Article Courtesy of The Palm Beach Post

By Meghan Meyer
Posted January 10, 2006

In the two months since Hurricane Wilma blew their roofs away, 56 residents of the Saxony condominiums at Kings Point west of Delray Beach have shuttled from temporary rentals to friends' homes while they wait for repairs.

Already in dire economic straits, they'll soon get a bill for up to $2,730 from the condominium association that governs the 620 one- and two-bedroom apartments in the retirement community.

The Saxony condominium association's board of directors on Monday voted overwhelmingly to charge members between $1,362 and $2,730 for repairs to roofs and drywall. In a scene that will be replayed by condo boards and homeowners' associations in Wilma's path of destruction, it didn't come without a fight.

"There should be an exception of paying that fee for those of us who have been displaced so we don't have to add on another $450 a month," said Rona Backus, who lived in Saxony J. "That's more than I'm getting in Social Security."

Backus has lived in four different places since the storm, moving from a temporary rental to a friend's home more recently. Rentals have grown scarce since seasonal residents began returning to Florida for the winter, she said.

Condo association attorney Randall K. Roger has attended similar meetings in Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties. Saxony did not levy the highest assessments, and the damage was not the worst he's seen, he said. But it was still bad. The worst-hit communities were older communities and trailer parks with less wealthy residents, often retirees on fixed incomes. Those who can least afford it will probably have to pay more for repairs.

"Everyone's suffered," Roger said. "It may be a lot worse of a hit for the older communities."

The assessments will probably come after angry debate like the one Monday.

Association President Elinor Lichten opened the meeting with a cordial "Good afternoon."

"It's not a good afternoon!" a man in the back row retorted.

The exchange set the tone for the next three hours, as board officers warned the crowd of about 200 people to behave.

The association has already paid $193,000 for repairs, partly to replace 14 roofs.

"We can't continue to do that," Lichten said. "If we do, we're facing bankruptcy."

The board decided to charge enough money to first pay the contractors to continue inspections for water damage to drywall, and then to cover the costs of repairs to the drywall if they're needed. Residents may pay in six monthly installments because the board wants to pay for the repairs before this year's hurricane season starts. Most homeowners insurance policies that cover loss assessment will pay this assessment, Lichten said.

"You have to know it's been a trying time for all of us, even those whose homes were not destroyed or damaged to the point some of you were," Lichten said. "You've been listening to rumors and innuendo and everybody's getting their noses out of whack."