WASTE OF GOOD TAXPAYERS’ MONEY?

An Opinion By Jan Bergemann

Published July 1, 2025

It’s now four years ago that the collapse of the Champlain Towers South Condominium cost the lives of 98 people when the building suddenly collapsed in the middle of the night. And still the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) claims it will take another year (minimum) before they will release the final report of their findings of deficiencies that may have caused the collapse of the building. Another year of wasting more taxpayers’ money?

What will the final report tell us?

• That the concrete used when the building was constructed 40 years earlier didn’t meet quality standards?

• That there were serious architectural and/or engineering flaws in the initial planning?

• That there were serious problems with the quality control?

• And the list of possibilities goes on!

We don’t need more expensive reports telling us that the quality of construction of buildings here in Florida plainly sucks. It’s always more about beauty than about construction quality, despite the fact that our buildings will have to deal with serious hurricanes.

And since about every building is different – and may have very different flaws – the report may not really help much to prevent disasters with other hi-rise buildings

Here is my opinion – and it comes for free:

We all knew latest since 2007 – that includes our Florida legislators – that many of these hi-rise buildings are badly maintained and have more or less no reserve funds to pay for serious necessary structural repairs. We all failed to push the issue, neglecting to create laws that would have forced owners to put money aside for rainy days. We allowed laws to be created that helped owners avoiding to pay money into fully funded reserves.

And the 98 people who died when the Champlain Towers South collapsed paid the price.

Remember: Board and owners of the association knew more than 2 ½ years before the collapse that the building had serious structural flaws in desperate need of repairs. But there was no money to pay for these repairs. The sitting board, after receiving the devastating engineer’s report, wanted to do the right thing and take care of these repairs. But the board members were recalled by the ownership when they tried to levy a special assessment to pay for these repairs. A lot of discussions took place, but it all come back to one issue: LACK OF FUNDS to pay for the repairs. And when board and owners decided that a special assessment was necessary, it was too late. The building collapsed shortly after a letter went out to owners telling them that a high-priced special assessment was being levied.

Without an expensive report from NIST, this is what the collapse should have told us; Buildings have to be properly maintained, under the supervision of experts on a regular basis, and that there have to be sufficient money in the reserves to pay for necessary structural repairs without having to levy special assessments that will cause owners to lose their homes.

Every building – home or condo – needs maintenance and repairs, paid for by the owners and not by the taxpayers.

Have we really learned the lesson?