to the administrative action provided in this chapter for such violation, and the developer shall be liable to third parties for such violation. This subsection is intended to clarify existing law.

(6) The division may adopt rules administering the provisions of this section.

History: s. 2, ch. 76-222; s. 7, ch. 79-284; s. 12, ch. 81-185; s. 26, ch. 86-175; s. 25, ch. 92-49; s. 880, ch. 97-102; s. 12, ch. 98-322; s. 16, ch. 2022-269; s. 15, ch. 2023-203; s. 27, ch. 2024-244.