Playgrounds, tot lots, splash pads, fitness stations, shade structures and park furniture are among the amenities HOAs and condo associations use to market their communities, and all of them wear out. Florida sun and Texas heat fade plastics, loosen hardware and break down surfacing, so boards are regularly asked to repair, resurface or replace aging equipment. This page explains what associations buy, what federal safety guidance says about community playgrounds, who makes the decision, and how many boards can be reached in Florida and Texas.
What Associations Buy
- Playground replacement, from a single composite structure to a full tot lot redesign
- Protective surfacing, including engineered wood fiber top-offs, rubber mulch, poured-in-place rubber and synthetic turf systems
- Safety inspections and audits by certified playground safety inspectors, often requested by the insurer or the manager
- Repairs and replacement parts such as swing seats, hangers, slides and hardware
- Shade structures and sails over playgrounds and pool decks
- Outdoor fitness stations, dog park equipment and site furnishings, including benches, tables, trash receptacles and bike racks
- Splash pads and spray grounds at communities replacing or adding to a pool
Playground and amenity work is usually bid as a capital project. Larger replacements are often scheduled in the association’s reserve study, so a project may be planned years in advance and then approved when the reserve component reaches the end of its useful life.
Federal Guidance: The CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes the Public Playground Safety Handbook (Publication 325). The handbook states that CPSC staff believe guidelines, rather than a mandatory rule, are appropriate. It also notes that some states and local jurisdictions may require compliance with the handbook and/or ASTM voluntary standards, and that risk managers and insurance companies may require compliance at a particular site.
The handbook’s definition of public playground equipment covers equipment for children ages 6 months through 12 years in the playground areas of several kinds of places, including multiple family dwellings such as apartment and condominium buildings, community maintained parks, and resorts and recreational developments. Sports or fitness equipment normally intended for users over the age of 12 is outside its scope.
Several of its recommendations translate directly into work for vendors:
- After assembly and before first use, equipment should be thoroughly inspected by a person qualified to inspect playgrounds for safety.
- Playgrounds should not be installed over concrete, asphalt or other paved surfaces.
- Loose-fill surfacing compresses at least 25% over time, so a playground that requires 9 inches of wood chips should start at 12 inches. Less than 9 inches of loose fill should never be used, except shredded or recycled rubber, where 6 inches is recommended.
- Loose-fill surfacing requires frequent maintenance, with special attention under swings and at slide exits.
The handbook is guidance, not law, and requirements can vary by state, locality and insurer. This summary is not legal advice.
Who Makes the Decision
The board approves playground and amenity projects, and large replacements are often funded from reserves. At a managed community, the manager usually gathers bids, schedules inspections and tracks the reserve schedule, and an amenities or social committee may weigh in on design. Some management companies also maintain a preferred vendor list, so reaching both the manager and the board is useful. At a self-managed community, board members handle the process directly. Self-managed associations are listed by county on the Florida and Texas self-managed pages.
How Many Boards Can Be Reached?
The figures below were taken from the HOA Contact Lists database on October 7, 2026. Only associations with at least one current, verified board member contact are counted.
| Associations | Board contacts | 50+ units | 100+ units | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida HOAs | 27,424 | 112,491 | 15,266 | 10,208 |
| Florida condo associations | 22,638 | 91,035 | 8,961 | 4,984 |
| Texas HOAs and POAs | 16,482 | 44,541 | 6,610 | 4,672 |
| Texas condo associations | 7,428 | 15,412 | 1,040 | 602 |
Larger communities are more likely to have a playground, a park or a fitness area to maintain. Across both states, 31,877 associations with 50 or more units carry 131,424 current board contacts.
Where the Larger Florida Associations Are
| County | Associations (50+ units) | Board contacts |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | 2,621 | 11,032 |
| Palm Beach | 2,418 | 11,928 |
| Broward | 2,291 | 10,734 |
| Orange | 1,583 | 6,440 |
| Hillsborough | 1,311 | 5,572 |
| Lee | 1,201 | 5,636 |
| Pinellas | 1,169 | 5,547 |
| Collier | 919 | 4,409 |
| Sarasota | 876 | 4,397 |
| Polk | 833 | 3,555 |
| Brevard | 705 | 3,199 |
| Duval | 703 | 2,714 |
Where the Larger Texas Associations Are
| County | Associations (50+ units) | Board contacts |
|---|---|---|
| Harris | 1,358 | 3,793 |
| Dallas | 1,143 | 3,548 |
| Travis | 1,017 | 3,066 |
| Collin | 954 | 2,957 |
| Bexar | 762 | 2,262 |
| Tarrant | 306 | 903 |
| Hidalgo | 245 | 636 |
| Williamson | 199 | 526 |
| Montgomery | 159 | 460 |
| Denton | 148 | 427 |
How Lists Are Built for Playground and Amenity Companies
- Association type. HOAs first, since single-family communities often own playgrounds and parks, with condo associations added for pool deck shade, fitness and site furnishings.
- Unit floor. 100 units and up for full playground replacements, or 50 and up for surfacing, inspections and repairs.
- Service area. Counties, cities or ZIP codes the install crew can reach.
- Board roles. Presidents first, with treasurers added because many projects are funded from reserves.
What a signed association project could be worth, once connect and win rates are factored in, can be estimated with the free HOA Vendor Revenue Calculator.
Counts are free to run in the HOA Contact Lists search, and new accounts receive 5 free credits. Custom counts can be requested at support@hoacontactlists.com.
Related Resources
- How pool service companies win HOA and condo contracts in Florida
- How fence contractors win HOA and condo contracts in Florida
- Signage and entry monument companies: Florida and Texas HOA and condo board contacts
- Florida HOA database and Texas HOA database
Frequently Asked Questions
Are HOA and condo playgrounds covered by the CPSC playground handbook?
The CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook defines public playground equipment to include equipment for children ages 6 months through 12 years at multiple family dwellings such as condominium buildings, community maintained parks, and resorts and recreational developments, among other places.
Is the CPSC playground handbook mandatory?
The handbook says CPSC staff believe guidelines, rather than a mandatory rule, are appropriate. It also notes that some states, local jurisdictions, risk managers and insurance companies may require compliance.
How deep should playground mulch be?
The CPSC handbook says less than 9 inches of loose-fill material should never be used, except shredded or recycled rubber, where 6 inches is recommended. Because loose fill compresses at least 25% over time, a playground needing 9 inches of wood chips should start at 12 inches.
Who approves a playground replacement at an HOA?
The board approves the project, and large replacements are often funded from reserves. At managed communities, the manager usually gathers bids and brings them to the board.
How many Florida and Texas associations with 50 or more units can be reached?
As of October 7, 2026, 31,877 associations with 50 or more units have a verified board contact in the HOA Contact Lists database, with 131,424 board contacts between them.