Kendall Attorney

Why Kendall Clients Work With Arturo R. Alfonso

What Is Different About Legal Matters in Kendall

An unincorporated community. Kendall is not a city. It is a census-designated place in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, so the County, not a city hall, is the local government: building permits, zoning, and municipal services come from Miami-Dade County. When you buy or sell a Kendall home, open or expired permits are checked in the County’s records, alongside the title search and title commitment.

County taxes in place of city taxes. Because there is no city, a Kendall property tax bill carries Miami-Dade’s Unincorporated Municipal Service Area (UMSA) millage, which pays for the city-type services the County provides in unincorporated areas, such as Sheriff’s patrols, neighborhood parks, and local road and sidewalk repair. For fiscal year 2025-26 the County adopted a UMSA operating rate of 1.9090 mills, about $1.91 for each $1,000 of taxable value (Miami-Dade County FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget). When we review a Kendall purchase, the tax bill is part of the numbers we check; our guide to Florida closing costs covers the other charges at closing.

Homestead and bankruptcy. Because a Kendall home sits outside any municipality, Florida’s constitutional homestead exemption is limited to 160 acres of contiguous land rather than the one-half acre that applies inside a city (Florida Constitution, Article X, section 4(a)(1)). For most homeowners, the more important questions are the federal timing rules explained in whether you can keep your house in bankruptcy.

Homeowners’ associations. If your Kendall home is in a community governed by a homeowners’ association, two rules matter. When the governing documents allow it, the association has a lien on each parcel for unpaid assessments (Florida Statutes section 720.3085), and before a sale the owner or lender can request an estoppel certificate, which the association must issue within 10 business days (section 720.30851). Our guides on HOA liens and foreclosure and estoppel letters go further.