Martin Downs Property Owners Association

ABOUT US

The Martin Downs Planned Unit Development was created August 08, 1980, by Southern Realty Group, Inc. Control of the 3,800-home development was turned over to the Martin Downs Property Owners Association (MDPOA) May 01, 2000. The Planned Unit Development covers an area of approximately 2,600 acres and is home to approximately 10,000 residents within 23 individual residential associations. An integral part of the community is the three major shopping centers with banks, restaurants, gas stations, churches, medical facilities, specialty shops, general retail outlets, offices, and a supermarket. Many residents of Martin Downs have the convenience and comfort of having all these services and amenities within walking or biking distance of their homes.


The mission of Martin Downs Property Owners Association, Inc, is to preserve and enhance the property values and the quality of life of the property owners. Responsibilities and activities of MDPOA are funded through assessments paid by the residential and commercial property owners.


The affairs of the Master Association are managed by a Board of Directors. Each of the 48 Members appoint one representative to sit on the Board. The Board appoints an Executive Committee consisting of 7 members. This Committee governs MDPOA and consists of 4 Officers and a representative from Meadows, Monarch, West Villages, East Villages, Sunset Trace, and the Institutional Parcels. The day-to-day operation of MDPOA is managed through the Executive Committee by an on-site Administrator.

Representation for the residents:

When MDPOA was organized, our Members were made up of representatives from the Associations and Commercial/Institutional properties within much of Palm City.  Each member is responsible for selecting a Representative of their choice to sit on the Board of Directors.  Unfortunately, there appears to be a disconnect or lack of communication between MDPOA, each association’s Representatives, and their member residents.  MDPOA information is not always being shared by the representatives.   To help each Representative and the Associations they represent better inform their residents, MDPOA will begin posting on this website the Minutes of our Meetings.  It is our intent that this will help answer questions and better inform the residents of the important services provided to the infrastructure within the Martin Downs community.  In addition MDPOA will continue to encourage each Member association board to provide their residents the information they learn when sitting on MDPOA Committees and attending Board Meetings.

Katz Lawsuit Info and Update:


Southern Land Group began developing what today is Martin Downs in the 1980’s. The developer first created the infrastructure which included retention ponds, roads, and the drainage system. During that process, a drainpipe was buried in the wrong place, not within its designated Drainage Easement between several homes. The developer turned Martin Downs over to Martin Downs POA (MDPOA) in 2000. . The Katz’ purchased their property in 2012. In 2015, when the pipe was found, MDPOA had the drainpipe disconnected, filled with concrete, and installed a new drainpipe in the proper Drainage Easement. Katz quickly determined that they could no longer hold the developer or the builder responsible for potential damages they claimed, so they filed a lawsuit against MDPOA. The full Board of Directors of Martin Downs POA met on January 20 and unanimously approved the settlement offer for the 9 year old Katz lawsuit. The offer was accepted by Katz, and signed. As part of that approved settlement offer, MDPOA purchased the Katz property for $550,000, and will pay a cash sum of $500,000. On February 08, the full Board of Directors unanimously approved a special assessment to the Members of MDPOA to collect the money needed to pay the approved cash settlement. The assessment included monies which might be needed to pay closing costs for the property and interest on the loan to purchase the property, settlement costs, etc. All unused assessment monies will be returned to the Members. MDPOA purchased the property March 22 using a short term interest only loan, sold the property for the same amount less closing costs, and has paid back the short term loan with only one interest payment paid, and no real estate commissions were paid – all within 20 days. The special assessment monies being collected to pay the cash part of the settlement offer, will be paid in the next week to complete the remaining requirement of the settlement offer. At this time there are no other pending lawsuits against MDPOA.