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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida firefighters had to rush to evacuate 60 residents from high-rise after massive crack spotted in column
In early May, construction crews working in the parking garage of South Beach III Condominiums in Clearwater, Florida, spotted a "several‑foot‑wide crack' in a concrete support pillar. As CBS News reports, they immediately flagged the structural concern, eager to prevent another tragedy like the 2021 condo collapse in Surfside, Florida, which killed 98 people. Within two hours, firefighters were knocking on doors in the 12‑story tower, hustling roughly 60 residents onto the street with what they could carry. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) 'Basically for like two days [I'm] wearing the same clothes until things kind of calmed down,' resident Scott May told FOX 13. A week later, engineers installed heavy shoring and declared the column stabilized. Most condo owners were allowed to return to their units — but not those with condos stacked over the column. They were left in limbo. Even the homeowners who could return had to agree to restrictions: no construction or remodeling without written board approval, no deliveries over 75 pounds, and closed balconies above the damaged pillar. It's the latest example of how post-Surfside safety legislation is impacting condo residents.. When the Champlain Towers South condominium crumbled in Surfside in 2021, it exposed decades‑old gaps in Florida's building‑safety oversight. In 2022, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 4-D, also known as the milestone-inspection law. Key points include: Mandatory structural reviews: Every condo of three or more stories must undergo a 'milestone inspection' by an architect or engineer 30 years after completion, or 25 years if it sits within three miles of the coastline, followed by re‑inspections every 10 years. No more reserve waivers: Associations must fully fund reserves for major repairs. Board members who skip or defer funding face personal liability. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it The new rules have already shuttered several condo towers for several years. One high‑profile case is Miami Beach's Castle Beach Club condominum — in which the onsite spa (Russian & Turkish Baths) was forced to close for structural repairs in 2022. The spa finally reopened after a three-year shutdown that kept portions of the 570-unit building off-limits and saddled owners with steep special assessments. The U.S. Sun reports that the monthly dues tripled at Winter Park Woods near Orlando after the HOA board rushed to meet the new reserve rules under the law. One condo owner's monthly HOA fees jumped from $634 to more than $2,100. Some longtime owners were pushed toward foreclosure or fire‑sale listings. State officials like Rep. Vicki Lopez, who sponsored the bill, insist the cost is worth it. "We have strived to reach that delicate balance between the safety of our constituents that live in condominiums, as well as understanding the incredible financial impact that sometimes these particular bills that we pass have,' she told WESH News. While you can't anticipate being forced to evacuate your home for structural reasons, it's good to have a grounding in the steps to take to make the disruption easier to navigate. Here's what to do if you're forced to leave your home: Get documentation. Get, in writing, the official word on why the building is off limits and how long engineers expect repairs to take. Under Florida's condo law, the condo board must share safety findings with owners and tenants upon request. Call your insurance company. Next, contact your homeowners' insurance company. A standard condo policy often includes Loss‑of‑Use (Additional Living Expense) coverage to reimburse your hotel bills, short‑term rentals and even the cost of boarding pets while your unit is uninhabitable. Make sure to save receipts for boarding, hotel, and food, as your insurance may require these for reimbursement. Talk to your lender. Unfortunately, being evacuated from your condo won't halt your mortgage payments. Contact your lender and inquire about a short-term forbearance or other options that may help you cover the costs of alternative accommodations while repairs are being made. Depending on its policies, you may be able to skip a few months of payments and tack them on to the end of the mortgage term. Look for government assistance. Look for programs at the city or county level as federal support may be limited. For example, programs like FEMA generally won't help, as grants require the federal government to declare a disaster and typically exclude defects discovered before a collapse or storm. Document, document, document. If possible, request limited access to your condo to photograph valuables and gather documents, then back up those photos to the cloud. Insurers and lenders may demand proof of condition later. Keep every email, notice, and receipt related to the disruption in one folder — special assessments, hotel invoices, even Uber rides — because you will need those when you file insurance claims, request fee waivers or seek tax relief. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Clearwater condo residents grab belongings Saturday amid concerns over building's structural integrity
The Brief Clearwater condo residents briefly returned to their building to grab belongings Saturday, as work to address concerns about the building's structural integrity continues. On Tuesday,first responders urgently evacuated 60 residents from the 12-story South Beach III condo building after construction crews noticed one of the concrete support columns had large cracks in it. Residents say they signed up for 15-minute time slots between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on either Saturday or Sunday and were escorted into the building. CLEARWATER, Fla. - Clearwater condo residents briefly returned to their building to grab belongings Saturday, as work to address concerns about the building's structural integrity continue. On Tuesday,first responders urgently evacuated 60 residents from the 12-story South Beach III condo building after construction crews noticed one of the concrete support columns had large cracks in it. PREVIOUS: Evacuations ordered at Clearwater high-rise after structural crack discovered What they're saying "Yeah, we got a knock at the door -- I mean, a loud bang -- and went to the door and there were two firemen fully dressed, and they said, you have to get out right now," resident Scott May told FOX 13 Saturday. Four days after that knock on his door, May returned to his condo building Saturday. He showed FOX 13 the email that condo management sent Friday, which said engineers authorized "safe, emergency access" to the building, allowing residents "a very limited, one-time access to their units." Residents, including May, said they signed up for 15-minute time slots between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on either Saturday or Sunday and were escorted into the building. "I've got files, all kinds. Toothbrush, toothpaste, everything. Clothes, just to have some fresh clothes, and everything helps," May said of the items he planned to grab. "So yeah, that's a relief." According to that Friday email, condo management wrote, "We are continuing to work with officials on safe, longer-term re-entry, which is expected Tuesday, provided progress remains on schedule." Additionally, they hired an "outside structural engineer to conduct a peer review as an added safety measure." "That would be fantastic," May said of a potential Tuesday return. "I probably think the only thing is, maybe that first night might be a little scary…You just have that in the back of your mind to make sure that we're safe." PREVIOUS: Clearwater condo residents could be displaced for days after evacuations ordered According to an email sent to residents on Wednesday, the engineering company, Karins Engineering, is working with the City of Clearwater and the construction contractor Suncoast Restoration and Waterproofing to stabilize the building. Big picture view The building's milestone inspection from last year, which was just given to the city on Wednesday, said Karins Engineering did not find anything that would compromise the safety of the building for its intended use and occupancy. A state law put into place after the Surfside condo collapse in 2021 said aging condo buildings must have structural inspections every 10 years. According to official reports, the condo in Clearwater was built in 1978. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents forced to evacuate Clearwater condo allowed to retrieve belongings
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — Dozens of residents who were forced to evacuate from a condo in Clearwater will be able to briefly return for their belongings. The South Beach Condominiums have been under repair since Tuesday after inspectors found a major crack in one of the building's support pillars. Over the weekend, the residents will be allowed back inside their condos for emergency access. They will be allowed 15 minutes to go inside and get everything they may need. 'I was up in my condo with my son, and all of a sudden, about 5 o'clock, we get a real loud bang on the door. I said, man, that's kind of strange and then I opened the door, and there were two firemen fully dressed in their equipment, and said you have to get out right now,' said Scott May. Scott May has been renting his condo at South Beach III for almost five years. He said he originally thought the evacuation was a false alarm. 'So, I said I need to go back up, and they said, you're not going back up. So, just that alone was pretty stressful, not being able to get back up and get your things,' he said. A letter was sent out Friday that said residents can go into their condos for emergency access. Residents have to sign up for a time slot, they will be escorted, and they will only have 15 minutes. Karins Engineering gave the written authorization to allow access. Many of the people who had to evacuate have been waiting for a chance to get some of their belongings. 'I'm very thankful, because I do need to get prescriptions, maintenance prescriptions, clothes, things of that nature,' May said. 'I'm just thankful they're giving us the opportunity, 15 minutes, you know, you're on the clock, but two of us can go up. So, my son and I can go up and get things as fast as we can and come back down.' The Condo Association said they are still working to get a longer-term re-entry approved. As of now, they said if things go according to plan, residents can expect that to happen Tuesday. 'There's talk that we possibly might get back Tuesday, so I think the hardest part is just the unknown. Is this going to be a week, could it be a month, could it be longer? I think that's the biggest mystery at this time,' May said. Still not able to go home, May said he is going to get a hotel until they receive the all clear to return. 'I'm sure that first night is going to be a little scary, but yes, to be back would be great,' he said. The time slots for residents to have a 15-minute window will be both Saturday and Sunday, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Clearwater condo residents allowed ‘limited, one-time access' to units as repairs continue
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — Dozens of residents have been unable to return to their homes after being evacuated from a Clearwater condo earlier this week due to structural concerns. However, on Friday, the condo association sent out a notice to residents of The South Beach III Condominiums on Gulf Boulevard, saying they would be allowed a 'very limited, one-time access' to their units. Florida passes bill to enhance crane safety on construction sites The notice said engineers provided written authorization to allow 'safe emergency access' to the 12-story building. Each resident was asked to sign up for a 15-minute time slot to enter their unit on either Saturday or Sunday and grab their things. The May 6 evacuation was ordered after engineers found a support column splitting in the first-floor parking structure. Crews have since been working to stabilize the building, and officials said Friday they remained on schedule. 'We are continuing to work with officials on safe, longer-term re-entry, which is expected Tuesday, provided progress remains on schedule,' the condo association wrote. Residents were asked to avoid scheduling an emergency time slot unless 'absolutely needed.' Some evacuees like Scott May told News Channel 8 they had left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. May was still wearing the same clothes he had on when he left Tuesday as he spoke to reporters days later. Residents will be allowed limited access to their units as follows: Stacks 7-12 on Saturday, May 10, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stacks 1-6 on Sunday, May 11, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The condo association also provided the following guidelines: Each unit will have one 15-minute time slot only; time starts when they enter their unit Residents will designate no more than two people to enter their unit for their timeslot No minors will be permitted to enter the building Residents must arrive 15-30 minutes before their timeslot and sign-in with officials under carport 74 in the northeast parking area Residents must park in the open spaces along Gulf Boulevard in the 1460 lot Parking is limited. Residents will not be permitted to enter the gate until 30 minutes before their timeslot Residents and/or their designated representative(s) will be escorted into the building Escort is not permitted to assist packing or carrying contents out of unit No mail collection will be permitted — mail will resume service when we have written authorization to renter the building No shopping carts or valet carts of any kind will be allowed Residents must leave property immediately after they load contents If the designee(s) is not owner or legal renter, they will be required to have printed authorization from the owner or renter Officials said an outside structural engineer was hired to conduct a peer review as an added safety measure. The board also plans to meet with owners and residents of condos that have been more directly impacted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
