RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A vinyl fence may not be anything remarkable, but to one Riverview woman, it’s a big deal.
Like many homeowners, Sirrita Rubiano paid to repair damage to her home after Hurricane Milton. However, she is concerned about a fence around a community park, which she says doesn’t belong to her.
Rubiano lives in the South Fork III community in Riverview.
She said during Hurricane Milton, the fence surrounding a community park fell over, but it just so happens that part of the fence backs up to her house.
“It’s not my fence,” Rubiano said. “I didn’t put this fence up, I didn’t request the fence, I didn’t have the opportunity to say I didn’t want the fence.”
Rubiano said the fence was put up after she bought her house.
She contacted the Community Development District (CDD) board, which is paid to maintain the community.
“I sent them an email, and that’s when the back and forth started, and they told me that they’re not repairing the fence and it’s my responsibility,” she said.
The damaged section of the fence is small, but to Rubiano it’s a big deal.
“I am a single mom, I am a widow, so this just comes as a complete financial burden,” Rubiano said.
This was the dream house Rubiano bought with her husband, Mario, who passed away shortly after they moved in. Not long after, Rubiano said the fence was installed around the park without a word to her.
“It was literally just one day folks out there putting up a fence,” she said.
This isn’t the first time the fence couldn’t weather a storm. Rubiano watched it get knocked over during Hurricane Ian.
“Without me reaching out to anyone, the fence was repaired,” Rubiano said.
She pointed that out to CDD leaders in emails she provided to ABC Action News. They responded that good Samaritan neighbors might have done it for her.
The CDD is run by Inframark, a Pennsylvania-based company offering community management. Their website claims what sets them apart is their “unwavering commitment to resident service and satisfaction.”
The CDD declined multiple interview requests and did not provide comment.
Public record shows the CDD‘s yearly budget is more than $1.3 million, funded by homeowners through their tax bill. Every year, Rubiano pays a little over $2,000.
CDD records show a history of how they repaired or removed damaged fences between homes and community properties. Fixing fences was even on a recent board meeting agenda, which Rubiano attended in search of answers.
The board openly talked with other homeowners and answered their questions about electric bills, but when it was Rubiano‘s turn, the board said they had no comment.
“It’s completely frustrating, I’m so frustrated,” Rubiano said after the meeting.
Fence disputes are one of the most common complaints to Stephen Hachey's law office.
“I think the first step is to get a survey,” Hachey said.
His advice is to figure out exactly where the fence sits. Hachey said if it was put on Rubiano‘s property that requires an easement, county records do not show one.
“Her options are either one pay $7,000 out of pocket to get the fence repaired or pay a couple hundred dollars out of pocket get a survey showing the fence isn’t on your property,” he said.
Rubiano said she can’t afford that, with the fence remaining a barrier she can't overcome.
“It’s theirs, and they don’t want to pay for it,” Rubiano said.
Many communities in Florida have a CDD, and they are considered a local special-purpose government. That means some of their meetings and records are open to the public.
ABC Action News could not find any invoices from the time when the fence was installed or when it was fixed the first time. The I-Team asked the CDD if it has those records and why they were not posted, but the CDD has not responded.
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