Florida lawmakers are advancing legislation aimed at helping condominium owners beset by rising costs.
“What I will fight for is to make sure that condo owners see a safe future in their homes at a cost they can afford,” said Sen. Jennifer Bradley, a Republican from Fleming Island who’s one of the legislators behind the effort.
A Senate committee approved her bill, SB 1742, on Tuesday. A House panel moved forward its version of the legislation, HB 913. Both passed unanimously.
The current high costs are attributed to new safety standards created after the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside that killed 98 people. They require condo communities to have mandatory inspections and fixes — plus reserve funds to cover them.
That’s raised condo association fees as well as concerns about the viability of condo life, especially for those living in older buildings.
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And it comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis last week praised the Senate legislation but bashed the House bill, saying it created even more burdens.
“People are hurting,” said DeSantis, who called for a special session months ago to address the issue but was turned down by legislative leadership. “People need relief. They are being put in predicaments through no fault of their own.”
DeSantis specifically touted how the Senate bill focuses on increasing transparency and accountability for condo associations and their managers. He also mentioned how it gave associations more funding flexibility, such as allowing them to invest reserve money so less is taken out of owners' pockets.
The Senate bill additionally allows associations to pause or minimize funding their reserves for two years following an inspection, a cost-saving measure that allows condos to focus spending directly on needed repairs as opposed to maintaining the fund.
But House lawmakers modified their legislation Tuesday, including removing a provision that would have prohibited the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation from providing coverage to condos that don’t comply with the post-Surfside requirements. Bradley had come out against that prohibition. It also expanded over the original bill a provision allowing condos to use a line of credit to fund reserves.
"This, I think, is going to be a landmark piece of legislation to address all of the financial issues that we have heard about from our constituents," said Miami Republican Rep. Vicki Lopez, a bill sponsor.
DeSantis’ office didn’t respond to a question about his views on the amended House bill.
The measure has made it out of its last committee, with its next stop being the House floor. The Senate legislation has one committee stop to go.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
