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Article
Courtesy of The Islander News
By Hillard Grossman
Published March 6, 2025
Hard at work during the political "offseason,” State Rep.
Vicki Lopez already has laid out at least three of the House Bills she plans
to introduce when the 2025 Florida Legislative Session starts.
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Condominiums, housing
and transportation cover a broad spectrum for Lopez, whose
district includes Key Biscayne.
There was no word yet if Lopez, or Miami Sen. Alexis
Calatayud, expected any legislation to be presented for
low-interest, or no-interest, loans so condo dwellers can
afford the sudden impact of assessments instead of possibly
selling their residence. `Discussion on that topic, however,
is likely forthcoming in Tallahassee.
Below are some details of Rep. Lopez's proposed bills.
HB 913 Condominium Associations
"This legislation strengthens and modernizes condominium
governance, financial stability and transparency in Florida
while prioritizing safety, fairness, and inclusive
management to protect residents and prevent future
tragedies." |
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State Rep. Vicki Lopez overlayed on a desk with
papers and a judge's gavel.
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Lopez’s bill summary:
Following the 2021 tragedy in Surfside, where Champlain Towers South
partially collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 98 people, the need for
stronger structural integrity measures in Florida’s aging condominium
buildings became critical. Florida is home to over 912,000 condominiums aged
30 years or more, many needing significant repairs. To prevent further
tragedies, Florida now requires condo associations to complete structural
integrity reserve studies and fund reserves for repairs.
To address these challenges, HB 913 modernizes condominium governance with a
focus on safety, transparency and financial accountability. The proposed
legislation requires electronic voting, allowing condo owners to participate
more easily in decisions, particularly when requested by a majority. It also
streamlines the condo termination process, emphasizing public safety and
fairness.
Additionally, HB 913 empowers condo boards to take swift action on
structural repairs without delays, ensuring timely repairs to prevent
catastrophic failures. The bill addresses hotel condos and vertical
subdivisions and aims to increase financial transparency and better
delineate responsibilities, ensuring smoother governance for mixed-use
properties.
This legislation addresses the need for modernized, efficient, and inclusive
condo management, prioritizing safety and financial sustainability for
Florida’s communities. It ensures condo owners have a voice while
safeguarding their homes and investments.
On a side note, Islander News has learned that one of the startling points
of this legislation, which is 99 pages long, is to bar the state-run
property insurer Citizens from providing coverage to condominiums that fail
to comply with the new requirements. Reportedly, more than 11,270
condominium associations in Florida that are required to get the study for
funding future repairs haven’t done so.
Some fear that losing Citizens might be the end-all for many condo owners
who need that insurance policy.
According to a report in The Miami Herald, more than half of the 18,468
condo buildings insured by Citizens are located in Miami-Dade, Broward and
Palm Beach counties, with 4,213 associations governing those buildings.
HB 923 Housing
"HB 923 aims to address Florida's housing affordability crisis by
incentivizing mixed and multifamily developments and ensuring long-term
affordability to retain essential workers and young professionals in the
state and support economic growth."
Lopez’s bill summary:
Florida is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis, particularly
impacting the “missing middle” — those who earn too much for traditional
affordable housing but too little for market-rate homes. This challenge is
pushing young professionals and essential workers, including teachers,
healthcare professionals, and first responders, out of the communities they
serve and out of Florida, leading to a loss in workforce retention and
hindering Florida’s long-term economic growth.
HB 923 addresses these critical issues by removing development barriers
through tax exemptions for non-profit developers and pre-certification for
affordable housing projects. The legislation provides incentives for
mixed-use and multifamily developments, creating diverse housing options to
meet the needs of the workforce.
HB 923 ensures long-term affordability by preventing displacement as
tenants’ incomes rise, allowing workers to build stability without being
priced out. The bill also promotes adaptive reuse of existing structures,
maximizing the potential of underutilized properties.
This legislation aims to retain essential workers and young professionals in
Florida by providing stable housing, ensuring workforce retention, and
fostering long-term economic growth. The time to act is now to create a more
inclusive, sustainable Florida for all.
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