Spanish translations in Board meetings

Regarding Spanish translations, is it true that there is a Federal law that states that translations should be provided in meetings? Most of our homeowners are Puerto Ricans (including me), although most of them have their primary residence somewhere else. Some Latinos attend to the meetings but they have problems understanding the meetings and they are treated like 2nd. class members who do not deserve to know everything that is going on, sometimes just a small Spanish summary of what has been said when it is provided.

Our Board members consits of 3 Americans and 2 Latins, but these Latinos hardly help with the translations. Most Spanish speaking homeowners do not participate actively during the meetings because they do not understand. They cannot give opinions before the Board votes for a motion because they do not understand, so they have no other option but to “accept” whatever is done. The Board pretends that if there are any questions, they must be asked AFTER the meeting. But, how can this be done if they do not understand what is happening? Don’t they have the same rights than the Americans to understand what is being said and give their opinions too? If the Latinos would understand everything, we would certainly have more Latinos attending the meetings.

I would like to know if we have any law that forces the Board to translate to Spanish the meetings. Although the majority of the homeowners attending the meetings are Americans, but the majority of the homeowners are Puerto Ricans.

Thanks for all your opinions.

I have done it when they let me do it. But I guess they prefer that the Latin community remain ignorant. And also translating after the meeting does not give any right to speak to those people since the meeting adjourned!

Btw, it can’t just stop with Spanish, you will have to provide a translator for Japanese folks, French folks, German, Mongolian, Polish and of course for the folks that consider themselves Treckies and want a Klingon translator.

The homeowners are Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico is part of the United States and Spanish is sthe offical language of that island. Puerto Ricans are American citizens. That said, if the homeowners feel that a translation service should be provided at meetings, a motion to that effect should be made to the board.

Hi Norma:

As Peter stated above there is no statute requiring translations. I would recommend not going there because if you start offering translations and later decide not to offer you will have set precedence. If you later want to stop offering someone at that time could potentially claim discrimination because you were previously offering and now no longer doing them.

While Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, the official language of the United States is English. I would put the burden of supplying translation on the individual homeowners because it is not required by law. Keep in mind once you start offering certain perks it could potentially be difficult to discontinue down the road.

I do not care what nationality anyone is … I am just considering the potential consequences regarding the overall situation.

Actually, there is NO national language in the United States.

"Basic" is not conversational. It can take years of actual immersion into a society to become fluent enough to keep up with a conversation among those who are speaking their first language.

I'm not sure why this board isn't jumping at the offer of a volunteer to translate for them.

As far as I know, ENGLISH is the official language of the USA and has been since our forefathers came over from England.
I am of latin decent, but I don't expect privileges. I need to LEARN, LEARN, LEARN. AGREE?

Regardless; the HOA is an association of homeowners and is bound to serve the wishes of the majority of it's members. A board member should make a motion to pay for a translation service. Should the motion fail to pass, homeowners may then vote out those board members against a translation service. Another approach would be for the homeowners to petition for a change to the CC&R's or the R&R's. Should they get a 2/3 majority the HOA would have to provide and pay for translation services. Naturally, should any of these methods fail, no translation service would be provided. The point is: homeowners rule.

I have translated a whole of Board meetings, even in the actual Board meeting. But since I am against of a lot of things this actual Board is doing, they want to take me out of the picture, so they do not ask me to translate. Unfortunately, they don't either want that anyone else do it, since the only ones who could do it are also against this Board. They have been setting policies that we think they are against the law: for example, from now on you can bring beverages (including alcohol bev) to the pool area. And a lot of more stuff they bring. We are very mad since when they do a motion, most of the people ask them in that meeting to not do that, but they won't listen; they do whatever!

As many people here in the forum has explained, when a Board let do Spanish translations, there could be a legal issue is then they don't want it. Well... in a lot of meetings Spanish translations have been provided! Only now they are avoiding this.

A bit off topic...
Rather than THINK and cause misunderstandings and misplaced anger, resentment, etc., Why not find out for sure?

Florida HOA and Condo pools are PRIVATE property. The is no Fl. LAW preventing food, drinks, alcohol or tobacco at private pools or on Private Property. Of course you must be of legal age to consume alcohol and tobacco ANYWHERE in the U.S.

There maybe HOA/Condo CCR's or R&Rs regarding poolside activities (which can be ammended, even recinded, with appropriate procedures) but no Fl. LAW.