Siesta Key Condo Council talks association rights

The Siesta Key Condominium Council held its first membership meeting of the season Tuesday afternoon, bringing in a crowd of about 60 people to the fellowship hall at the Siesta Key Chapel.

Guest speaker Dan Lobeck updated the council on some state changes to laws regarding condominium associations’ rights. One change included the restrictions on an association entering an abandoned unit. A unit is considered abandoned if it is under foreclosure and there has been no evidence of a tenant for four weeks, or if the association is unable to identify the owner of a unit and no tenant has been residing at the unit for two months.

The legislation on what information can be included in an association directory has also changed. An association member’s name, address and telephone numbers can be included without question, but the association must obtain written consent to include email addresses.

Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jason Strom updated the council on the top crime-related issues on Siesta. The biggest problem facing the Sheriff’s Office is homeless people on Siesta Key Beach.

“It’s cold up north; it’s nice and warm down here,” he said.

With holidays and spring break around the corner, Strom warned of the large number of young adults who would begin to congregate on the beaches.

“If we could get help from the condo associations with their security … we just need some presence out there to help control these large groups of people,” Strom said.