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LS Carlson Law
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Proudly Serving Lee & Collier Counties

America's Largest Law Firm Fighting BAD HOAs

#1 By Cases Won

Fort Myers HOA Attorneys for Homeowners

IMA Law Firm of the Year
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Who We Fight For

We Only Represent Homeowners

One side of the fence — always. Across Lee and Collier Counties. Never the boards. Never the developers. Never the management companies. You.

We Represent
Homeowners
We Never Represent
HOAs Boards Developers Management Cos.

Southwest Florida’s HOA landscape was transformed by Hurricane Ian in September 2022. The Category 4 storm devastated communities across Lee County, and the aftermath exposed failures in HOA governance, maintenance, and insurance coverage that continue to generate disputes today. From Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach to Cape Coral and inland communities, homeowners are fighting associations over reconstruction delays, improper assessments, and mismanaged insurance proceeds.

Good HOAs are invaluable.
Bad HOAs abuse their power.

LS Carlson Law represents Fort Myers and Southwest Florida homeowners exclusively in disputes with their HOAs and condominium associations. We never represent the association—only the individual homeowner. Our attorneys understand the specific challenges facing Southwest Florida communities in the post-Ian environment, including the intersection of HOA obligations, insurance disputes, and the new building safety requirements enacted after the Surfside tragedy.

Beyond hurricane-related disputes, Fort Myers homeowners face the same issues plaguing HOAs statewide—selective enforcement, improper fining procedures, assessment violations, and board misconduct. Southwest Florida’s rapid pre-storm growth also created many newer communities where governance issues are still being sorted out. Whether your dispute involves a decades-old association in Naples or a newly built community in Estero, LS Carlson Law has the experience to fight for your rights.

Two Decades.
One Focus.

For over 20 years, LS Carlson Law has been the leading HOA attorney in Southwest Florida — pioneering the very strategies other firms now try to replicate.

20
Years of Experience
Established in 2006
513
Five-Star Reviews
#1
By HOA Cases Won
In the country
The Authority On Bad HOAs

We Wrote The Book
On Bad HOAs

…literally.

We didn’t just learn how to beat bad HOAs — we wrote the definitive guide to it. After winning more of these fights than any firm in the country, we put the entire playbook in print. When you hire us, you get the team that wrote it.

By Luke Carlson, Esq. 20 Years Fighting HOAs
The firm bad HOAs across the country hope you never call.
Bad HOA™ — The Homeowner’s Guide to Going to War and Reclaiming Your Power, by Luke Carlson, Esq.
★★★★★ #1 Best Seller on Amazon
Why LS Carlson Law

Why Homeowners Choose Us for Their Fort Myers HOA Dispute

Most Southwest Florida homeowners don’t come to us over a simple disagreement. They come because something has gone wrong — assessments levied without proper notice, common elements left unrepaired long after Hurricane Ian, or post-Surfside reserve demands that don’t follow the rules. We work under both Chapter 720 (HOAs) and Chapter 718 (condominiums), and we represent Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Naples homeowners exclusively — never associations. We are America’s Largest Law Firm Fighting Bad HOAs.

Chapter 720 & 718

Deep command of Florida’s HOA statute (Chapter 720) and Condominium Act (Chapter 718), refined through thousands of association disputes.

America's Largest

Having handled more HOA disputes than any firm in the country, we recognize the recurring tactics boards use — from selective enforcement to procedural manipulation — and exactly how to counter them.

Deliberate Pressure

We identify the leverage points in your Florida HOA or COA dispute, apply pressure deliberately, and position each matter for resolution or escalation based on your goals.

Pre-Suit Mediation

Fluent in Florida’s mandatory pre-suit mediation (§ 720.311) and every forum beyond it — negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and the courts.

Florida Courts

Fully prepared to take your case to Florida circuit court when the board won’t back down, with strong representation at every stage of the fight.

Never Associations

We do not represent associations. Ever. Our experience, insight, and strategy are directed entirely toward protecting homeowners.

Held Accountable

A strong history of resolving disputes in favor of Florida homeowners — holding associations accountable when they cross the line.

Chapter 720 & 718

Command of Florida HOA & COA Law

Deep command of Florida’s HOA statute (Chapter 720) and Condominium Act (Chapter 718), refined through thousands of association disputes.

What We Fight

Types of HOA & COA Disputes We Handle

Southwest Florida homeowners face unique HOA challenges shaped by hurricane exposure, rapid growth, and an aging condo stock. When your association crosses the line, you have legal remedies — and we enforce them.

Southwest Florida HOAs are required to maintain common areas and shared structures under Florida Statute 720. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, many Lee County communities still have neglected roofing, unresolved water intrusion, and deteriorating infrastructure that associations have failed to address. From aging Cape Coral canal-front communities to rebuilt Fort Myers Beach properties, homeowners are paying assessments while repairs go undone. LS Carlson Law holds Southwest Florida HOAs accountable for their maintenance obligations. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Post-storm rebuilding across Southwest Florida has intensified deed restriction enforcement disputes. HOAs in newly rebuilt and rapidly growing communities from Estero to Bonita Springs are imposing architectural standards that may conflict with reconstruction realities. Under § 720.305, homeowners must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before an independent fining committee before fines can be imposed. When your HOA enforces restrictions arbitrarily or imposes fines without following proper procedures, you have legal recourse. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Southwest Florida’s large retirement and 55+ communities face unique fair housing challenges. The federal Fair Housing Act, the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), and Florida Statute 760 protect homeowners from discrimination based on race, religion, familial status, disability, and other protected classes. When HOA boards in Naples, Cape Coral, or Fort Myers communities engage in harassment, retaliatory fines, or discriminatory enforcement of age-restriction policies, LS Carlson Law takes aggressive action on your behalf. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Dense waterfront communities along Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, and the Cape Coral canal system create close-quarter living that leads to conflicts over shared structures, property boundaries, noise, and amenity use. Post-hurricane reconstruction has intensified these tensions as homeowners and associations navigate rebuilding timelines on adjacent properties. Florida’s nuisance laws provide remedies when a neighbor’s conduct substantially interferes with your use and enjoyment of your home. LS Carlson Law helps Southwest Florida homeowners navigate these disputes and reach fair resolutions. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Southwest Florida’s resort-style communities feature pools, clubhouses, fitness centers, and waterfront amenities that associations must maintain and fund properly. Under § 720.303, associations must maintain proper records and fund reserves for major repairs and replacements. Post-Hurricane Ian, many Fort Myers and Bonita Springs communities have neglected common area restoration while collecting full assessments. When your HOA blocks access to amenities, neglects maintenance, or improperly reallocates common area funds, LS Carlson Law fights to protect your rights. Contact us to explore your legal options.

In the stressful post-hurricane environment, selective enforcement and board overreach have intensified in many Southwest Florida communities. Some boards use the chaos of reconstruction to consolidate power, award contracts to favored vendors without competitive bidding, or retaliate against homeowners who question their decisions. Florida courts have consistently held that associations must apply covenants and restrictions uniformly. When your Fort Myers HOA targets you while ignoring identical violations by others, LS Carlson Law documents the inconsistencies and holds boards accountable. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Southwest Florida HOA boards have a duty to act in the best interests of the community. When negligence leads to property damage, safety hazards, or financial loss, homeowners have the right to take action. Post-storm safety hazards are common in Lee County communities—mold from unaddressed water intrusion, structural defects in storm-damaged buildings, and unsecured common areas. When an HOA breaches its duty of care, homeowners may have grounds for legal action to recover damages. LS Carlson Law helps Fort Myers homeowners hold negligent HOAs accountable. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Florida Statute 720.306 establishes specific procedures for HOA elections, including notice requirements, voting procedures, and candidate eligibility. Southwest Florida’s rapid growth has created large communities where board politics and election manipulation are increasingly common. When boards manipulate elections through improper proxy handling, failure to follow bylaws, or denial of eligible candidates, homeowners lose their voice in community governance. LS Carlson Law challenges fraudulent HOA elections across Southwest Florida. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Florida Statute 163.04 protects homeowners’ right to install solar energy systems, and HOAs cannot prohibit solar collectors or other energy devices based on renewable resources. Southwest Florida’s abundant sunshine makes solar an increasingly popular investment, yet many Fort Myers and Cape Coral HOAs continue to obstruct installations through excessive aesthetic requirements, unreasonable approval delays, or outright denials. LS Carlson Law enforces your solar rights against overreaching associations. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Southwest Florida homeowners face a perfect storm of rising assessments—driven by skyrocketing insurance premiums, post-Surfside building safety requirements, and Hurricane Ian reconstruction costs. Many Fort Myers and Cape Coral homeowners are receiving five- and six-figure special assessment notices. Under § 720.308, these assessments must follow specific procedures for proper notice, board authorization, and in many cases membership approval. When your HOA imposes assessments without following these requirements, fails to provide financial justification, or misallocates funds, LS Carlson Law challenges them on your behalf. Contact us to explore your legal options.

Hurricane Ian’s devastation of Southwest Florida in September 2022 created an unprecedented wave of HOA disputes that continues today. Common issues include associations that failed to maintain adequate insurance coverage before the storm, disputes over how insurance proceeds are allocated between common areas and individual units, unreasonable reconstruction timelines that leave homeowners in limbo, and emergency assessments imposed without proper procedures. From Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach to inland Lee County communities, LS Carlson Law has extensive experience navigating post-disaster HOA disputes across Southwest Florida. Contact us to explore your legal options.

How We Win

Our Proven Approach to Your Fort Myers HOA Dispute

A Bad HOATM won’t back down on its own. From your first call to final resolution, every case runs the same disciplined playbook — built to win.

A Bad HOATM won’t back down on its own. Here’s exactly how we take your case — and win it.

Schedule a Consultation
The Path
Consultation. Retention. Resolution.

During your initial consultation, we review the facts of your dispute, your governing documents, and any correspondence or violation notices you’ve received. Our Florida HOA attorneys assess your situation under Chapter 720 (homeowners’ associations) or Chapter 718 (condominiums), since the two operate under distinct statutory frameworks.

From there, we outline your strongest legal strategies—whether that points toward negotiation, mediation, or litigation—so you leave the consultation understanding exactly where you stand and what your options are.

Once you retain us, we send a formal Notice of Representation to your association, directing all communication through our office. You are no longer facing the board alone.

We then conduct a thorough analysis of your association’s compliance with Florida law—including assessment procedures (§ 720.308), election requirements (§ 720.306), and records and reserve obligations (§ 720.303). This due diligence often reveals additional violations that strengthen your position.

Florida requires the parties to attempt pre-suit mediation before filing most HOA disputes in court (§ 720.311). We prepare comprehensive mediation positions that clearly articulate the legal basis for your claims and use the process strategically to your advantage.

If mediation fails, we are fully prepared to litigate aggressively in Florida circuit court. As the prevailing party, you may recover your attorney’s fees under § 720.305.

Homeowners Ask. We Answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers to the questions homeowners ask us most — from the only firm of its size that never represents associations, boards, or management companies.

HOA disputes in the Fort Myers area are filed in the Lee County Circuit Court, located at 2075 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in Fort Myers. Before filing suit, Florida Statute § 720.311 requires mandatory pre-suit mediation through the DBPR.

Hurricane Ian in September 2022 devastated Southwest Florida, and the aftermath created a wave of HOA disputes. Common issues include disputes over reconstruction timelines, insurance proceeds allocation, emergency assessments for rebuilding, failure to maintain adequate pre-storm insurance, and disagreements over whether to repair or rebuild common areas. Many associations are still dealing with these issues years later.

Yes. We represent homeowners across Southwest Florida, including Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Estero, Lehigh Acres, Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, and surrounding Lee and Collier County communities.

Yes. Florida's post-Surfside building safety legislation requires milestone structural inspections for buildings three stories or taller that are 30 years old (or 25 years old within three miles of the coast). Many Fort Myers and Cape Coral condos meet these thresholds, triggering inspection requirements and mandatory structural integrity reserve studies that may lead to significant special assessments.

Southwest Florida's coastal condo stock is heavily affected by post-Surfside building safety legislation. Condominiums three stories or taller must undergo milestone structural inspections at 30 years of age (25 years within three miles of the coast) and complete structural integrity reserve studies. Many Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Fort Myers Beach condos meet these thresholds, triggering significant assessment obligations. Associations can no longer waive reserves by vote, which means owners may face large special assessments to fund required reserves. Our attorneys help condo owners navigate these requirements and challenge assessments that don't follow proper procedures under Chapter 718.

Yes. Under Florida Statute § 720.308, HOAs must follow specific procedures when levying special assessments—including proper notice, board authorization, and in many cases membership approval as outlined in the governing documents. If your Fort Myers HOA imposed a special assessment without following these requirements, you may have grounds to challenge it. Common issues include assessments imposed without proper notice, lack of required membership votes, failure to provide financial justification, and assessments that exceed the board's authority under the governing documents. Our attorneys review the assessment process and pursue legal remedies on your behalf.

Didn’t find your answer? Schedule a Consultation › or call (949) 421-3030
Results that speak for themselves

Recent Client Wins

1,000+
HOA Cases Won
and counting
Our Mission

Homeowner Empowerment

Empowerment is at the heart of everything we do — equipping you with the knowledge, the tools, and the legal muscle to stand up to any overreaching HOA. When homeowners know their rights and have a fiercely dedicated advocate at their side, unfair fines, arbitrary rules, and selective enforcement don’t stand a chance.

Three Ways to Get Empowered — Tap One
DIY Roadmap

Bad HOATM Book

We wrote the book on Bad HOAs… literally. In Bad HOATM, we distill years of legal warfare into a clear, no-nonsense guide designed to help homeowners understand their rights, stand their ground, and take legal action when necessary.

#1 Amazon Best Seller
Get Educated

Bad HOATM Podcast

Each episode delivers in-depth analysis of common homeowner grievances, interviews, and real-life situation assessments — a how-to resource for handling disputes and understanding the personalities inside your HOA. Bad HOATM equips you with the knowledge to ensure your HOA serves you.

Award-Winning Podcast
Join the Movement

Bad HOATM Subreddit

You’re not alone in the fight. Our Bad HOATM subreddit is a growing community of homeowners swapping hard-won advice, war stories, and wins against overreaching boards. Join the conversation, ask questions, and download our free Homeowner Empowerment Kit to walk into your next dispute prepared.

We believe that if you can resolve your HOA issue without needing an attorney, that’s a win.

Get Empowered Now

Articles, News & Resources

When Your Association Sends the Bill: How Florida Courts Evaluate Special Assessment Disputes
ARTICLE

When Your Association Sends the Bill: How Florida Courts Evaluate Special Assessment Disputes

The moment a special assessment arrives in your mailbox, the balance of power in your community can feel as though it has shifted. Understanding how Florida courts analyze these disputes — and what governance failures become central in litigation — is an essential first step.

Read More
Investigating Florida Special Assessments Before Filing Suit: A Pre-Litigation Guide for Homeowners
ARTICLE

Investigating Florida Special Assessments Before Filing Suit: A Pre-Litigation Guide for Homeowners

For many Florida homeowners, few events are as financially disruptive as receiving notice that their homeowners association or condominium board has levied a substantial special assessment. The period before a lawsuit is filed is often when the most consequential work occurs.

Read More
When the Board Comes for You: Retaliatory Enforcement in Florida Condominium Communities
ARTICLE

When the Board Comes for You: Retaliatory Enforcement in Florida Condominium Communities

There is a particular kind of condominium dispute that does not begin with a leaking roof or a delinquent assessment. It begins the moment a unit owner does something the board did not expect: asks to inspect the records, challenges an election result, or refuses to remain quiet at a board meeting.

Read More
When the Board Says No: Florida HOA Architectural Review Committee Abuse
ARTICLE

When the Board Says No: Florida HOA Architectural Review Committee Abuse

You spent months planning it. You measured the dimensions, researched the materials, and carefully drafted the application to your association's architectural review committee. You believed you were following the rules. Then the letter arrived: denied.

Read More
The Fine That Could Cost You Everything: Challenging Florida HOA Fines
ARTICLE

The Fine That Could Cost You Everything: Challenging Florida HOA Fines

It starts with a letter. Sometimes it arrives by certified mail. Other times it appears in your mailbox like a parking ticket. The notice informs you that the association has identified a violation, that a fine is being assessed, and that if you do not act, additional fines may follow.

Read More
The Rules They Chose Not to Enforce: How Selective Enforcement Claims Expose Florida HOAs in Court
ARTICLE

The Rules They Chose Not to Enforce: How Selective Enforcement Claims Expose Florida HOAs in Court

For many homeowners, selective enforcement is difficult to identify until a clear pattern emerges. Your neighbor parks the same boat trailer that earned you a violation notice. Two streets over, an aluminum fence that would never have passed your architectural review committee has stood undisturbed for three years.

Read More
Hurricane Damage and Your Florida Condo Association: Know Your Rights
ARTICLE

Hurricane Damage and Your Florida Condo Association: Know Your Rights

After a hurricane, Florida condo owners often face a second storm: the governance crisis inside the condominium association. Disputes over insurance, special assessments, reconstruction delays, and records access can determine whether owners absorb thousands in costs they never agreed to.

Read More
When the Bill Doesn't Add Up: How Florida Condo Owners Can Challenge Special Assessments
ARTICLE

When the Bill Doesn't Add Up: How Florida Condo Owners Can Challenge Special Assessments

The moment a special assessment notice arrives, many Florida condominium owners feel a familiar tightening in the chest. The number is large. The explanation is vague. The deadline is close. Buried somewhere in the fine print is the threat of a lien against the property if payment is not made on time.

Read More
When the Rules Become Weapons: Inside Florida HOA and Condominium Litigation
ARTICLE

When the Rules Become Weapons: Inside Florida HOA and Condominium Litigation

There is a moment in almost every serious HOA dispute when the homeowner realizes the conflict has changed. What started as a disagreement over a fence, a paint color, an unpaid fine, or a building repair has transformed into something more formal, more expensive, and consequential.

Read More
The Bill You Didn't Vote For: How Florida HOAs Use Special Assessments and How Homeowners Fight Back
ARTICLE

The Bill You Didn't Vote For: How Florida HOAs Use Special Assessments and How Homeowners Fight Back

There are few moments in homeownership more disorienting than opening a letter from your HOA and discovering that you owe thousands of dollars. The charge is not part of your regular dues and not a fee you anticipated. Instead, it is a special assessment imposed by a board you may not have elected

Read More

An Elite Strike Force in the Legal Industry

LS Carlson Law is proud to be considered an Elite Strike Force in the Legal Industry. We are comprised of battle-tested, highly skilled lawyers who operate with a single objective — to win.

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Tell Us About Your HOA Dispute

When you hire LS Carlson Law, you get aggressive Florida HOA attorneys who understand the unique challenges facing Southwest Florida homeowners. Call us now or fill out the form to set an appointment.

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