Motion to Hire a DEI Firm, Diversity. Equity and Inclusion for Surfside HOA to establish normal business practices for inclusion and equal treatment of all members, including minorities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, seniors, veterans, and those of various religious backgrounds

Purpose: Engage a professional DEI firm to ensure Surfside HOA respects the civil rights of women, minorities, LGBTQ+ community members, seniors, and veterans, and to prevent any perceived discrimination within the organization. Fair housing laws prohibit discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status. Reasons for hiring a DEI firm are in response to the following incidents:

1. High Turnover of Female Staff: The office manager and two long term female office workers left Surfside HOA in one year. They deserve an independent investigation into why there is such high turnover.

2. Incidents Involving an LGBTQ+ Family: An HOA employee trespassed on a member’s site and verbally abused a family for flying a pride flag. The president responded with a letter with no further action taken. There was no formal condemnation or concrete steps taken to protect LGBTQ+ members, impacting their sense of safety and support from the HOA.

3. Perceived Targeting of Elderly Women Board Critics: Two elderly women critical of the HOA faced severe financial penalties and lawsuits. One faced a $20,000 lawsuit not given an appeal; another was fined $4,000 and rudely treated during her appeal. A young male member, an advocate for the board and the group they belong to, received special treatment with the backing of four board members, the tree committee chairman and hiring a lawyer to approve a compliance plan extremely favorable to this individual. There were hundreds of tree fines, and no similar special treatment was given.

4. Overturned Motion to Remove the Former President: A female board member raised complaints of mistreatment against the former president, alleging mistreatment of women, board members, and office staff. Despite the members passing at last years motion against the former president, the board used members’ funds to send out a ballot to keep the former president in office, the ballot did not accurately reflect the original concerns about mistreatment. The board protected the president while ignoring the concerns of the women involved.

Resolved, that Surfside HOA will hire a DEI firm to independently investigate the above incidents to set goals to support DEI.

Investigate potential biases and discriminatory practices by interviewing affected parties within the Surfside HOA. The firm will generate a report for all members on any identified biases and provide recommendations to improve DEI going forward. The report will recommend DEI goals to ensure our HOA board is inclusive, respectful, and aligned with best practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The firm’s expertise will guide us in establishing and implementing the following targeted measures. The measures should help minimize potential lawsuits.

Promoting Fairness and Equity: DEI initiatives ensure that all members of the HOA, regardless of their background, are treated fairly and have equal access to opportunities, resources, and decision-making processes. This helps in building a more equitable community where everyone feels valued and respected.

Enhancing Community Relations: A focus on DEI fosters a sense of belonging and inclusivity among all members of the community. It helps in bridging cultural, social, and economic differences, leading to stronger, more harmonious community relations.

Reflecting Community Diversity: HOAs, like any organization, should reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. DEI efforts help ensure that the board and other decision-making bodies represent a broad spectrum of the community, allowing for diverse perspectives and more comprehensive.

Improving Governance and Decision-Making: Diverse groups tend to make better decisions, as they bring a wider range of perspectives and experiences to the table. This can lead to more innovative solutions and policies that better address the needs and concerns of all community members.

Legal and Ethical Compliance: Supporting DEI aligns with legal and ethical standards related to anti-discrimination and inclusion. It helps HOAs comply with local, state, and federal laws regarding fair housing and non-discriminatory practices.

Hiring a DEI firm is crucial to ensuring that Surfside HOA operates fairly and respectfully towards all its members, regardless of their background or identity. DEI Goals include establishing a set of Core Values and a code of ethics to define expected behaviors, with mandatory signatures from Board members. We aim to create team norms to guide HOA meetings and ensure productive, respectful interactions. Additionally, we will implement mandatory awareness coaching and training for Board members upon joining and annually, reinforcing these values and standards.