2023 Florida Statutes › Title XL - Real and Personal Property › Chapter 720 - Homeowners' Associations › Part I - General Provisions (Ss. 720.301-720.318) › 720.304 - Right of owners to peaceably assemble; display of flags; SLAPP suits prohibited.

720.304 Right of owners to peaceably assemble; display of flags; SLAPP suits prohibited.—
(1) All common areas and recreational facilities serving any homeowners’ association shall be available to parcel owners in the homeowners’ association served thereby and their invited guests for the use intended for such common areas and recreational facilities. The entity or entities responsible for the operation of the common areas and recreational facilities may adopt reasonable rules and regulations pertaining to the use of such common areas and recreational facilities. No entity or entities shall unreasonably restrict any parcel owner’s right to peaceably assemble or right to invite public officers or candidates for public office to appear and speak in common areas and recreational facilities.
(2)(a) If any covenant, restriction, bylaw, rule, or requirement of an association prohibits a homeowner from displaying flags permitted under this paragraph, the homeowner may still display in a respectful manner up to two of the following portable, removable flags, not larger than 4 1/2 feet by 6 feet:
1. The United States flag.
2. The official flag of the State of Florida.
3. A flag that represents the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard.
4. A POW-MIA flag.
5. A first responder flag. A first responder flag may incorporate the design of any other flag permitted under this paragraph to form a combined flag. For purposes of this subsection, the term “first responder flag” means a flag that recognizes and honors the service of any of the following:
a. Law enforcement officers as defined in s. 943.10(1).
b. Firefighters as defined in s. 112.191(1).
c. Paramedics or emergency medical technicians as those terms are defined in s. 112.1911(1).
d. Correctional officers as defined in s. 943.10(2).
e. 911 public safety telecommunicators as defined in s. 401.465(1).
f. Advanced practice registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or registered nurses as those terms are defined in s. 464.003.
g. Persons participating in a statewide urban search and rescue program developed by the Division of Emergency Management under s. 252.35.
h. Federal law enforcement officers as defined in 18 U.S.C. s. 115(c)(1).
(b) Regardless of any covenants, restrictions, bylaws, rules, or requirements of the association, a homeowner may erect a freestanding flagpole no more than 20 feet high on any portion of the homeowner’s real property as long as the flagpole does not obstruct sightlines at intersections and is not erected within or upon an easement. The homeowner may further display in a respectful manner from that flagpole one official United States flag, not larger than 4 1/2 feet by 6 feet, and may additionally display one other flag permitted under paragraph (a). Such additional flag must be equal in size to or smaller than the United States flag. The flagpole and display are subject to all building codes, zoning setbacks, and other applicable governmental regulations, including, but not limited to, noise and lighting ordinances in the county or municipality in which the flagpole is erected and all setback and locational criteria contained in the governing documents.
(c) This subsection applies to all community development districts and homeowners’ associations, regardless of whether such homeowners’ associations are authorized to impose assessments that may become a lien on the parcel.
(3) Any owner prevented from exercising rights guaranteed by subsection (1) or subsection (2) may bring an action in the appropriate court of the county in which the alleged infringement occurred, and, upon favorable adjudication, the court shall enjoin the enforcement of any provision contained in any homeowners’ association document or rule that operates to deprive the owner of such rights.
(4) It is the intent of the Legislature to protect the right of parcel owners to exercise their rights to instruct their representatives and petition for redress of grievances before the various governmental entities of this state as protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and s. 5, Art. I of the State Constitution. The Legislature recognizes that “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation” or “SLAPP” suits, as they are typically called, have occurred when members are sued by individuals, business entities, or governmental entities arising out of a parcel owner’s appearance and presentation before a governmental entity on matters related to the homeowners’ association. However, it is the public policy of this state that government entities, business organizations, and individuals not engage in SLAPP suits because such actions are inconsistent with the right of parcel owners to participate in the state’s institutions of government. Therefore, the Legislature finds and declares that prohibiting such lawsuits by governmental entities, business entities, and individuals against parcel owners who address matters concerning their homeowners’ association will preserve this fundamental state policy, preserve the constitutional rights of parcel owners, and assure the continuation of representative government in this state. It is the intent of the Legislature that such lawsuits be expeditiously disposed of by the courts.
(a) As used in this subsection, the term “governmental entity” means the state, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, the independent establishments of the state, counties, municipalities, districts, authorities, boards, or commissions, or any agencies of these branches which are subject to chapter 286.
(b) A governmental entity, business organization, or individual in this state may not file or cause to be filed through its employees or agents any lawsuit, cause of action, claim, cross-claim, or counterclaim against a parcel owner without merit and solely because such parcel owner has exercised the right to instruct his or her representatives or the right to petition for redress of grievances before the various governmental entities of this state, as protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and s. 5, Art. I of the State Constitution.
(c) A parcel owner sued by a governmental entity, business organization, or individual in violation of this section has a right to an expeditious resolution of a claim that the suit is in violation of this section. A parcel owner may petition the court for an order dismissing the action or granting final judgment in favor of that parcel owner. The petitioner may file a motion for summary judgment, together with supplemental affidavits, seeking a determination that the governmental entity’s, business organization’s, or individual’s lawsuit has been brought in violation of this section. The governmental entity, business organization, or individual shall thereafter file its response and any supplemental affidavits. As soon as practicable, the court shall set a hearing on the petitioner’s motion, which shall be held at the earliest possible time after the filing of the governmental entity’s, business organization’s or individual’s response. The court may award the parcel owner sued by the governmental entity, business organization, or individual actual damages arising from the governmental entity’s, individual’s, or business organization’s violation of this section. A court may treble the damages awarded to a prevailing parcel owner and shall state the basis for the treble damages award in its judgment. The court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in connection with a claim that an action was filed in violation of this section.
(d) Homeowners’ associations may not expend association funds in prosecuting a SLAPP suit against a parcel owner.
(5)(a) Any parcel owner may construct an access ramp if a resident or occupant of the parcel has a medical necessity or disability that requires a ramp for egress and ingress under the following conditions:
1. The ramp must be as unobtrusive as possible, be designed to blend in aesthetically as practicable, and be reasonably sized to fit the intended use.
2. Plans for the ramp must be submitted in advance to the homeowners’ association. The association may make reasonable requests to modify the design to achieve architectural consistency with surrounding structures and surfaces.
(b) The parcel owner must submit to the association an affidavit from a physician attesting to the medical necessity or disability of the resident or occupant of the parcel requiring the access ramp. Certification used for s. 320.0848 shall be sufficient to meet the affidavit requirement.
(6) Any parcel owner may display a sign of reasonable size provided by a contractor for security services within 10 feet of any entrance to the home.
History.—s. 36, ch. 92-49; s. 51, ch. 2000-258; s. 1, ch. 2002-50; s. 19, ch. 2004-345; s. 16, ch. 2004-353; s. 1, ch. 2008-45; s. 23, ch. 2010-174; s. 19, ch. 2022-183; s. 121, ch. 2023-8; s. 2, ch. 2023-64.
Note.—Former s. 617.304.