Article
and Video Courtesy of
CBS
Channel 4 -- Miami/Ft. Lauderdale
Evan Bacon Reporting
Sunrise,
October 24, 2007
It
was two years ago this Wednesday that Hurricane Wilma barreled into
South Florida, leaving homes destroyed and many families homeless. CBS4
returned to some of the hardest hit condos, and found that not much
has changed. But frustrated home owners could be in for some relief.
The drywall is up but the floors are bare; grout, tile and tools are
stacked in the corner. Two years after Wilma and Eddie Garay still
can't go home
"My life has gone down the drain, even my health, I don't have
the same strength," said Garay.
Wilma's winds shredded rooftops and shattered windows. Where Eddie
Garay lives, Sunrise Lakes, dozens of buildings were damaged. Condo
owners have been frustrated over the pace and quality of repairs.
Many condo boards were not prepared to handle a major catastrophe
like Wilma. Two years after the storm there's a move underway to
change that.
State Rep. Julio Robaina wants to make condo law unit friendly.
Among his proposals is opening up condo records and finances for
owners, making it criminal for a condo board not to maintain their
records, and insisting on routine inspections and maintenance
evaluations.
"What we've done to deal with these contractors and vendors
that may not be acting within the realms of the law, what we're
doing is that we have a pilot fraud program," said Robaina.
Had laws been in place, residents at Southgate Gardens in Tamarac
wouldn't be living like this: Two years after the storm, many units
are still shells.
"And it was our ex board that are described as a group of mushy
do-nothing people," said Myles Sockin.
Sockin lost his condo in foreclosure. The complex is not on its
third contractor.
"It has destroyed many families' lives," said Sockin.
He says contractors need more accountability because in Florida,
Hurricanes do not retire.
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Watch
VIDEO
State
Representative Julio Robaina (R-Miami) created the pilot
program "How To Catch The Thieves In Our Associations".
See:
SCAM
PILOT PROGRAM
State
Representative Julio Robaina revealed plans for the 2008 Condo Bill!
"My
life has gone down the drain, even my health, I don't have the same
strength," said Garay.
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