Q: What’s the best advice you have ever received? And who gave you that advice? A: The best advice came from my mother who always said, “You can afford to be gracious.” She was right. You will cross paths with people who might not be gracious...
Tens of thousands of people who live in condos in South Florida will have to start wearing masks again and following other restrictions as COVID-19 skyrockets. Despite a brief period of freedom, restrictions are returning to condos as the delta variant makes Florida one of...
A far-reaching new piece of legislation targeting community associations took effect in Florida on July 1, 2021. “It’s a mixed bag,” says Donna DiMaggio Berger, a shareholder in the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., office of Becker & Poliakoff. “There’s some good stuff and some not so good...
Ensuring that a shared ownership community welcomes legitimate service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs) while protecting the group from fraudulent claims is one of the most complex issues facing volunteer boards today. Becker shareholder and executive director of the Community Association Legislative Lobby Donna DiMaggio...
The tragic Champlain Towers South collapse has resulted in an outpouring of support worldwide, while also raising safety concerns among those who reside in community associations in Florida....
Becker proudly announces Take It To The Board with Donna DiMaggio Berger, a podcast that explores the reality of life in a condominium, cooperative or homeowners’ association, what’s really involved in serving on its board, and how to maintain that ever-so-delicate balance of being legally compliant...
For more than a year, condo associations had to become COVID-19 traffic cops for hundreds of thousands of Floridians in high-rises and sprawling complexes. They had to enforce the use of masks, social distancing and rules for pools and other public spaces....
Cultural clashes and potential fair housing disputes, including fights over the Confederate flag, are impacting the inclusive and supportive mission of communities....
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 72 into law on March 29. For some time, volunteer community association boards, their managers, and professional advisers have worried that private residential communities might be subject to potential claims related to how the board managed (or in some...
Donna DiMaggio Berger is a Board Certified Specialist in Condominium and Planned Development Law, founder and executive director of Becker’s Community Association Leadership Lobby, and member of the Board of Directors for the American Lung Association in Florida. She leads a variety of community association...
