A Florida commission is proposing changes to the state law that legislators passed last year in response to the deadly Surfside condo collapse.
|
Aerial view of South Florida along with the new report by the Florida Building Commission |
If state lawmakers want to keep the distinction between coastal and inland buildings, the commission recommends it come up with boundaries on a map, or that the state use the Coastal Construction Control Line to determine distance from the coast.
Prior to
the June 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South in
Surfside that killed 98 people, Miami-Dade and Broward were
the only counties statewide to have a 40-year
recertification requirement.
The building commission is also seeking authority to create
an inspection safety and milestone program, as well as the
ability to change or create new rules. Those requirements
could be strengthened at a local level.
The May 2022 law also eliminated condo and homeowners’
associations’ ability to waive the funding of their
reserves. They now have until the end of 2023 to raise their
monthly dues or enact special assessments to fully fund
their reserves, if needed.
In Miami-Dade County, condo and homeowners’ associations are
now required to publicly disclose their financial and
structural health. As of Feb. 1, such associations have to
file structural reports, financial statements, insurance
policies, budgets, and major planned projects, and continue
to do so on an annual basis.