A new federal bill, the Clean Up DEBRIS Act, has been proposed to facilitate storm recovery by allowing FEMA to reimburse cities and counties for debris removal in HOAs, COAs and other private communities. Currently, FEMA can refuse reimbursements for clearing private roads, which can hinder emergency access, cause residents to be billed and lead to removal delays. Dawn Bauman, chief executive officer of CAI, supports the bill, noting that it is a public safety issue if, after a devastating hurricane, private roads are not accessible to emergency vehicles and residents.

High-rise condo living in South Florida is becoming increasingly expensive, with monthly association fees in Miami-Dade County rising by nearly $500 compared to last year to more than $1,900, according to First Service Residential. This increase is driven by rising insurance costs, operating expenses and reserve fund contributions. Hurricanes and the deadly Surfside condo building collapse fueled insurance premiums, but there is starting to be some relief in the insurance market with reduced premiums.

Florida's Condominium Act has been updated to explicitly allow for virtual board meetings, provided there is a physical location available and the meetings are accessible via a hyperlink and phone. However, questions persist about whether board members can participate remotely without triggering these new streaming requirements. For example, it is ambiguous whether the new rules apply if a COA sets up a Zoom board meeting but does not actually hold the meeting via Zoom, meaning there will really be an in-person meeting with only one board member participating over Zoom.

Protecting residents' sensitive information from cyber threats is part of boards' digital duty of care, especially with cyberattacks on the rise. Experts emphasize the need for proactive data security measures, including multi-factor authentication, encrypted data transmission and regular training on cyber protection. It is important to work with IT experts to implement timely updates, secure data storage solutions, limit data access to essential personnel and ensure compliance with data protection regulations to maintain community trust and operational integrity.

Empowerment through choice illustrates how recognizing and exercising personal choices can shift power dynamics in both professional and personal contexts, says leadership consultant Kristin Hendrix. Embracing choices involves accepting potential consequences, which can transform a sense of powerlessness into empowerment, highlighting that true power lies in the ability to choose, even in constrained situations.

It is essential for leaders to know how to give effective feedback, but it can be challenging due to a desire to avoid conflict, leadership expert Winter Nie says. There is a six-part prerequisite checklist that can be used to foster trust and psychological safety: empathy, timing, intent, positive-to-negative ratio, communication skills and specificity. "Giving feedback is about conveying a really important message -- one that is designed to help another person learn, overcome and grow," Nie states.

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