In a dramatic turn of events, the entire board of a homeowner’s association (HOA) at the Villas of Carillon in Feather Sound, Florida, resigned following intense backlash over a $60,000 special assessment imposed on each homeowner. The resignation came after a heated dispute over the necessity and legality of the massive financial demand.
The HOA had informed residents that the special assessment was required to comply with new state regulations mandating full funding of maintenance accounts. These regulations were introduced after the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers in Surfside, aiming to ensure that multi-family residential complexes have adequate funds for proper maintenance.
However, confusion and controversy arose regarding the application of these regulations to the Villas of Carillon. Patricia Staebler, a certified reserve specialist, clarified that the HOA board may have misunderstood the law. “Nobody needs to be 100% funded; that is overkill. And again, that is not the intent of the law,” Staebler told WTSP-TV. She noted that the HOA was not obligated to demand full funding upfront.
Additionally, the new state requirements apply to buildings with three or more stories, while the Villas of Carillon townhomes are only two stories high. This discrepancy further fueled residents’ frustration and skepticism about the board’s decision.
On Thursday, over 100 homeowners packed a Hilton ballroom to challenge the assessment, successfully forcing the board to postpone the vote due to a technicality in the rules. Later that evening, residents received an email announcing the entire board’s resignation.
Homeowners were deeply concerned about the financial impact of the proposed assessment. “There will be a lot of people that lose their home either they have to sell or they can’t make these payments. They’ll have a lien put on their house, foreclosures. I’m concerned about the overall community,” said homeowner Tammy Rodeffer.
Feather Sound, a census-designated area in Pinellas County with a population of about 3,600, now faces the challenge of rebuilding its HOA leadership and addressing the financial and regulatory issues that led to this crisis. The sudden resignation of the HOA board leaves the community in a state of uncertainty, seeking a fair and sustainable resolution to the funding requirements.
