# Fla. Stat. § 720.302: 720.302 Purposes, scope, and application > Florida · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.302 ## Section - **Citation:** Fla. Stat. § 720.302 - **Heading:** 720.302 Purposes, scope, and application - **Jurisdiction:** Florida - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Florida Code / Title XL / Chapter 720 / Part I / Section 720.302 ## Text (1) The purposes of this chapter are to give statutory recognition to corporations not for profit that operate residential communities in this state, to provide procedures for operating homeowners’ associations, and to protect the rights of association members without unduly impairing the ability of such associations to perform their functions. (2) The Legislature recognizes that it is not in the best interest of homeowners’ associations or the individual association members thereof to create or impose a bureau or other agency of state government to regulate the affairs of homeowners’ associations. However, in accordance with s. 720.311, the Legislature finds that homeowners’ associations and their individual members will benefit from an expedited alternative process for resolution of election and recall disputes and presuit mediation of other disputes involving covenant enforcement and authorizes the department to hear, administer, and determine these disputes as more fully set forth in this chapter. Further, the Legislature recognizes that certain contract rights have been created for the benefit of homeowners’ associations and members thereof before the effective date of this act and that ss. 720.301-720.407 are not intended to impair such contract rights, including, but not limited to, the rights of the developer to complete the community as initially contemplated. (3) This chapter does not apply to: (a) A community that is composed of property primarily intended for commercial, industrial, or other nonresidential use; or (b) The commercial or industrial parcels in a community that contains both residential parcels and parcels intended for commercial or industrial use. (4) This chapter does not apply to any association that is subject to regulation under chapter 718, chapter 719, or chapter 721 or to any nonmandatory association formed under chapter 723, except to the extent that a provision of chapter 718, chapter 719, or chapter 721 is expressly incorporated into this chapter for the purpose of regulating homeowners’ associations. (5) Unless expressly stated to the contrary, corporations that operate residential homeowners’ associations in this state shall be governed by and subject to part I of chapter 607, if the association was incorporated under that part, or to chapter 617, if the association was incorporated under that chapter, and this chapter. This subsection is intended to clarify existing law. History: s. 34, ch. 92-49; s. 53, ch. 95-274; s. 45, ch. 2000-258; s. 11, ch. 2003-14; s. 17, ch. 2004-345; s. 14, ch. 2004-353; s. 8, ch. 2007-173; s. 71, ch. 2014-209. ## Nearby sections - [Fla. Stat. § 720.31 720.31 Recreational leaseholds; right to acquire; escalation clauses.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.31.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.301 720.301 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.301.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.302 720.302 Purposes, scope, and application.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.302.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.303 720.303 Association powers and duties; meetings of board; official records; budgets; financial reporting; association funds; recalls.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.303.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.304 720.304 Right of owners to peaceably assemble; display of flags; SLAPP suits prohibited.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.304.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.305 720.305 Obligations of members; remedies at law or in equity; levy of fines and suspension of use rights.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.305.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.306 720.306 Meetings of members; voting and election procedures; amendments.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.306.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.307 720.307 Transition of association control in a community.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.307.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.308 720.308 Assessments and charges.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.308.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.309 720.309 Agreements entered into by the association.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.309.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.311 720.311 Dispute resolution.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.311.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.312 720.312 Declaration of covenants; survival after tax deed or foreclosure.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.312.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.313 720.313 Receivership notification.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.313.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 720.315 720.315 Passage of special assessments.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.315.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXL_C720_PI_S720.302. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.