If your community has both a CDD and an HOA, you have two boards: a Board of Supervisors for the CDD and a Board of Directors for the HOA. They sound similar, but they are fundamentally different in law, authority, and obligations.
Election mechanics
CDD supervisors are initially elected by landowners, with one vote per acre of land owned (190.006(2)(a)). This means the developer typically controls the board until the district has enough qualified electors to trigger the transition to general-election supervisors on the November ballot. Once that transition happens, any qualified elector residing in the district can run for a seat.
HOA directors are elected by the members (homeowners) of the association, with one vote per parcel, at the annual membership meeting per the association's bylaws and Chapter 720.306.
Public vs. private obligations
CDD supervisors are public officers. This means:
- Sunshine Law (Ch. 286): All board discussions about CDD business must happen at a publicly noticed meeting. Two supervisors cannot discuss CDD matters by phone, email, or text outside a noticed meeting.
- Public Records (Ch. 119): All CDD records are public records, available for inspection by any person.
- Ethics (Ch. 112 Part III): Supervisors must file Form 1 financial disclosure annually, disclose voting conflicts under 112.3143, and comply with the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees.
HOA directors do not carry these obligations. Their meetings follow the association's bylaws and Chapter 720.303(2), which requires notice but does not impose Sunshine Law constraints.
Authority and powers
A CDD can issue bonds (190.016), levy non-ad-valorem assessments collected on the county tax bill (190.021, 197.3631), and exercise specific infrastructure powers (190.012) including water management, roads, parks, and security. These are governmental powers.
An HOA enforces the recorded covenants, collects dues, and manages the common areas it is responsible for under the declaration. HOA authority derives from the private covenant, not from statute-granted governmental power.
Board meeting requirements
| | CDD | HOA | |---|---|---| | Notice required | Public notice per 189.015 and 286.011 | 48 hours posted on property (720.303(2)) | | Open to public | Yes, Sunshine Law mandates | Yes (720.303(2)), but different legal basis | | Minutes | Public record, must be available (119.01) | Must be maintained (720.303(4)) | | Can discuss offline | No, Sunshine Law violation | Not governed by Sunshine Law |
What this means for district managers
If you manage both the CDD and the HOA for a community, you are navigating two different legal frameworks with different notice, meeting, and disclosure requirements. CDDStream can surface the statutory requirements for each board type from the correct chapter, so your team does not mix up the two frameworks.
CDDStream is software; it is not a law firm and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Verify specifics with your district counsel.