This website was created by Harbour Place City Homes unit owners to share information and resources with the community. It is not the official website of the association, the board, or the management company, and is not connected to any of them in any way.
Everything here is based on publicly available information and communications sent to owners. If you believe anything here is incorrect, you are welcome to reach out using the contact information at the bottom of this page.
A $10 million exterior repair project has been proposed for our community. Before decisions this large are finalized, every owner deserves to see the full supporting documents — the bids, the reports, the budget, and the financing plan. This page shows you exactly what to ask for and how to ask for it.
The single most effective thing you can do right now is send a written records request to the board and management asking for the full project file. It takes five minutes. Florida gives owners this right. The association has 10 working days to respond.
Show Me How to Request Records →A project of this size will affect every owner's monthly costs, potentially for years. Before the community commits to any plan, it's reasonable to ask: What reports support this scope? How many contractors were asked to bid? What does the financing actually cost each owner? What does the insurance cover?
These are not hostile questions — they are the normal questions any informed owner should be able to get answers to. The good news is that Florida gives owners a straightforward path to request the documents that answer them.
The more owners who ask, the harder it is for those questions to go unanswered.
For a project this size, the full picture includes engineering reports, contractor bids, budget documents, financing details, insurance records, and meeting materials. Here is a breakdown of everything worth asking for.
Project File
- All engineering, façade, exterior, soffit, roof, and building-envelope reports
- Scope-of-work documents
- Repair maps, drawings, or site plans
- Consultant recommendations
- Construction schedules and phasing plans
- Permits and permit applications
- Inspection reports and notices from local agencies
Bid and Contract File
- All contractor bids received
- Bid summaries and comparisons
- Requests for proposals (RFPs) sent to contractors
- Signed vendor contracts
- Owner's representative proposals and contracts
- Project-management agreements
- Change-order logs, if any exist
Budget and Financing File
- Current annual budget
- Any proposed budget connected to the project
- Annual financial reports
- Reserve studies and Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS)
- Loan term sheets and financing proposals
- Amortization schedules
- Projected cost impact per unit type, if prepared
Insurance and Storm-Response File
- Association property and casualty policies
- Notices of loss submitted
- Insurance claim submissions
- Adjuster reports
- Claim determinations and related correspondence
- Storm inspection reports and repair work orders
Meeting and Notice File
- Board meeting notices and agendas
- Approved board meeting minutes
- Video-conference meeting recordings or links
- Budget-meeting notices
- Special-assessment meeting notices
- Affidavits of mailing or posting
- Any documents listed on meeting agendas
Management and Operations File
- Property-management contract
- Maintenance logs and work orders
- Vendor invoices and payment records
- General-ledger entries tied to the project
- Lists of active contracts
- Lists or summaries of bids kept by the association
How far back can owners ask?
A good starting point is the last 7 years — most association records are kept for at least that long. Bids are kept for at least 1 year. Structural and safety inspection reports are kept for 15 years after they are received.
You don't need a lawyer to do this. A clear written request by email is enough to start the clock. Sending a copy by certified mail gives you proof it was received.
By Email
- Send your request to the property manager, the board's email address, or the official records contact for the association.
- Use a subject line like: Written Request to Inspect and Copy Association Records
- List exactly what you are requesting and the date range you want covered.
- Ask for electronic copies where available — this is faster for everyone.
- Save your sent email and save any reply you receive.
By Certified Mail
- Print and sign your request letter.
- Mail it to the association's official mailing address. Sending a copy to the management office as well doesn't hurt.
- Send it certified mail — this gives you a tracking number and proof of delivery.
- Keep a copy of the letter you sent and your mailing receipt.
- File the delivery confirmation with your copy of the letter.
I am a unit owner and I am writing to request access to inspect and copy the association's records relating to the proposed exterior repair project. This includes all project reports, contractor bids, vendor contracts, budgets, financing proposals, meeting materials, inspection reports, permits, insurance-related records, and related management and operations records. Electronic copies are preferred where available. Please let me know within 10 working days how I may access these records.
The association has 10 working days
After receiving your written request, the association generally has 10 working days to make records available to you.
Financial reports have a faster deadline
If you specifically request the most recent annual financial report, the deadline is shorter: 5 business days.
Don't wait to do this alone. Every owner who sends a request adds weight to the community's voice. Share this page with your neighbors and ask them to send their own request too. The more owners who ask, the clearer the message: we want to see the documents before decisions are made.
You don't have to be a lawyer or an expert to participate. Here are four concrete things any owner can do right now.
1. Send a Records Request Today
Use the ready-to-send language above and email it to the board and management. It takes five minutes and starts the clock on their 10-day response window.
2. Get Your Neighbors Involved
Share this page. The more owners who reach out, the stronger the signal that the community wants full transparency before any major decision is made. Just 42 owners can formally put a topic on the board meeting agenda.
3. Ask for Documents Before Any Vote
Ask the board to circulate all bid summaries, project reports, and financing materials well before any major meeting — not the day of. Owners need time to actually read what they are being asked to approve.
4. Pay Attention to Budget Notices
If the board proposes a budget that significantly increases assessments, Florida gives owners a path to call a special meeting to discuss it. Watch for budget notices and act quickly if that happens.
The Numbers for a 206-Unit Community
- 42 owners signing a petition can formally require the board to add a specific topic to a meeting agenda
- 21 owners can request a special owner meeting to discuss a proposed budget increase, if the increase meets the threshold set by Florida
These are reasonable, fair questions. They are not attacks on anyone — they are exactly the kind of questions a responsible owner or board should welcome. If the answers are good, the documents will show that.
About the Scope of Work
- What reports or evaluations support the current project scope?
- What buildings, elevations, or areas are included in the plan?
- Are there photos, drawings, or maps showing exactly what is planned?
- Was the scope put together by an engineer, a consultant, a contractor, or some combination?
- Is this localized repair, a full restoration, or a phased project?
About the Bids and Contractors
- How many contractors were invited to submit a bid?
- Did all contractors receive the same written scope of work?
- Is there a side-by-side comparison of pricing, timing, exclusions, and warranty terms?
- Can owners see the full bids or at least the bid summaries?
- Were phased or alternate options considered?
About Scheduling and Access
- What is the expected timeline for the work?
- Will any units need to provide access or be temporarily affected?
- How will owners be notified when their area is coming up?
- Have permits been applied for or issued yet?
- Who is the main point of contact for owners during the project?
About the Budget and Cost to Owners
- What documents form the basis for the project budget?
- How much of the cost is direct construction versus management fees and other services?
- What financing options are being considered, and what does each one cost per owner?
- Is there a breakdown of projected cost by unit type or building?
- Will owners be able to review all materials before they are asked to vote on anything?
Florida has strong protections for condominium owners who want to review association records and participate in decisions. Here are the key sections worth knowing.
Official Records — F.S. 718.111
This is the main records-access section. It covers what records the association must keep, how long they must keep them, how owners can request access, and what associations are required to post online for larger communities.
Meetings and Notices — F.S. 718.112
This section covers how board meetings and owner meetings must be noticed and run, including the owner petition process to get topics added to a board agenda and the path to call a special owner meeting about a budget.
Contracts and Bidding — F.S. 718.3026
This section addresses when associations are required to put contracts out for competitive bidding and what the written contract requirements are, along with the listed exceptions.
Owner Participation Rights — F.S. 718.1224
This section addresses the rights of condominium owners to speak up and participate in matters that affect the community and their investment.
These are real examples from other Florida communities where owners took action and got results. They are shared here as public information — not as a prediction of what will happen here, but as a reminder that owners who stay engaged and ask questions do make a difference.
Boca View Condo Assoc. v. Lepselter (4th DCA 2024)
Owners pursued a records-access dispute and won. The court upheld a fee award of $232,170.67 in the owners' favor — a real-world example of owners successfully pushing for access to association records.
Dobal v. Villas at South Beach (3d DCA 2023)
An appeals court ruled that an owner's claims against individual board members were strong enough to move forward — showing that board member protections are not unlimited under Florida's rules.
Palm Bay Yacht Club — Miami (2025)
A jury awarded owners $6.3 million against a management company and contractor over how a large project was handled. Owners who stayed organized and documented everything made that outcome possible.
The common thread in every one of these cases: owners who organized early, kept records, asked questions in writing, and did not assume things would sort themselves out. The owners who stayed quiet had less ability to affect the outcome.
Florida provides free state resources for condominium owners, including a neutral Ombudsman office that can answer questions and provide guidance — completely independent of your association.
Florida DBPR — Condominium Resources
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation oversees Florida condominiums and provides owner resources including a sample records request form you can download and use today.
The Condominium Ombudsman
The Office of the Condominium Ombudsman is a free, neutral state resource. They can answer owner questions, provide guidance on the process, and help facilitate communication between owners and associations — at no cost to you.
Qualified contractors who wish to be considered for exterior repair work at Harbour Place City Homes are welcome to reach out to the board and management directly to express interest.
When reaching out, contractors may want to include their company name and contact information, license and insurance details, experience with exterior restoration and building-envelope work, availability for a site visit, and references from similar condominium or multifamily projects.
Contact the Board and Management
The button below will open your email with board and management addresses already filled in.
Email Bid InterestQuestions Owners Are Asking About the Bidding Process
- Whether additional qualified contractors are being given the opportunity to bid
- Whether all contractors are receiving the same written scope of work
- Whether there will be a side-by-side comparison of pricing, timing, and what each bid does and does not include
- Whether phased or alternate options are part of the review
- Whether owners will be able to see the bid materials before any major decisions are made
Ready to take action? Send a records request today. Share this page with every owner you know at Harbour Place. The more owners who engage, the more likely it is that the full picture gets shared with the whole community before anything is finalized.
Get the Request Template →