[1] |
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, FOURTH DISTRICT |
[2] |
No. 4-86-0039 |
[3] |
1987.FL.43447; 508 So. 2d 554; 12 Fla. Law
W. 1500 |
[4] |
filed: June 17, 1987. |
[5] |
ABBEY PARK HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION,
APPELLANT,
v. DEBORAH BOWEN, APPELLEE |
[6] |
Appeal from the Circuit Court for Palm Beach
County |
[7] |
Daniel S. Rosenbaum of Becker, Poliakoff
& Streitfeld, for appellant. |
[8] |
John P. Stetson of Stetson and Baarslag, for
appellee. |
[9] |
Walden, J., Hersey, C.j., and Glickstein,
J., concur. |
[10] |
Author: Walden |
[11] |
Abbey Park Homeowners Association, Inc.,
(Abbey Park), appeals an adverse final judgment and mandatory permanent
injunction in favor of Deborah Brown, appellee. We reverse and remand. |
[12] |
Brown failed to pay her monthly assessments
of the common expenses, which resulted in Abbey Park filing an action to
foreclose a claim of lien against Brown. At the time of trial, Brown owed
$1,977.60 in unpaid assessments plus interest. Brown filed an answer,
affirmative defense and counterclaim. The affirmative defense asserted
that Brown was not liable for the assessments because Abbey Park failed to
maintain the common elements pursuant to the Declaration of Covenants,
Conditions and Restrictions. The counterclaim sought a mandatory permanent
injunction to compel Abbey Park to maintain the common elements and
damages for Abbey Park's alleged breach of the declaration. |
[13] |
Abbey Park filed a motion to dismiss the
counterclaim and a motion to strike the affirmative defense. The court
denied the motion to dismiss and granted the motion to strike the
affirmative defense. At trial, however, the court allowed Brown to present
evidence as to her previously stricken affirmative defense. |
[14] |
The jury found that Abbey Park and not Brown
breached the declaration by failing to maintain the common elements. The
trial court entered final judgment denying Abbey Park's claim for
foreclosure and granting a mandatory permanent injunction ordering Abbey
Park to maintain the common elements. |
[15] |
Four issues are raised on appeal. Three of
the four issues raised concern the admissibility and applicability of the
affirmative defense asserted by Brown. The fourth issue raised is whether
the trial court erred in granting a mandatory permanent injunction. |
[16] |
In the instant case, it is not disputed that
Brown has not paid assessment fees since July 1983, and at the time of
trial, she owed $1,977.60 plus interest. Brown's duty to pay the
assessment fees was conditioned solely on her acquisition of title as
stated in the declaration. Her only defense asserted at trial was Abbey
Park's failure to maintain the common elements. However, the affirmative
defense of failure to maintain the common elements is inadequate as a
matter of law. Sandles v. Sheridan Lakes Condominium, Inc.,
388 So.2d 1096
(Fla. 4th DCA 1980). As this defense is inadequate as a matter of law, the
trial court erred in entering final judgment in favor of Brown as to the
foreclosure suit. Therefore, we reverse and remand for entry of a final
judgment for Abbey Park on its foreclosure claim. |
[17] |
We also reverse and remand for entry of a
final judgment for Abbey Park on the mandatory permanent injunction. XXX
1{/Cite} Injunctive relief is an appropriate remedy for the
enforcement of regulations contained in a declaration of condominium. Del
Valle v. Biltmore II Condominium Association, Inc.,
411 So.2d 1356
(Fla. 3d DCA 1982). However, in this case, the injunction ordered is
improper. |
[18] |
A perpetual injunction is unenforceable and
a trial court abuses its equity powers if it attempts to impose such a
sanction. Florida Jai Alai, Inc. v. Southern Catering Services, Inc.,
388 So.2d 1076
(Fla. 5th DCA 1980); and U Shop Rite, Inc. v. Richard's Paint MFG. Co.,
Inc.,
369 So.2d 1033
(Fla. 4th DCA 1979). In the instant case, the mandatory injunction orders
Abbey Park to maintain the common elements and enjoins it from allowing
the common elements to fall into disrepair. However, the injunction is
perpetual; it does not state any time limits to be imposed. As such, it is
unenforceable and must be reversed. Moreover, Abbey Park does not have the
ability to comply with the injunction, and therefore, the injunction is
improper. |
[19] |
Accordingly, we reverse and remand for entry
of a final judgment for Abbey Park on its foreclosure claim and on the
mandatory permanent injunction. |
[20] |
REVERSED AND REMANDED. |
[21] |
HERSEY, C.J., and GLICKSTEIN, J., concur. |
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Opinion Footnotes |
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[22] |
XXX 1
In her counterclaim, Brown sought a mandatory permanent injunction and
damages for Abbey Park's alleged breach of the declaration. However, Brown
apparently abandoned this claim, as she did not introduce any evidence at
trial to support her damage claim, and therefore, this claim has been
lost. |
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