The measure would give homeowners a way to challenge Community Development District board members’ misconduct.
By Josh Salman/Suncoast Searchlight
Original Air Date: February 11, 2026
Host: A new bill in the Florida Senate would give homeowners living in community development districts—known as CDDs—a way to recall members of the boards that govern them. Josh Salman with Suncoast Searchlight has the details.
Josh Salman: The measure aims to expand oversight and give residents a tool to remove board members. The reasons could be neglect, malfeasance, incompetence, a felony conviction or inability to do their jobs.
Community development districts are special governmental bodies that control decisions about infrastructure and services in many new housing communities across the state. Currently, homeowners often have no formal route to remove board members they say aren’t acting in their best interests—especially early board members appointed by real estate developers.
Firethorn is a new community in Parrish. Photo by Josh Salman via Suncoast Searchlight
The bill—Senate Bill 1180—would create a formal recall election process that “largely mirrors existing procedures” used by cities and counties, according to a Senate analysis.
Under the proposal, petitioners would need signatures from at least 10% of registered voters in the CDD to trigger an election. Those facing a recall would be allowed to submit a 200-word defense to voters. Penalties would also be established for unlawful conduct in the recall process like forging signatures or paying people to sign petitions.
Sen. Kristen Arrington, a Democrat from Kissimmee who sponsored the legislation, said the idea grew out of complaints from residents of a CDD in Osceola County.
Sen. Kristen Arrington (D-Kissimmee) has sponsored new legislation for recall elections in community development districts. Photo courtesy of the Florida Senate via Suncoast Searchlight
Kristen Arrington: The idea came from an issue that was brought from a local community in my district, Concord Estates, and the actual constituents came to me completely distressed because they have—allegedly—a board member who has maybe taken close to $1 million or more.
JS: Those neighbors say they currently have no way to oust board members they believe are responsible for alleged misconduct. That includes issues like embezzlement or violations of public records laws.
It also follows months of ongoing reporting by Suncoast Searchlight. The “Power and Profit” series last year exposed how real estate developers are reshaping Florida’s housing market through the unchecked proliferation of these independent special districts.
CDDs allow developers to issue tax-free, municipal bonds to finance infrastructure construction. Meanwhile, they pass long-term costs to homeowners, often at a scale that mirrors their government property taxes.
However, the bill does not apply to the very first board members appointed by developers—a point Arrington acknowledged was a compromise to move the measure forward.
Supporters of the bill say it would finally give residents a way to hold governing board members accountable before their terms are up. Opponents have not been reported. The legislation has already cleared two Senate subcommittees without any opposition.
KA: I feel pretty decent, knock on wood. We have gone through two committees in the Senate. We have one more committee and then the floor. The House has—it’s been heard in one committee, and it’s being heard in the second committee, I believe, today. So both of them are still moving in both chambers.
Residents in Harrison Ranch, a community development district in Manatee County, are pushing back against district leaders who have hired family members for top staff jobs, awarded no-bid contracts to other relatives and hosted lavish private parties on the district’s dime. Photo by Josh Salman via Suncoast Searchlight
JS: CDDs and other special purpose governments operate like homeowners associations on steroids, some with the budget of a small city. Each must be established through a local ordinance or specific state law setting their powers, the ability to levy special assessments and enforce community rules. Most CDD communities in Florida also are governed by HOAs.
During the past five years alone, the nearly 90 developer-organized special districts operating between Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties took out $2.9 billion in municipal bonds—giving those developers nine times more cumulative spending power than the City of Sarasota, according to analysis by Suncoast Searchlight.
These local development districts now cover 95 square miles across the Suncoast. And in some Suncoast zip codes, there are no new homes for sale that are not located within a CDD.
In related developments, another state Senate bill, SB 1498, would address other homeowner concerns by targeting so-called “forever fees.” That bill would allow homeowners associations to take over amenities instead of renting them back from developers. That proposal has attracted backing from another state senator and leadership figures in the Senate.
Reporting for Suncoast Searchlight, Josh Salman. To read the full story, go to suncoastsearchlight.org/florida-bill-community-development-district-cdd-recall-board.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.