Latest news with #Champlain
Miami Herald
21-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Will Florida's new condo law help ease an affordability crisis? See the changes
The statewide reckoning that followed the 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside revealed plenty of cracks in the infrastructure of Florida's condos — and the regulations around them. The tragedy led to one of the most aggressive overhauls in condo safety policies in the country. The new legislation took huge steps, mandating inspections with immediate repairs, and requiring condo associations to set aside large reserve funds for future maintenance expenses, requirements lawmakers hoped would help prevent a similar disaster. But according to some experts and even the law's own drafters, had the new regulations been in place prior to the Surfside tragedy, it's not clear that the mandates would have ensured the issues with Champlain Towers South were caught before the collapse. Many condo owners soon found themselves swamped with new costs and fees. As the condo safety crisis was gradually overshadowed by an affordability crisis, Florida residents called on lawmakers to fix the law to balance both concerns. A new condo safety law reform that went into effect on July 1 gives condo owners and associations a bit of breathing room without gutting the core of Florida's new condo safety regulations. The law allows associations to take out lines of credit to fund reserves and pause contributions to those reserves for up to two years if they are already making needed repairs after mandatory building inspections. While some lawmakers and experts have described the law as an attempt to walk the line between safety and affordability, its main effects will likely be to provide some flexibility and a short-term reprieve for condo owners while keeping intact the long-term enforcement of stricter inspection and maintenance standards. 'The new bill is just further tweaking the law and extending deadlines,' said Juan Farach, a partner at Shubin Law Group, a Miami firm that advises developers and condo boards. 'The days of kicking the can down the road and waiving reserves are over. Now you've got to be responsible and maintain them well.' What the first condo law required The 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside killed 98 people and soon provoked debate and action from Florida legislators. The Champlain association's three-year delay of repairs recommended by an engineering firm as condo owners fought over the escalating costs fueled that legislative attention. Less than a year after the tragedy, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law an amendment to the Florida Condominium Act. The law required condo associations to maintain financial reserves for covering future repairs and mandated more frequent inspections. Specifically, it required condo associations running buildings at least 30 years old — or 25 near the coast — and three stories or higher to complete a 'milestone' safety inspection by Dec. 31, 2024. They were also required to complete a 'structural integrity reserve study' once a decade to assess how much money would have to be set aside for future repairs to crucial elements like load-bearing walls, plumbing and roofing. Following the safety law, condo associations scrambled to comply with the mandates, resulting in a spike in monthly maintenance fees and special assessments for unit owners. Condo associations not only had to worry about current maintenance issues, but also needed to build up larger financial reserves for any repairs that were likely to crop up in the future. The sudden jump in costs caught many owners by surprise. Expenses ranged from the tens of thousands up into six figure sums, and South Florida's older condo communities got hit especially hard. Aging buildings that once offered a more affordable way to live in South Florida became money pits overnight. Some condo owners, especially retirees on fixed incomes, couldn't keep up with the deluge of bills and entered foreclosure or sold their properties at a loss. Data gathered by the Florida Realtors Association in the following years showed huge increases in the number of condos listed for sale, as well as a significant drop in sale prices. The condo market also sputtered, as prospective buyers began questioning what hidden costs might be lying in wait inside of older condo buildings. And many condo associations also couldn't keep up with the law's changes, with half the buildings failing to meet initial inspection deadlines at the end of 2024. Last February, Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, introduced a bill to reform the condo law. Lopez said her focus on the issue was driven by the 667 condo associations in her district, which covers coastal Miami neighborhoods like Coconut Grove as well as Key Biscayne and Dodge Island. The measure quickly gained bipartisan support, and merged with a similar bill in the Senate championed by Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island The new measure, which was approved in June and went into effect on July 1, builds upon the 2022 condo reform, clarifying rules, making some exceptions and increasing transparency. DeSantis signed it the day before the fourth anniversary of the Surfside tragedy. Breaking down the new condo bill Funding the reserves: Advocates of the new condo bill talked it up as a way to help address the affordability crisis and offer some financial relief. The law doesn't provide direct financial help from the state to pay for the wave of new mandated repairs, but it does create options for some owners for how to fund repairs and manage reserves. Condo associations can now build up mandated repair reserves by taking out lines of credit or loans. That could help in the short term, but associations and owners need to reckon with the true costs of their buildings and be prepared to invest in them, according to Ernesto Cuesta, president of the Brickell Homeowners Association, an advocacy group representing around 60 condo associations. 'Getting a bank loan for emergency repairs might help a condo association,' Cuesta said. 'Loans are a tool, but you've got to be careful. It's a double-edged sword.' The revised law also allows associations to invest their reserves in certificates of deposit or deposit accounts at banks or credit unions. Some rules were also tweaked to relieve building financial pressure. Through the end of 2028, condo associations that are already paying for urgently required repairs identified by the milestone inspection can pause or reduce contributions to the reserves for up to two years. Rep. Lopez said they didn't intend to touch any of the bill's core safety requirements, but it was important to differentiate between urgent safety repairs and long-term planning. 'We said if you're making the repairs, we will give you a pause on your reserve contributions,' she said. 'It makes it more manageable. If an association has an immediate issue, we're going to let them fix that first.' There's also one small, but noteworthy tweak to what the reserves can cover. In addition to being able to fund maintenance of various types of structural elements and safety systems — the foundation, load-bearing walls, fireproofing systems — the original Surfside bill said that any other item that had an expected deferred maintenance cost of $10,000 had to be covered as well. The new bill increases that threshold to $25,000, and pegs it to inflation. Structural integrity study and milestone inspections: The other major category of changes is to the mandated inspections and assessments — including extending a deadline that many condo associations couldn't meet. The original deadline for many associations to complete their first structural integrity reserve study was the end of last year — a date many buildings had already blown past by February 2025, when the new bill was introduced. Now, that deadline has been extended until the end of 2025. 'There just weren't enough engineers available to do these studies,' Farach, the lawyer, said. 'This alleviates the pressure condos were under to try and comply.' Then there are two changes with more staying power. The first exempts a category of buildings from the milestone inspections and reserve study requirements. The original law stated all buildings with three or more stories were required to conduct these comprehensive inspections and studies on a regular schedule. The revised law clarifies that only buildings with three or more 'habitable' floors fall under that rule, exempting low-rise buildings with ground-floor commercial spaces or parking. The bill also allows condos to delay the reserve study for two years after completing a milestone inspection, allowing them to prioritize the immediate repairs and maintenance first. Transparency: The new condo law also establishes transparency rules for contractors and design professionals. Building inspectors cannot have a financial interest in the firm conducting the studies, and even indirect links like family members with a stake in the firm must be disclosed to the condo association. Additionally, professionals who bid on inspections must disclose if they intend to bid on the repair work that results from those inspections. 'Engineers and architects might have overinflated or overstated needed repairs — wanting to get in on the deal to fix them,' Lopez, the bill's sponsor, said. 'People had conflicts of interests. Transparency was needed.' How the new law affects the condo crisis While the law creates some room to breathe for many condo associations, the mandates remain. That means the condo affordability crisis remains, too. Long-term, escalating expenses might have been deferred, but they haven't been eliminated. Condo associations and owners are still staring down increasing costs for maintaining aging buildings and rising homeowner fees to fund reserves for repairs. And there may be no way around that. Lopez said that in the years after the Surfside tragedy, a hard truth forced itself into view: 'Unfortunately living in a condominium isn't as inexpensive as everyone thought. 'In the early years it can be, because a new building doesn't require maintenance or repairs, but by the time you get to 12 to 15 years, you've absolutely got to start spending that money,' Lopez said. 'It caught everyone by surprise — retirees and young families who had purchased a condo unit thought, 'Well, my $250 monthly maintenance fee is very affordable!' But that would never have been sufficient to maintain the building or ensure structural safety.' Older condo buildings are looking at future repair costs that might be untenable for many owners, especially retirees living on fixed incomes who didn't plan for a future spike in fees when they purchased their dream home in South Florida. Condo associations may get some relief from temporarily pausing payments toward reserves or financing needed repairs with loans and credit — but condo boards could just be setting themselves up for even graver issues down the road when the bills inevitably come due. The condo reform takes a stab at addressing a bevy of issues and complaints, but on the biggest questions facing condos, the new law simply stalls for time. 'These laws are necessary — they aren't just protecting owners' investments, they're protecting their lives,' said Cuesta, whose group represents around 60 condo associations in Brickell. 'Affordability is a different issue — it's apples and oranges. Most condo associations are still in denial.'
National Post
17-06-2025
- National Post
Canadian man caught trying to enter U.S. in stolen Porsche Cayenne
A Canadian citizen trying to enter the U.S. last week was turned over to the RCMP and the Canadian border agency after it was discovered he was driving a stolen vehicle. Article content On Wednesday, June 11, the 39-year-old was making his way into the U.S. via the Port of Champlain border crossing in upstate New York and south of Montreal, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Article content Article content During primary inspection, he told CBP officers he was bound for Plattsburgh, N.Y., about 30 minutes south, but 'inconsistencies in the driver's story' led to a more thorough inspection and screening of him and the 2023 Porsche Cayenne he was driving. Article content Article content 'CBP officers are highly skilled at discovering inconsistencies in travellers' statements, a skill taught at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center,' he wrote. 'When this occurs, CBP officers may proceed in requiring a secondary inspection/examination of a traveller.' Article content U.S. man drives into Canada by mistake, gets busted with 78 pounds of pot on the way back Article content CBP officers soon discovered the luxury SUV, which costs CAD$82,000 for the base trim or $194,800 for the fully-loaded hybrid model, had been reported stolen at an undisclosed location in Canada earlier that day. Article content CBP contacted the RCMP to confirm the man's identity and that the vehicle had been stolen, 'a charge that is equivalent to a felony in the United States.' Article content Article content Yesterday (June 11), CBP officers at the Champlain, NY port of entry arrested a Canadian citizen who was driving a stolen 2023 Porshe Cayenne that had been reported—stolen earlier in the day. Learn More➡️ — CBP Buffalo (@CBPBuffalo) June 12, 2025 Article content Under the Criminal Code of Canada, possession of stolen property over $5,000 is an indictable offence and may result in jail time if found guilty. Article content Article content After being processed, CBP handed the man and the Porsche over to the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. Article content
CTV News
04-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Here's what the proposed Bill C-2 means for immigrants and asylum seekers in Canada
RCMP officers help asylum seekers as they cross the border to Quebec at Roxham Road from Champlain, N.Y., on March 24, 2023. (Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press) Canada has announced new measures under the proposed Bill C-2 in response to what it called growing migration pressures. In a press release Tuesday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the government is 'committed to rebuilding Canadians' trust in the immigration system by prioritizing balance.' According to a background document, the proposed rules contained in Bill C-2, or the Strong Borders Act, would ensure law enforcement has the tools to secure borders, as well as fight transnational organized crime, illegal fentanyl and money laundering. 'We're improving security at the Canada-U.S. border and making our immigration and asylum systems stronger, more flexible, and responsive to new and developing pressures,' Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said in a statement Tuesday. The IRCC added in its press release that it would improve the 'integrity and fairness of our immigration system while protecting Canadians' privacy and Charter rights.' Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, who introduced the bill in Ottawa on Tuesday, said in a statement that Canadian officials are aiming to work with American border and law enforcement agencies to strengthen the border and combat organized crime. Here's what you need to know about how the new Bill C-2 measures could affect immigrants and asylum seekers: Sharing client information The bill would allow IRCC to share client information, such as identity, status and immigration documents, with federal, provincial and territorial partners, according to the background document. It would also make it easier for IRCC to share the information between the department's different programs. For instance, permanent residence application data could be used to process citizenship applications. Moreover, it would allow for the creation of regulations to facilitate the sharing of client information across federal departments. Immigration documents The federal government says the bill would strengthen authorities' ability to have control over immigration documents in matters of public interest, such as issues related to public health or national security. Under the new rules, authorities could cancel, suspend or change immigration documents immediately; pause accepting new applications; and pause or cancel processing of applications already in the system. Asylum claims The background document says the bill would 'improve and modernize' the asylum system by making it more efficient and easier for claimants to navigate. Changes would include: Simplifying the online application process, including making the process the same for those claiming asylum at a port of entry or in-land IRCC office Refer complete claims to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) to speed up decisions. The IRB would only make decisions on claims while the claimant is physically in Canada Remove inactive cases Make removal orders effective the same day a claim is withdrawn in order to speed up voluntary departures Assign representatives to support 'vulnerable claimants,' such as minors and those who don't understand the process, during IRCC and Canada Border Services Agency proceedings. New ineligibility rules Two ineligibility rules would aim to protect the asylum system against a sudden surge in claims. These measures would apply to the following cases: People who make asylum claims more than one year after first arriving in Canada after June 24, 2020, would not be referred to the IRB. This rule would apply to anyone, including students and temporary residents, whether they left the country or returned. Asylum claimants who enter Canada from the United States along the land border and make a claim after 14 days would not be referred to the IRB. Those who are affected by the ineligibility rules could still apply for a pre-removal risk assessment to avoid being sent back to a country where they could face harm.
Ottawa Citizen
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Nussbaum: Kìwekì Point, now reborn, connects us to the land and to one another
Article content Last week, the NCC opened Kìwekì Point, a site with views on places and buildings that has been at the centre of history, exploration, conflict, political development and now movement towards reconciliation of our three founding nations. Article content Article content Kìwekì Point also stands close to the confluence of the Ottawa, Gatineau, and Rideau Rivers – a landscape both beautiful and deeply symbolic – that have long brought people together. They were ancient trade routes, sites of diplomacy, and gathering places for the Algonquin Anishinabeg and neighbouring nations. Article content Article content On these shores, early encounters between Indigenous peoples and newcomers took place – encounters that forever changed the history of this land and the later founding of Canada. Article content One such moment occurred in 1613, when Samuel de Champlain, founder of New France, journeyed up the Ottawa River. Then, the Algonquin population in this expansive territory was estimated at between 2,000 and 3,000 people. Champlain's journals recorded not only his travels but also his meetings with Indigenous leaders, including the formidable Chief Tessouat of the Kitchisipirini, (meaning 'People of the Great River'), who Champlain had met in 1603 in Tadoussac but had not seen in the intervening 10 years. Article content Tessouat commanded significant influence in the region. His community, based near present-day Pembroke on Morrison's Island, controlled a vital stretch of the Ottawa River. Trade and travel moved through his territory and tolls were enforced as a demonstration of sovereignty. Article content Article content But Tessouat was not only a political leader. He defended culture and identity against growing outside pressure. Tessouat stood firm against Jesuit missionaries, warning that widespread conversion could erode Algonquin tradition, land and way of life. His resistance was not simply about religion. He safeguarded a worldview rooted in relationship with this land. We reimagine Kìwekì Point with that same spirit of protection, presence, and pride. It's not just a geographic marker. It attests to the resilience of the Algonquin Nation and pays tribute to the enduring connection between people and place reflected in the relationship between Champlain and Tessouat, which had its moment of tension but ended with respect and friendship. Article content But correcting this site's symbolism has taken over 100 years. In 1915, a statue, build by Hamilton MacCarthy, was unveiled to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Champlain's expedition past this point on the Ottawa River. Originally, the monument was to include a figure of an Anishinabe guide in a canoe, acknowledging the indispensable role Indigenous peoples played in Champlain's travels. Unfortunately, that component was delayed and, when added in 1918, the scout appeared kneeling, without the canoe and positioned beneath, not alongside, Champlain.
