Good Ole’ HOA’s

BOARD members from Florida's largest homeowners association allegedly stole $2 million from residents, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

Former and current officials from the Hammocks Community Association that were in charge of 40 communities in West Kendall allegedly took millions from the organization and pocketed it for themselves in a scheme that lasted years.

Those who were charged included the former HOA president, Marglli Gallego, and her husband, Jose Antonio Gonzalez, the current HOA president, Monica Isabel, Ghilardi, board member, Myriam Arango Rodgers, and former board member, Yoleidis Lopez Garcia.  All five of them have pled not guilty.

“Racketeering and money laundering are terms we usually associate with drug cartels,” Miami-Dade State Attorney, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, said in November 2022 when the board members were arrested.

Rundle added: “Never would anyone have connected such serious criminal allegations to one of the largest homeowner associations in Florida."

“The charges stem from misappropriating board funds to their own use," the state attorney said.

Conclusion

HOA's have rules to abide by in South Carolina primarily governed by the HOA Act and the Nonprofit Act.  These laws lay out the HOA's fiduciary duties and their duties of loyalty.  They also lay out the baseline on how to run a non-profit, HOA board.

Whether you are an HOA board member or choose to voluntarily submit yourself to the authority of an HOA, you need to know these laws, the duties imposed, and how those relate to your governing documents.   If you don't know them, then you need to have an attorney that does.  Sooner or later you will need to use them.

If you need help with your property issues.  If you need help with your HOA.  If you just need legal help give us a call at Winslow Law.  843-357-9301 

May God Bless You, Your Business, and this Country, 

Tom Winslow