TAMPA — A new state
law is all about making sure condominiums across the state
are more resilient after the Surfside condo collapse.
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Right now, many
buildings across the state are going through a very
stringent inspection process to determine if there are any
structural deficiencies. However, the large assessment fees
to pay for repairs is leaving many condo owners priced out.
“Some of these buildings are very old and some of them don’t
have reserves,” said Aubrey Burris, a real estate attorney
in Tampa. “Some of these places have a $50,000 special
assessment due within a few months. How can someone on a
fixed income pay for that?”
More than a year after the tragic collapse of the Champlain
Towers South condominium building in Surfside, condo and
cooperative associations throughout Florida now face a host
of new legal requirements and restrictions imposed by a new
state law. |
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The legislation is
aimed at protecting the long-term structural safety and
integrity of multi-story buildings in Florida and preventing
similar tragedies.
However, many condo owners are now rushing to sell their
properties before the assessment fees are due.
“People are competing to sell their properties,” said Sara
Taylor, a real estate consultant in Clearwater. “We’re
seeing price reductions to entice buyers to come in and
we’re seeing people who just can’t afford it having to list
their condos and find another place to move.”
