Every year between June 1 and November 30, communities along Florida’s east coast keep one eye on the tropics. After watching storms such as Ian, Nicole, Helene, and Milton move through our region, most boards and residents in Volusia, Flagler, and Brevard counties already understand that hurricane preparation is not something to leave until a storm has a name. For the associations we manage, the work of getting ready starts well before the first advisory, and it works best w

Sea turtle nesting season in Brevard County runs from May 1 through October 31 every year. For a beachside COA anywhere on the barrier island, that means six months of exterior lighting compliance, some retrofits, an annual conversation with owners about balcony bulbs, and a nonzero chance of a code enforcement notice if any of it slips. The reason it matters is ecological. Brevard's beaches host one of the largest sea turtle nesting concentrations in the Western Hemisphere.

New partnership gives SSMG-managed HOA and condo communities direct access to 300,000+ service professionals across 500+ home service categories FLORIDA — Southern States Management Group, Inc. (SSMG), a leading Florida community association management company, today announced a strategic partnership with Thumbtack, a technology company helping millions of people confidently care for and improve their homes. Through this partnership, residents in SSMG-managed HOA and condomin

SSMG relocates Brevard County operations to expanded Viera facility, targeting August 2026 full occupancy VIERA, FL – June 19, 2026 – Southern States Management Group (SSMG), a leading provider of community association management services throughout Central and Northeast Florida, is pleased to announce the expansion of its Brevard County operations through the execution of a new lease at 7155 Murrell Road in Viera, Florida. The new office represents a significant milestone in

Most summer maintenance problems in Florida communities are problems that should have been addressed in March or April. Whatever your association put off when the budget was tight or the vendor was slow to respond is going to surface between June and September, and it’s almost always going to surface at a worse time than if it had been handled earlier in the year. That’s true for boards in Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach the same way it’s true for boards in Melbourne and Cocoa

Imagine it’s the middle of August and a tropical system has just passed into the Gulf. The National Hurricane Center has put Brevard County under a hurricane watch. Your association’s board president is fielding panicked calls from residents. Maintenance hasn’t secured the pool furniture yet, and no one can locate the emergency contact number for the access gate vendor. If this sounds familiar, remember that the most important thing about hurricane preparedness for HOA and CO

Most boards in Brevard County treat pool season as something that starts around Memorial Day. But the pool itself never really stops running in Florida, and treating it like a seasonal thing is part of how communities end up scrambling in summer. Your pool is operating year-round; the chemistry is happening whether the deck is full or empty, the drain covers are aging toward their certification expiration whether anyone is looking at them, and the inspection cycle is going to

What happens when a resident in an HOA community has an emergency bright and early on a Saturday morning? A Satellite Beach COA could have a water main break, an access gate arm might be stuck open or closed at the entrance to a Viera HOA. Or, perhaps someone is having a flood emergency in a Melbourne high-rise, and no one can find the shutoff valve! Who will respond? How fast do they get on site? Do they even know what to do? Who is actually there when it matters is at

Imagine that an owner at your Ormond Beach condo who is ready to sell their unit. The buyer is pre-approved, everything looks good…until the lender signals that the association doesn’t have enough reserve funding. This scenario will become more likely throughout Daytona Beach, Brevard County, and Central Florida if associations disregard what was announced back on March 18 of this year by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They are implementing big changes that will overhaul the wa

iving It is most helpful to acknowledge the genuine benefits — and real challenges (and dilemmas) of an active rental community. The bright side is that rentals keep occupancy high, which means fewer empty units gathering dust during the off-season. If you rent a unit, it would be a good idea to maintain the property in an acceptable condition. A good rental can even enliven an area! In addition, rental income provides some owners a form of flexibility to keep properties that

Local Impact SIRS findings are a big deal for coastal properties in the Daytona Beach and Brevard area. Corrosion on balconies, columns, and façades is accelerated by salt air. A lot of buildings from the 1970s and 1980s are fairly late into full reinvestment cycles for roof, plumbing and envelope systems. Assessments are uncovering maintenance that sellers have put off — and the resulting funding plans mean higher assessments. The risk of non-compliance has real impacts, inc

Florida’s 2026 regular session wrapped up March 13, without a budget (a special session will decide that). However, plenty of legislation moved through that directly affects community associations and property management across the Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, and Brevard County area. We’ve broken down the key points. HOA Dissolution Bill Is Down — But Not Out House Bill 657 was a big focus for association boards, which would have allowed owners of an HOA to vote on dissolut

Here’s the rub with this latest round of statutory updates for condos and homeowners’ associations in Florida; they’re not optional, and some deadlines have already passed. Community trends and changes in the rules are calendar events for board members governing communities spread across Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, and Brevard County. Staying abreast of these isn’t just good governance, it’s compliance with the law. The Big One: Online Records and Transparency Perhaps the bi

No presence at industry events. Management companies are usually involved in regional CAI chapters, attend county-specific HOA educational events, and maintain relationships with Brevard County professionals. If a potential management company isn’t substantially involved in local professional circles, that is cause for concern. Vague financial reporting practices. Inexperienced or subpar management companies often cut corners when it comes to providing monthly financial sta

House Bill 657 is the most significant piece of community association legislation moving through Tallahassee this session. Board members need to understand what it proposes, where it stands, and what it means for how associations operate. As of early March 2026, the bill has cleared multiple House committees and was referred to the Senate Rules Committee on March 5th. It has not become law. The proposed effective date is July 1, 2026. HOA Termination: How It Would Work For th

Ormond Beach, FL — Southern States Management Group (SSMG), a leading community association management firm serving Florida’s East Coast, has been selected as the Chairman’s Choice award recipient by the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce—an honor reserved for a business that exemplifies leadership, service, and meaningful impact within the local business community. The Chairman’s Choice designation is awarded at the discretion of the Chamber Chair and recognizes an organizatio

Southern States Management Group (SSMG) is honored to sponsor the Youth Leadership Ormond Beach program, a dynamic initiative developed by the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce. This program empowers young individuals by connecting them with local businesses and peers who share a passion for community engagement and leadership. Participants gain valuable insights into the workings of their community, fostering skills that will serve them well into the future. We’re especially

Community management has changed dramatically over our 35 years in business. We've gone from filing cabinets stuffed with paper records to cloud-based systems accessible from anywhere. From mailed newsletters to instant digital communication. From manual bookkeeping to automated financial systems. And honestly? We're just getting started. Technology is transforming how we manage Florida communities, and the changes we're seeing now will fundamentally reshape community associa

As board members, you've probably experienced this scenario—or at least worried about it. Your landscape committee has been run by the same three people for a decade. They make decisions without bringing them to the board first, resist new ideas, and have become so entrenched that suggesting changes feels politically risky. You can't govern effectively, butyou're worried about the fallout if you try to make changes. We've navigated this situation with many of the communities

What Is an HOA Delinquency Rate? Simply put, your delinquency rate measures what percentage of homeowners are behind on their association assessments. It responds to the significant inquiry of who owes money, the amount owed, and how long they have been owing it. When banks and lenders see delinquency rates, they extend loans or call in debts. Your organization will have unique but equal importance upon making decisions. The rate of delinquency indicates whether your communit