Transition Committee legal formation

I live in a golf communty that will eventually have 1300 doors. We are about 1 year away from turnover and in the beginning stages of forming a transition committee. The transition will be complicated and we want to have a great deal of the work done prior to the actual turnover and election of the new board. We intend to raise money through member contributions to fund the work. We are wondering if we should file with our state to become a not for profit corporation or a Limited Liability Company. Any thoughts?

This is from FL Statute 720, so you see that the state sets out specific regulations for transition:
The 2010 Florida Statutes

Title XL
REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY

Chapter 720
HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATIONS

720.307

Transition of association control in a community.
—

With respect to homeowners’ associations:
(1)

Members other than the developer are entitled to elect at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the homeowners’ association when the earlier of the following events occurs:
(a)

Three months after 90 percent of the parcels in all phases of the community that will ultimately be operated by the homeowners’ association have been conveyed to members; or
(b)

Such other percentage of the parcels has been conveyed to members, or such other date or event has occurred, as is set forth in the governing documents in order to comply with the requirements of any governmentally chartered entity with regard to the mortgage financing of parcels.

For purposes of this section, the term “members other than the developer” shall not include builders, contractors, or others who purchase a parcel for the purpose of constructing improvements thereon for resale.
(2)

The developer is entitled to elect at least one member of the board of directors of the homeowners’ association as long as the developer holds for sale in the ordinary course of business at least 5 percent of the parcels in all phases of the community. After the developer relinquishes control of the homeowners’ association, the developer may exercise the right to vote any developer-owned voting interests in the same manner as any other member, except for purposes of reacquiring control of the homeowners’ association or selecting the majority of the members of the board of directors.
(3)

At the time the members are entitled to elect at least a majority of the board of directors of the homeowners’ association, the developer shall, at the developer’s expense, within no more than 90 days deliver the following documents to the board:
(a)

All deeds to common property owned by the association.
(b)

The original of the association’s declarations of covenants and restrictions.
(c)

A certified copy of the articles of incorporation of the association.
(d)

A copy of the bylaws.
(e)

The minute books, including all minutes.
(f)

The books and records of the association.
(g)

Policies, rules, and regulations, if any, which have been adopted.
(h)

Resignations of directors who are required to resign because the developer is required to relinquish control of the association.
(i)

The financial records of the association from the date of incorporation through the date of turnover.
(j)

All association funds and control thereof.
(k)

All tangible property of the association.
(l)

A copy of all contracts which may be in force with the association as one of the parties.
(m)

A list of the names and addresses and telephone numbers of all contractors, subcontractors, or others in the current employ of the association.
(n)

Any and all insurance policies in effect.
(o)

Any permits issued to the association by governmental entities.
(p)

Any and all warranties in effect.
(q)

A roster of current homeowners and their addresses and telephone numbers and section and lot numbers.
(r)

Employment and service contracts in effect.
(s)

All other contracts in effect to which the association is a party.
(t)

The financial records, including financial statements of the association, and source documents from the incorporation of the association through the date of turnover. The records shall be audited by an independent certified public accountant for the period from the incorporation of the association or from the period covered by the last audit, if an audit has been performed for each fiscal year since incorporation. All financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and shall be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, as prescribed by the Board of Accountancy, pursuant to chapter 473. The certified public accountant performing the audit shall examine to the extent necessary supporting documents and records, including the cash disbursements and related paid invoices to determine if expenditures were for association purposes and the billings, cash receipts, and related records of the association to determine that the developer was charged and paid the proper amounts of assessments. This paragraph applies to associations with a date of incorporation after December 31, 2007.
(4)

This section does not apply to a homeowners’ association in existence on the effective date of this act, or to a homeowners’ association, no matter when created, if such association is created in a community that is included in an effective development-of-regional-impact development order as of the effective date of this act, together with any approved modifications thereof.

Donna,

Thanks for the info.

We are thinking of actually incorporating the transition committee itself. The committee members want to raise some money, establish a bank account, and are looking for some liability protection.

I was just wondering if any other transition committee took this step and if so, was it a not for profit corporation or a limited liability company.

And, yes, this is a Lennar community.

Cheryl