Condo owners frustrated as Florida House advances condo bill that allows boards to borrow money without consent
A Florida House panel has advanced legislation that allows condo boards to borrow money without member consent.
CBS News Miami reviewed the bill and spoke to condo owners dealing with the fallout from state reforms since the Surfside collapse.
"Assessments have been tough to handle," shared Brickell condo owner Julian Donado.
Donado told CBS News Miami he never imagined paying so much to live in Brickell by the Bay when he purchased his condo in 2019.
"I did the math at the time," explained Donado. "My mortgage was actually going to be cheaper. Now, not by a long shot, a lot more expensive."
And now, a new financial cliff could await him and others.
House Bill 913, approved unanimously by a panel Tuesday in Tallahassee, allows condo boards to get loans without the approval of their wider association membership. The bill specifies that boards can "levy special assessments to obtain a loan for necessary maintenance, repair... as required by the milestone inspection report" and structural reserve requirements. It allows associations a new path to meet state mandates put in place after the Champlain Towers South collapsed in 2021.
A recent study by the Miami Association of Realtors found that only 44% of condo buildings in Miami-Dade County and 41% in Broward County have completed their required reserve studies, which had to be done by the beginning of this year.
Miami State Rep. Vicki Lopez sponsored the bill and had this to say on Tuesday.
"It won't be the last," shared Lopez on Tuesday. "I did not come to the Florida House to be affectionately known as the 'Condo Queen,' but I'm here, and I'm committed to doing the work."
Condo owners told CBS News Miami they're trying to keep up with the changing laws and the cost that comes with it.
"It's just a lot of money to keep up with all the repairs to meet the state requirements, really just trying to get ahead," said a Brickell condo owner who goes by Kurd.
"I just wish that it happened a little bit sooner, probably before I bought in and I had a little bit more of an idea of what I was buying into," added Donado.
CBS News Miami did ask to speak with State Rep Lopez today, and we are still waiting to hear back.
Other items in the bill call for additional condo board transparency measures and insurance requirements.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
South Floridians protest against potential overturning of legalized same sex marriage, gerrymandering
In South Florida this weekend, anti-Trump protesters packed the streets as part of a nationwide group protest called a "National Day of Action." CBS News Miami shared the stories of protesters who said they're worried about several issues facing the country. John McNeice said he married his husband in 2014 in New York, a year before the U.S. Supreme Court recognized same-sex marriage. Now, a decade later, the Supreme Court has been asked to overturn that ruling. "It gets me upset because we all have a right to be who we are and live the life we want to live," McNeice said. That's one of the main reasons he joined protestors in Wilton Manors just off Dixie Highway and Wilton Drive on Saturday, opposing the latest policy changes by the Trump administration. "The one good thing Donald Trump did, and literally it's nothing, is that he brought this community together," McNeice said. Some protesters said they've been out here 25 weekends in a row, and they told CBS News Miami there are usually different issues to speak out against each time. Jennifer Jones said her life would also be impacted if the Supreme Court overturns the legalization of same-sex marriage. "For my wife and I, it would mean we don't exist anymore," Jones said. Another issue at hand is the attempt by Texas lawmakers to redraw congressional districts, which could flip five seats red. California, Illinois and New York have said they'll do the same. Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez announced this week that a committee will review Florida's congressional map. Jones said she will oppose redrawing Florida's map. When CBS News Miami asked Jones if California should be trying to redraw its maps, she said it's time for Democrats to push back. "You know, it's an interesting question," Jones said. "The Democrats have been playing very nice for a long time. And we've been losing, so you know what, maybe it's time for us to fight back and use the same dirty tactics the Republicans are using." Currently, Florida's congressional map has 20 republicans and 8 democrats. The organization's common cause has said they'd challenge a redrawing of Florida's maps in court.
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Failed New Mexico GOP candidate sentenced to 80 years for organizing drive-by shootings at Democrats' homes
A wannabe Republican representative in New Mexico was sentenced to 80 years in prison for organizing shootings at Democrats' homes after he was easily crushed in an election for a state House seat. Solomon Peña, 42, originally ran for the Albuquerque-based house district in 2022, but was swiftly defeated by incumbent Democrat Miguel Garcia after securing a mere 26% of the vote. 4 Solomon Peña was sentenced to eight decades in prison for organizing targeted shootings at Democratic officials' homes. Solomon Pena/X Still, Peña asserted the election was 'rigged.' 'I didn't lose nada,' he posted on his X account on Jan. 2. The sore loser quickly formed a 'sophisticated scheme' targeting elected officials in the state, US District Court Judge Kea Riggs said during his sentencing. 4 Peña previously attempted to run for a state House seat, but was defeated. AP He was arrested in January 2023 after a tense standoff with a SWAT team and accused of hiring four men to shoot at the homes of Bernalillo County Commissioners Adriann Barboa and Debbie O'Malley and state Sens. Linda Lopez and Moe Maestas, who are all registered Democrats. Peña was found guilty in March for recruiting a man and his son to target the Democratic officials. He was additionally convicted of trying to convince fellow inmates he was in jail with while awaiting trial to kill his codefendants. As the 'ringleader' of the operation, Peña tagged along on the final drive-by to Lopez's, less than a day before he was nabbed by the SWAT team. 4 Peña was arrested in January 2023 after a standoff with SWAT officials. AP The heavily armed men opened fire on the senator's house, sending multiple bullets flying through Lopez's 10-year-old daughter's bedroom window. No injuries were reported, but Lopez testified Wednesday that her children still suffer from mental health issues spurred by the shooting, including anxiety and depression, the Source New Mexico reported. 'The shooting of our home shattered what I was trying to form for my children,' Lopez said. 4 Peña plans to appeal the conviction, his attorneys said. AP Peña's attorneys spoke on his behalf and asserted that he would be appealing the conviction. Riggs, a Trump appointee, said that Peña would have likely continued on his violent rampage if he hadn't been captured by authorities — all because of his 'ego' and inability to 'believe that [he] lost an election.' Peña, an ex-con, previously served seven years in prison for theft. He was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. Over the last year, acts of political violence have spiked countrywide. In June, Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were assassinated at her home by deranged madman Vance Boelter, who dressed up as a police officer to trick the couple into opening their door. In April, an unemployed mechanic set Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's home on fire while his family was asleep inside. The arsonist later told police that he despised the governor and would've beaten him with a hammer himself if given the opportunity.
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
$40 million in cuts loom over Miami-Dade nonprofits, community programs
Local charities, nonprofits and community-based organizations across Miami-Dade County could face severe setbacks under Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's proposed 2025-2026 budget, which removes $40 million in funding that many programs rely on to operate. Leaders warn the cuts could jeopardize services for some of the county's most vulnerable residents. CBS News Miami spoke with one South Florida nonprofit that says its services could be directly impacted by the proposed reductions. Key Clubhouse of South Florida, a behavioral health organization in northwest Miami-Dade, helps people struggling with mental health challenges build confidence, gain skills and ultimately find employment. "I was at my lowest. Lowest! And I could not find any way of it," said Saparina Cushion, a member of the Key Clubhouse. Cushion said her doctor recommended she join the program after back-to-back family deaths left her struggling with her mental health. "It was hard for me because there were times that I would go into the bathroom and just cry," she said. Since joining, Cushion has found housing, made progress with her behavioral health, and secured a job. "The business unit is very fun. I did the attendance—everybody was like, 'Oh my god, you're so fast with the attendance,'" Cushion said. Key Clubhouse CEO Deborah Webb said the organization's employment programs would be among the hardest hit if the budget passes as proposed. "They learn skills. They're with others, so they feel [they're not] alone. It stops isolation and it gives them a purpose," Webb said. In July, 72 members were employed inside the clubhouse, three participated in transitional employment, 23 in supportive employment, and 11 worked independently. "I hope that we can restore the CBO funding for all the not-for-profits because it's so important to the folks that have been so vulnerable," Webb said. CBS News Miami reached out to Mayor Levine Cava about the proposed cuts. She referred reporters to a memo she sent to commissioners outlining efforts to find funding solutions. In part, the mayor wrote: "We are also currently conducting even deeper reviews of departmental budgets to identify any potential additional savings and underutilized allocations that can be redirected."
