In the State of Florida, there are many city or county-wide organizations that provide benefits to condominium and homeowner associations. These organizations serve the interests of their association membership on a local basis. The Florida Community Association Coalition (FCAC) was established to be the first state wide coalition seeking to band condominium and homeowner associations together throughout the State of Florida. The Florida Community Association Coalition (FCAC) will provide its members with unique benefits, programs, savings and the opportunity to address issues that affect all associations.

The benefits offered to FCAC members are unique to our membership. FCAC will seek to provide benefits and savings to associations on products and services that all associations use as well as establish programs that to protect associations from scams. The FCAC will hold seminars each year to give our members the chance to get free legal answers to their questions. Also, we will inform our members of the new law as or amendments that pertain to our members. By banding associations together, condominiums and homeowner associations will be able to use the collective buying power to obtain competitive pricing from insurance products to the services of a contractor.

The FCAC will address issues that affect all associations in the State of Florida. Members of the FCAC will be able to voice their concerns about pending legislation and have the opportunity to meet with legislators to suggest new legislation. The FCAC will address only those issues which are supported by its membership.

The FCAC has established “Friends of the Coalition,” and Grandpa Gil's List which are corporations and individuals who are endorsed by the FCAC. “Friends of the Coalition” will go through a rigorous screening process before being accepted as a Friend of the Coalition and being placed on Grandpa Gil's List. Considering the significant amount of scams that all Floridians face each year, the FCAC has offered its members a guarantee that no other organization offers in the United States. If you use a company or person on Grandpa Gil's List and the company defaults or scams you, the FCAC will provide an attorney at no cost to take the appropriate legal action.

Membership in the FCAC shall be open to associations as well as individuals who live in associations. At present, there is no cost to join the FCAC. Those associations or individuals who desire to become members of the FCAC can join for free by going to www.floridacoalition.com. At this time, due to funding restrictions, the FCAC does not allow members to join by mail or telephone.

The FCAC, which is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, has appointed, Mark Bogen, as its Executive Director. Bogen, who is a Florida attorney specializing in association law, has written two weekly columns for the Sun-Sentinel newspaper for the past 13 years. Furthermore, the FCAC has established an Honorary Advisory Committee of distinguished community leaders and law enforcement officials. During 2005, the FCAC will seek to establish area representatives throughout the State of Florida and expand its offices to Tallahassee, Florida.