(The Center Square) – Florida condominium owners are asking lawmakers for a special session to delay implementation of a 2022 law they say is costing them thousands in new structural assessments.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday said he wants more feedback before lawmakers return for a special session, which he says could be as soon as November or December. He also said he wants the issue resolved before the end of the year.
“I don’t think we ought to do nothing, but we need to do it right,” DeSantis said. “We need to solicit the feedback, figure out what policies we need to deliver the reform that will help people.”
The owners also told DeSantis in a second roundtable discussion in Pinellas County on Thursday they would like a low-interest or no-interest loan program to help condo associations pay for the structural inspections and other costs from the law passed in 2022 in the wake of the partial collapse of a condo building in Surfside.
DeSantis said the state’s low debt load and budget surplus could help lawmakers find money to start a loan program for condo associations burdened by the new requirements.
“We’re generating ideas,” DeSantis said. “We’re not going to punt this until next year. How you call it when you call it, things need to be teed up for you to be successful. This is well-intentioned legislation, yet, it’s created a cottage industry for lawyers and that is what just happens.
“There are consequences to this. This is going to be a work in progress. This is a very complicated area and this has been an area you’ve had issues with before Surfside.”
Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-St. Petersburg, who represents parts of Pinellas County, says the goal is to focus on the safety of these condo associations and ensure structural integrity of their buildings, but to not provide an additional financial burden on residents.
“This condo issue has become the No. 1 issue for folks reaching out to my office, calls, emails,” DiCeglie said. “This issue is real. What is concerning to me and the feedback I’ve getting is some seniors, age 65 and over, are having a tough time paying these assessments and they’re having a tough time staying in their condos.
“We’ve got a condo market that is beginning to decline. They’re having a tough time selling these properties if they want to leave. I don’t want to see our state in that situation for our seniors. We go to special session to fix things like this.”
The Champlain Towers in Surfside partially collapsed in June of 2021, resulting in the death of 98 people. The collapse’s cause was blamed initially on land subsidence and a lack of reinforcement. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is still investigating the cause.
Senate Bill 4D was passed during a special session in 2022 and requires condominium associations to retain adequate funds for building repairs. Buildings three stories or higher are subject to inspection requirements.
Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said in a memorandum to state senators in mid-August that she didn’t support calling a special session.
