HOLLYWOOD - The people
living at Carriage Hills tell CBS News Miami they are
frustrated, confused, and concerned about their immediate
future.
Some say they plan to sell their homes following a hefty
special assessment imposed by the association.
"There's goes all my savings," shared Dinora Payne as she
took reporter Joe Gorchow up the elevator and walked to her
unit.
She took us to her
home of nearly two years in Carriage Hills.
She's one of more than ten unit owners from different
buildings who greeted me within the gated community.
"Me and my husband here for 30 years," said resident Pat
Capua. "This place was kept like diamonds."
Capua and her neighbors say that's no longer the case.
"For the past 15-16 years, it's been going down every year,"
exclaimed Capua
"They don't fix anything at all," added Payne. |
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Outside the apartment,
Payne pointed to suspected damage on the stairwell.
In a statement, the Condo Association's President, John
Wise, told CBS News Miami the board had "inspections
performed, the scope of the repairs [assessed], and
ultimately, the necessity of a special assessment [was
decided on] to fund the repairs." All of that happened over
the last two years.
Photos shared reveal damage along walkways and stairwells.
The homeowners were notified they would need to pay for roof
problems, 40-year repairs, a cooling tower, and repairs to
the elevators.
The cost, revealed at a meeting two weeks ago, is $19,000
for some residents and as much as $28,000 for others.
"It's like spend, spend, spend, and we pay," added Payne.
The payments are due by the beginning of next month, or
residents tell us they must agree to a 12-month payment
plan.
Gorchow asked one of the residents, "Are you going to have
to sell your home?"
"I don't know yet," said Adelaida Cardona.
"I've been talking to different people to see if I can get a
loan."
"My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer," added resident
Mirela Cedru.
"So you are selling," inquired Gorchow.
"I'm selling, yes," said a saddened Cedru.
Cedru and others were hopeful for a lower cost or a better
payment plan.
"Social Security check has to pay everything," said Carmen
Rodriguez.
"I have to move out and rent the apartment for a year,"
shared another resident.
"We are senior citizens, and we cannot afford this much
money to get this repaired," added Cardona.
Wise emailed the Hollywood mayor and county commission
offices on July 25th.
He explained the situation, requesting help.
"We levied over $4 million for only 172 Carriage Hills
Residents, and more will be coming [for remaining residents
and buildings. Many of our Carriage Hills Residents are
seniors on a fixed budget, and this could put them out of
their homes."
"A certified Florida licensed engineer identifies structural
deficit, then the city supervises and puts the building on a
clock to require those repairs," said Hollywood Mayor Josh
Levy.
"We really wanna help if we can."
Mayor Levy has been exploring options to see how the city or
county could provide financial assistance, similar to what's
done in Miami-Dade.
"Explore the use of those state funds and perhaps
opportunities to use local locally generated funds to try to
help them," shared Levy.
Residents are also making demands of their association.
They want to see the building's inspection reports, the
scope of work cost estimates, and the association's
financials, which were not provided at last month's meeting.
"That's what I want to see," said Capua. "We charge this
much for this and this much for that. That's what I want to
see."
Wise told CBS News Miami all official records are available
to unit owners.
Gorchow asked if the board considered providing
documentation at last month's meeting and how they've
addressed maintenance issues over the years. He did not
respond.
"They are entitled to any record, any written record that
relates to the association's operation," said attorney
Jeffrey Kominsky, Managing Partners, LS Carlson Law.
Kominsky explains condo owners' rights under Florida State
Law.
"This includes investigative reports, financial records from
an association over the last seven years," added Kominsky.
Kominsky explained email exchanges between the property
manager and board members can be obtained if they relate to
association business.
He also detailed potential issues if unit owners cannot sell
their homes or pay the high dollar figure.
"Exposed from a legal perspective by the association who has
a legal right to intend to impose a lien and record that
lien in, in county records and eventually foreclose on that
lien," said Kominsky.