New details shed light on cause of Surfside condo collapse
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A new state law is making sure condominiums across Florida are more resilient after the Surfside condominium collapse. But complying with the legislation is pricing many condo owners out of their homes.
Right now, many buildings across the state are going through a very stringent inspection process to determine if there are any structural deficiencies.
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However, many condo owners are unable to pay for the large assessment fees to cover the cost of repairs. In many cases, the repairs needed to improve the structural integrity of the building are long overdue.
In June 2021, the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside collapsed, killing 98 people inside.
“The building was never designed appropriately from day one,” said Matthew Fadden, an engineer and associate principal with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates.
Last week, the Chicago-based engineering firm released findings from their recent investigation.
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“Our investigation found that the flat plate slab supporting the pool deck above an underground garage was under-designed, with significant structural distress apparent before the collapse,” the report reads.
An attorney representing the Champlain Towers Condo Association hired WJE Associates to conduct the investigation.
“We were pointing towards somewhere near K 13.1, which is a column in the pool deck that was extremely heavily loaded and showing a bunch of distress right before the actual collapse,” said Fadden.
Since then, Florida legislators have passed a new law that requires inspections for all condominiums and cooperative buildings that are three stories or higher.
Structural integrity reserve studies must be completed to determine if there are any issues with the structure or foundation of the building.
A “milestone” inspection is required for buildings that are more than 30 years old.
Complying with the new legislation comes with a steep cost that’s passed onto condo owners in the form of hefty special assessment fees.
There’s another challenge.
Condominium associations must have sufficient reserve money available to cover the cost of any structural repairs.
“The maintaining of reserves is a great thing,” said Fadden. “It’s going to require owners to maintain their building which is a good thing to do. It will avoid distress issues for the long term.”
The law also prohibits waiver of funding for certain structural reserves.
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“There is no indication that the maintenance that was done at Champlain Towers or the lack of maintenance that was done there was the driver for the actual collapse,” said Fadden. “It was the actual design itself.”
These new mandates from Florida legislators are prompting many condo owners to sell their properties before the assessment fees are due.
“They have to show their financial reserves are fully funded for maintenance for the inspections and potential future repairs,” Anita Goynes, a board-certified realtor said. “A lot of the associations may face repair replacement costs in the millions.”
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