This archive report was first published on 26 June 2021.
Published on June 26, 2021, a condominium complex near Miami was on the verge of collapse, with residents facing massive repair bills.
The building, which had been preparing for recertification, was required by state law to undergo repairs due to its age. However, solving the problem of water leaking down from the pool area into the garage would involve major work and cost millions of dollars.
Residents were facing assessments ranging from $80,000 to as high as $200,000, according to lawyer Brad Sohn, who represents at least one resident who has filed a lawsuit against the Champlain Towers South Condominium Association.
Mr. Sohn expressed frustration that repairs had not begun immediately after a 2018 report outlining major problems with the building. 'There is no acceptable answer to that question — period, full stop,' he said.
Lawyer Donna DiMaggio Berger, who represents the resident-led association that operates the building, defended the condo board, stating that they had no warning of a major safety risk. 'If there was anything in that report that really outlined that the building was in danger of collapse, or there was a hazardous condition, would the board and their families be living there?' she said.
The association had taken out a $12 million line of credit to pay for the repairs and was going through a careful, step-by-step process to get them done. 'Nobody likes a special assessment,' Ms. Berger said.
