Alleged Misconduct Summary

OVERVIEW

This summary outlines a series of actions and omissions by individuals and organizations connected to The Palms Homeowners Association (HOA), Seabreeze Management, attorney Rhona S. Kauffman, and the law firm Guralnick & Gilliland, LLP. These actions allegedly resulted in severe personal, financial, and health consequences, and may constitute negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, malpractice, and fraud.

Rhona S. Kauffman - Attorney

Alleged Actions:

  • Failed to disclose a conflict of interest due to prior employment with Guralnick & Gilliland, LLP, the law firm representing the HOA.

  • Misrepresented her duty of loyalty to her client.

  • Advised or acted in ways that benefitted her former employer and the HOA over her client’s interest.

Potential Violations:

  • Legal malpractice

  • Breach of fiduciary duty

  • Fraud by omission

Shelley Westall - President, The Palms HOA

Alleged Actions:

  • Ignored persistent toxic living conditions caused by rodent infestation and contamination in HOA-controlled crawlspaces.

  • Withheld corrective action despite repeated notifications and evidence.

  • Failed to uphold her fiduciary duty as HOA president to protect homeowner safety and property value.

Potential Violations:

  • Negligence

  • Breach of fiduciary duty

  • Willful misconduct

Donna Rickman - Seabreeze Management, Property Manager

Alleged Actions:

  • Failed to act on documented health and safety hazards.

  • Allegedly coordinated with HOA leadership to delay or avoid necessary repairs.

  • Prioritized cost avoidance over homeowner health and safety.

Potential Violations:

  • Negligence

  • Willful misconduct

  • Breach of contractual duty

Seabreeze Management - Property Management Company

Alleged Actions:

  • Allowed uninhabitable, toxic conditions to persist in common areas.

  • Actively downplayed or dismissed homeowner complaints.

  • Engaged in alleged concealment of HOA responsibility to reduce financial exposure.

Potential Violations:

  • Negligence

  • Breach of contract

  • Fraudulent misrepresentation

Guralnick & Gilliland, LLP - HOA’s Law Firm

Alleged Actions:

  • Worked in concert with Rhona S. Kauffman to shield the HOA from accountability.

  • Used legal maneuvering to avoid HOA responsibility for common-area repairs.

  • Engaged in conflicts of interest that undermined fair representation.

Potential Violations:

  • Collusion

  • Fraud

  • Legal malpractice

CONCLUSION

The cumulative effect of these actions was the destruction of Stephen Steiner’s health, home, and financial stability. Each party failed in their duty to act lawfully and responsibly, creating a coordinated pattern of negligence and betrayal. A Special Place documents this misconduct in detail through emails, inspection reports, photographs, and legal correspondence.