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Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel
By Larry Barszewski
Published February 10, 2017
Since September, the city has received almost 60
anonymous code complaints against individual unit owners accused of doing
remodeling work without a permit. The 40-year-old, 21-story structure at
2841 N. Ocean Blvd. has 174 units.
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"In my time as mayor,
it is the most complaints I've seen in any one building, and
the highest percentage of complaints," Mayor Jack Seiler
said. "There's a lot of people in the building that are
upset at other people, and they're turning them all in."
So far, city code enforcers have brought cases against four
units and are requiring their owners to get the work
properly inspected and permitted.
All of the complaints — mostly for bathroom and kitchen
remodels but some for air conditioning units —will be
investigated, said city spokesman Chaz Adams. He said the
city counts on neighbors being the city's eyes and ears.
It is not clear what sparked the feud, but some say it
centers on the performance of the condo board and management
company.
Judy Llewellyn, whose unit was the first to be cited by code
officers, said she takes full responsiblity for not knowing
that permits were required when she remodeled her bathroom.
But Llewellyn, who says the city action could cost her
$4,000 or more, called the flood of code complaints against
others "a witch hunt." |
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Vantage View condominiums in Fort Lauderdale is in
the midst of a condo war that has led to almost 60 complaints being
filed with the city of Fort Lauderdale for remodeling work done in
individual units without required city permits. Thatâ??s about a
third of the units in the 21-story North Ocean Boulevard building.
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Unit owner Robert Moskal disagrees. He said he doesn't
know who was behind all of those complaints to the city, but he has filed
his own complaint with the state against the board and management company.
"If an electrical fire starts, it's affecting the whole
building," he said.
Indeed, uninspected construction work can endanger neighbors who share walls
and common space, said Donna DiMaggio Berger, an attorney who specializes in
condo law.
That's why the city imposes penalties, fines and in some cases orders the
unpermitted work torn out. It doesn't matter whether it was a previous owner
who did the remodeling.
Condo board president John Finucane admits some — but not all — of the units
that are the subject of complaints had unpermitted work done.
Commissioner Dean Trantalis questioned the motives of those turning in their
neighbors.
"To have that many, clearly there's an orchestrated effort to wreak havoc
upon the unit owners," he said.
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