Homeowners in a 160-unit Florida townhome complex have filed a lawsuit against their homeowners association and property management company. They claim a $2.1 million (£1.61 million) roofing contract was approved behind closed doors weeks before a public vote took place.
The dispute involves The Vistas at Phillips Commons, a residential community in the Dr. Phillips area of Orange County, Florida. According to local reporting by WKMG ClickOrlando, residents were told that each homeowner would have to pay a special assessment of $13,157.73 (£10,120) to replace the roofs across the entire complex. Homeowners claim in court filings that financial records show association managers issued a $232,000 (£178,000) deposit check to a roofing contractor on June 10, 2026.
However, the association board did not hold its official public meeting and vote on the project until June 22, 2026.
Discrepancies in association records
Kenneth Yuret, a long-term resident who has lived in the community for nearly 20 years, said his roof was still in good condition and did not need to be replaced immediately. Yuret shared meeting records with WKMG ClickOrlando showing that the proposed special assessment would cost a total of $2,105,237.34.
More than 100 residents attended the public board meeting on June 22 to discuss the project and vote on it. After reviewing financial records he had requested from the property managers, Yuret found that money had already been paid out 12 days before the community vote.
“I found this huge discrepancy in our financials,” Yuret told WKMG ClickOrlando. “This is the smoking gun. It was shocking.”
Legal violations and parallel criminal investigation
The lawsuit names both The Vistas at Phillips Commons Homeowners Association and its property management company, Beacon Community Management Inc.
The homeowners claim that the board broke Florida Statute 720.303. This law requires homeowners association meetings to be open to all members. It also sets strict rules for giving public notice before voting to spend association funds or charge homeowners special assessments.
Alongside the civil lawsuit, court filings reveal that the homeowners association board and Beacon Community Management Inc. are also under an active criminal investigation.
The investigation concerns alleged financial irregularities and fraud. Investigators with the Orlando Police Department confirmed to WKMG ClickOrlando that a criminal investigation is underway. However, officers declined to share specific details about the investigation's scope.
Management response and homeowner resistance
When investigative reporters from WKMG ClickOrlando contacted the homeowners association board president, the president directed all questions to the association's legal counsel.
The lawyer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Beacon Community Management Inc. also did not respond to phone calls or written emails about the lawsuit and criminal investigation. Yuret confirmed that he and other residents plan to continue their legal fight in court.
They want to stop the special assessment and prevent the roofing project from moving forward. “I like HOAs, that's why I moved here,” Yuret said in comments reported by WKMG ClickOrlando. “It's a sense of security when everything is in order, but when it falls in the wrong hands, that is when we can have a problem and we do. I'm going to fight til the end. I'm not going to let a company bully me out of my own home.”