BROWARD COUNTY, FL - The Broward County Condominium Structural Issues Committee will hold a public hearing on August 23rd beginning at 2PM. Committee discussion begins at 9:30AM, prior to public input at 2PM. You must pre-register to speak by noon on the day of the meeting. You may Pre-register by clicking here. Once you register, a phone number to call in will be e-mailed to you. Public comment will be taken from 2PM to 5PM. These meetings are webcast live through links on Broward.org homepage and on social media channels: Twitter and YouTube
The Broward County Condominium Structural Issues Committee was created by Broward Mayor Steve Geller to address concerns after the collapse of the Champlain Tower South in Surfside. A broad discussion during the first meeting of the Committee brought to light several future concerns for those living in older seaside condominiums that our State is most famous for.
Some takeaways: Safety may mean increased costs in terms of insurance, 40-year inspection requirements, engineering, and the inevitable impact of sea level rise.
“Post Surfside there’s real concern about the veracity of inspection reports and how they align with the buildings themselves,” said insurance expert Paul Handerhan President of the Federal Association for Insurance Reform (FAIR.) Condominiums over twenty years old, over five stories, and on the beach are a major insurance concern as insurers ask themselves if buildings are underinsured in light of total replacement costs.
Statutory building reserves are another issue which was discussed. Costs to pay for structural improvements such as a new roof, painting, and pavement restoration are typically waived by a majority vote of the homeowners. Questions have arisen about the wisdom of doing this, which leads to large special assessments.
Condominiums have existed in coastal areas for decades upon decades with few problems. Climate change though is really putting a big damper on things. Broward County Deputy Director of Environmental Protection/Growth Management and Chief Resilience Officer Dr. Jennifer Jurado told committee members that sea level rise, increased rain, storm surge and increased tidal flooding all play a role in development. Over the last fifteen to seventeen years, we’ve seen the sea level rise about four inches in South Florida. Looking ahead, we’re planning for forty inches of sea level rise by 2070. At the end of the day, the groundwater is rising and so is the ocean. It leaves little land in between and invites lots of flooding. “This is where it becomes paramount to re-evaluate drainage systems to meet the same level of service for future building over a fifty-year planning horizon. This is now embedded in county requirements for new structures, but not existing structures,” says Jurado. Broward County has made improvements over the past eleven years with new design standards, seawalls, the creation of drainage wells and water management trenches. In this day and age, the soil is perpetually saturated. “Investment is required, but it can be remedied,” says Dr. Jurado.
Condominiums in Florida are required to undergo inspection every forty years. The Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals notifies cities of the buildings in their jurisdictions that are due for inspection. What happens after that? What if major repairs are needed? Will insurers continue to ensure older buildings that don’t have inspections after 20 or 25 years? Will the tragic collapse of the Champlain Tower South mean that these inspections will be taken to a new level as homeowners worry about building stability and safety? There are social impact concerns too as questions are raised about affordability, increased costs, and the largely older residents who generally occupy condominiums.
Suggestions were made to increase required training for condominium board members. However, Committee members were told that Condominium Boards often find themselves in a difficult situation. They’re usually volunteers responsible for making necessary repairs but answer to unit owners who don’t want increased association fees. It can be a thankless job that has no real managerial requirements or standards of training, and if these standards are increased, there may be a shortage of people who will want to serve on Boards of Directors.
“These are complex issues that have to be addressed. We have to ask the tough questions and try to figure out what can feasibly be done to protect people’s lives and investments. We can’t allow another building to collapse!” said Mayor Geller. “This is just the beginning.”
The meeting will be held at the Broward Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Room 422 in Fort Lauderdale.
August 17, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kimberly Maroe
Public Information Manager
Broward County Commission
(954) 357-8053