Condo owners get chance to shape association law

Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel

By Joe Kollin 
Posted July 15, 2006 

Condominium owners who want to discuss how best to protect their investments after a hurricane or other disaster destroys their buildings are invited to a series of public hearings this week at the direction of Gov. Jeb Bush.

The state Legislature in May approved a bill making it easier for a condo association to terminate itself, a move that would allow the property to be sold and every owner forced out, whether or not they want to leave.

Saying the bill (SB 1556) goes too far and "may cause unintended consequences that could deprive condominium unit owners of their rights to remain in their units without adequate procedural safeguards," Bush vetoed it.

In his veto message, he ordered the Division of Florida Land Sales, Condominium & Mobile Homes, which enforces condo law, to have public hearings throughout the state to get ideas for improving the measure, present its findings to the condo ombudsman for review and give a final report to him and legislative leaders by Oct. 1.

The department on Friday announced it will have three hearings in South Florida:

Monday, Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive.

Tuesday, Dania Beach City Hall, 100 W. Dania Beach Blvd.

Wednesday, Clayton Hutchinson Building, 559 Military Trail, West Palm Beach.

All three run from 4 to 8 p.m.


Now, a condo association can be terminated only if 100 percent of owners agree. The measure Bush vetoed would have let 80 percent of owners terminate it if the operation would be an economic waste.

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