In her Op-Ed, “Florida anti-mandate law about masks, vaccinations imperils senior communities” published in the August 25, 2023, Palm Beach Post, Becker Community Practice Group Shareholder Donna DiMaggio Berger weighs in on how a new Florida law effectively ties the hands of community associations that want to keep their common areas safe and open during public health emergencies. In questioning the efficacy of SB 252, Donna cites the example of a Tamarac retirement community board of directors that felt compelled to shut down its recreational amenities during a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases. As she explains, the new law doesn’t allow businesses — which includes condominiums, cooperatives, and homeowners’ associations — to require masks or restrict entry to those who can show proof of vaccination, even when the medical community recommends that vulnerable populations wear face coverings. The law, she says, “makes the job of volunteer boards and their management professionals seeking to protect their residents virtually impossible should COVID surges continue to emerge.”
Read the full op-ed here.
Donna DiMaggio Berger is a Ft. Lauderdale-based Shareholder in Becker’s Community Association Practice and the Founder and Executive Director of Becker’s Community Association Leadership Lobby (CALL). For more of Donna’s perspectives on the myriad issues and challenges HOA boards face every day, follow her highly acclaimed podcast, Take It To the Board!