Can a HOA in Florida prevent No Tresspassing signs on private property?

Hi Friends,
Here is my problem.
I put up a few Private Property, No Tresspassing signs on my property
that I own in a Condo Association in Florida. The reason due to security issues. Last week a man bicycled right into my backyard while my husband was reading a book & suddenly was right in my husband's face without him seeing anyone coming his way.

He said he was a neighbor from the other side of the community & his wife was in the hospital & he neded $35.00 for a taxi. My husband told him he had no money, then he asked my husband if he can go to the ATM. Well, this scared me. I was right inside the house when it happened & I feel that my husband could have gotten stabbed or something. He is 76 yrs.old.

So I went to Lowes & got a few Private Property, No Tresspassing signs & posted them on my property since I don't feel safe. I also reported the incedent to the President of the HOA who lives next door. Well now the President wants me to remove the signs since in the docs it sates No Signs allowed on your property. I have PTSD and some of the incidents that have been happening in & around our community have caused my illness to progress. I know there is a statue 720.304 (6) that says any parcel owner can display a sign of reasonable size provided by a contractor for security reasons within 10 feet of any entrance to the home. Would that Florida Law protect me to keep my signs up?

Thanks kindly for any replies.

Typically only signs allowed in a HOA are "For Sale/For Rent" signs. Honestly, a "No Trespassing sign" holds no power. It's just a sign to make you feel better. Instead you need to do the research on the laws backing up having one of those signs. Each states varies. Some states no trespassing signs don't make any more stronger punishment than any other piece of privately owned property. Matter of fact "Private Property" signs probably have the similar meaning.

We had a sign at the front entrance for "No solicitation". However, if we could legally enforce kicking out solicitors is another issue. There are laws that do require those people to have actually licenses to solicit. Which means we could not stop them if they are licensed.

Why not instead consider you all to organize a Neighborhood watch program OUTSIDE of the HOA? You do NOT want to tie in the HOA with the neighborhood watch except for it's approval to exist. Otherwise it is a separate entity that works with the police who do have the power to do something legally.

So what you are saying is I don't own my Backyard?
I have a free standing Villa/house with a backyard property
close to 1/4 acre. Its not condo buildings.
Its regular homes on a privately owned street. My survey says I own
my backyard since I paid for it.

Doris,

A "No Trespassing" sign would have done nothing to prevent the problem you described. The guy on the bike was not one of your neighbors; he was a con artist in search of a victim. He saw your husband in your backyard and made a beeline for him. Con artists scam strangers out of small amounts of money with sob stories about a family member in dire need of medicine or transportation to the hospital. I got scammed once myself and have been approached by many others. There was one guy who told me the exact same story in the parking lot of my local grocery store two months apart! A scammer is not going to be deterred for a moment by a sign.

I believe the intent of 720.304 (6) is to allow an alarm company to put in a sign warning that the home is monitored. I see it as no help in your situation.

I have no idea what your specific paperwork says. Look at your deed, look at your survey. Is there mention of a limited common area? These are typical in condo associations. Which means you do not own the yard, but you have exclusive use of it.

All of this is irrelevant if you live in a community that say "no signs" and you're bound by these CCRs and rules.

Thanks for all your input guys.

I have since found out that my association can be liable for crimal attacks on me or its members. A woman was awarded 20 Million dollars in damages after she was raped in an apartment complex 3 years ago.
The article states that in Florida, courts evaluate claims by community assocations residents with the same logic applied in a long line of landlord/tenant cases. Landlords can be help responsible for crimal acts against their tenants, if these acts were reasonable foreseeable.

In at least one case an association was held liable for an assault on a resident at the condonimium. The intruder used a ladder from the condonimium's unlocked storage room and entered the unit thru a second story window. The property outside was unlit and overgrown with foliage. The victim proved that the association knew about the crimes committed in the parking lot, several burgaries and a rape (4) years before she was attacked. The Court said that Florida law did not require the victim to prove that the prior crimes occur at the same location or within a certain time frame relevant to determining liability.

The Board of Directors always has the obligation to ensure that the common areas are property, securely and timely maintained. Boards must also look at what is necessary to protect the residents from foreseeable criminal action.

Its a shame I have to put up a No tresspassing, Private Property sign on my property since a man comes into our community with intent to do criminal harm & the assocation wants me to take my tiny little signs down when they should be doing something more to protect me. Agreed?

Criminals don't care about signs. They do whatever they want, whenever they want.

Unless you hire yourself 24/7 bodygaurds, you will come to realize, no one can protect you, except you. The police will show up "after" something has happened. This is the cruel reality of life.

If your neighborhood isn't safe, move. No amount of signs or bars on your windows will protect you.

Doris

Cheaters and criminals cheat. Your signs are not going to stop any one and most HOA's would not allow such signs.