Floridians share the impacts of the state's condo crisis
By Meghan Bowman
April 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT
Legislation passed after a 2021 deadly building collapse aimed to improve the safety of condominiums in Florida. But the increased inspections, studies, and changes to funding reserves have left people grappling with higher fees.
Some of Florida's condominium owners are strugging with unintended consequences of legislation intended to protect people from unsafe buildings.
The laws were passed after the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside that killed 98 people.
Lea esta historia en español
Condominium associations existing on or before July 1, 2022, were given until the end of 2024 to conduct a structural integrity reserve study, which would determine how much money the complex should set aside to cover future repairs. The law also required milestone inspections on all condominium buildings taller than three stories or more than 30 years old.
"[The legislation] really put a lot of boards and condo owners in a tight position to finance these repairs," President of Pinellas Harbor Greens Condo Association Linda McDowell said.
The 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside killed 98 people. Laws passed after the collapse require “milestone inspections” of older buildings and “structural integrity reserve” studies to determine how much money condo associations should set aside for future major repairs. (1440x810, AR: 1.7777777777777777)
Now, some condo owners are struggling to pay higher fees to bring their buildings into compliance. At some complexes, there's little work to do. But others have had years of poor maintenance and aging infrastructure that communities are now having to address all at once.
Florida lawmakers introduced legislation this year that could ease some of those cost burdens and clarify rules about inspections.
A measure in the House (HB 913) passed Wednesday. A bill in the Senate (SB 1742) was scheduled for a full vote on Thursday, but the chamber decided to postpone.
While both measures would increase condo board transparency and give associations more flexibility to manage their finances, they have different approaches on how to do it. Gov. Ron DeSantis has previously expressed support for the Senate's legislation, while criticizing the House version. The chambers would have to work out their differences, and the session is currently scheduled to end on May 2.
ALSO READ: Florida lawmakers advance condo legislation amid cost crisis
Florida is a known retirement destination and condos are a popular housing choice for many older adults.
"A lot of the communities here, traditionally, are older, 55-plus retirees who are on fixed incomes," McDowell said.
Chris Kelly is the community manager at Stone's Throw Condominiums in St. Petersburg. He lets property owners know what they need to pay to cover the assessments.
Chris Kelly is the community manager for Stone's Throw Condominiums in St. Petersburg, FL. (473x794, AR: 0.5957178841309824)
And he said the increases are "one of the biggest crises" impacting older Floridians living on fixed incomes.
"I've heard some grumblings where [unit owners] said that the lawmakers maybe went too far, too fast with some of this stuff," Kelly said.
A study from the Florida Policy Project found that many condo owners can't afford the fee increases.
"As a result of the inspections and assessments, some owners may face eviction, or the building could be condemned," the study said.
Condo owner reactions
One of the top concerns for condo owner Lynda Bablin is the uncertainty of what fees she'll be assessed for repairs.
"Because that's something that you cannot control," she said. "[Do] you know what those assessment fees are going to be? Is it something that people can afford? What's the timeline [for] paying these assessments?"
Bablin is the treasurer of her condominium's board in St. Petersburg. She said she's heard of building assessments that need repairs that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it's the owners who foot the bill.
"There are a number of complexes where it's kind of been stated to the homeowners that if you're having a hard time with your HOA fees now — because, a lot of people are on fixed incomes — so, if you're having a hard time right now with your HOA fees, you might want to sell," she said.
ALSO READ: A condo bill in the Senate seeks to provide more financial flexibility, safety
David Reid, a condo owner in Jupiter, called the post-collapse condo laws a "knee-jerk reaction."
"Our fees have increased dramatically, and our services went down," he said.
He said safety is important to him, but said he thinks some of the steps his building has had to take to comply with the law are unnecessary.
His family can cover the cost, Reid said. But not all condo owners are in the same position.
Paola Premuda Conti owns a condo in St. Petersburg, FL. She recently picked up a second job to help pay for the increased fees. (474x795, AR: 0.5962264150943396)
"We're crying for help"
Paola Premuda Conti moved to her St. Petersburg condo in 2023. She is an associate professor at Troy University's Tampa Support Center, and just picked up a second job to help cover her unit's fees.
“I'm thinking maybe I need to get a roommate to just make sure I'm not worrying about [money] all the time,” she said.
Her fees have increased by about $300 per month since moving in, she said. Conti said she loves the area, the people, and the weather, but if costs continue to go up, she might consider selling and leaving the state altogether.
Some condo owners, like Pamela Rose in Lauderhill, have needed to forego other needs to pay for the increased living expenses.
Rose bought her condo unit in 2023. Since then, she said her HOA fees have skyrocketed. And in the past year, she's been hit with more than $10,000 in assessment fees.
"My concern is that we look like we're going to lose our property, and I'm crying," she said.
Rose's neighbor, Virginia D. Jackson, has had similar experiences.
"I'm single. I got one check. I pay a mortgage," she said. "I don't even have money to buy groceries with."
Jackson said when she brought up concerns at a recent condo meeting, the board's president told her, "If you can't afford to live here, you need to move."
YF condo voices CC meg read.mp3
WUSF reached out to the condo board and have not heard back.
Rose and Jackson said they want more information from the condominium about where their money is going.
The House condo bill would increase transparency for condo associations by requiring boards to submit timely financial reports and disclosures to owners. It would also impose penalties for board members who violate regulations.
"How can we live like this?" Rose said.
Both she and Jackson said they live on fixed incomes.
"How can you pay [the higher expenses] off Social Security? This is what we're crying out. We're crying for help," Rose said.
If you have any questions about the legislative session, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The laws were passed after the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside that killed 98 people.
Lea esta historia en español
Condominium associations existing on or before July 1, 2022, were given until the end of 2024 to conduct a structural integrity reserve study, which would determine how much money the complex should set aside to cover future repairs. The law also required milestone inspections on all condominium buildings taller than three stories or more than 30 years old.
"[The legislation] really put a lot of boards and condo owners in a tight position to finance these repairs," President of Pinellas Harbor Greens Condo Association Linda McDowell said.
The 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside killed 98 people. Laws passed after the collapse require “milestone inspections” of older buildings and “structural integrity reserve” studies to determine how much money condo associations should set aside for future major repairs. (1440x810, AR: 1.7777777777777777)
Now, some condo owners are struggling to pay higher fees to bring their buildings into compliance. At some complexes, there's little work to do. But others have had years of poor maintenance and aging infrastructure that communities are now having to address all at once.
Florida lawmakers introduced legislation this year that could ease some of those cost burdens and clarify rules about inspections.
A measure in the House (HB 913) passed Wednesday. A bill in the Senate (SB 1742) was scheduled for a full vote on Thursday, but the chamber decided to postpone.
While both measures would increase condo board transparency and give associations more flexibility to manage their finances, they have different approaches on how to do it. Gov. Ron DeSantis has previously expressed support for the Senate's legislation, while criticizing the House version. The chambers would have to work out their differences, and the session is currently scheduled to end on May 2.
ALSO READ: Florida lawmakers advance condo legislation amid cost crisis
Florida is a known retirement destination and condos are a popular housing choice for many older adults.
"A lot of the communities here, traditionally, are older, 55-plus retirees who are on fixed incomes," McDowell said.
Chris Kelly is the community manager at Stone's Throw Condominiums in St. Petersburg. He lets property owners know what they need to pay to cover the assessments.
Chris Kelly is the community manager for Stone's Throw Condominiums in St. Petersburg, FL. (473x794, AR: 0.5957178841309824)
And he said the increases are "one of the biggest crises" impacting older Floridians living on fixed incomes.
"I've heard some grumblings where [unit owners] said that the lawmakers maybe went too far, too fast with some of this stuff," Kelly said.
A study from the Florida Policy Project found that many condo owners can't afford the fee increases.
"As a result of the inspections and assessments, some owners may face eviction, or the building could be condemned," the study said.
Condo owner reactions
One of the top concerns for condo owner Lynda Bablin is the uncertainty of what fees she'll be assessed for repairs.
"Because that's something that you cannot control," she said. "[Do] you know what those assessment fees are going to be? Is it something that people can afford? What's the timeline [for] paying these assessments?"
Bablin is the treasurer of her condominium's board in St. Petersburg. She said she's heard of building assessments that need repairs that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it's the owners who foot the bill.
"There are a number of complexes where it's kind of been stated to the homeowners that if you're having a hard time with your HOA fees now — because, a lot of people are on fixed incomes — so, if you're having a hard time right now with your HOA fees, you might want to sell," she said.
ALSO READ: A condo bill in the Senate seeks to provide more financial flexibility, safety
David Reid, a condo owner in Jupiter, called the post-collapse condo laws a "knee-jerk reaction."
"Our fees have increased dramatically, and our services went down," he said.
He said safety is important to him, but said he thinks some of the steps his building has had to take to comply with the law are unnecessary.
His family can cover the cost, Reid said. But not all condo owners are in the same position.
Paola Premuda Conti owns a condo in St. Petersburg, FL. She recently picked up a second job to help pay for the increased fees. (474x795, AR: 0.5962264150943396)
"We're crying for help"
Paola Premuda Conti moved to her St. Petersburg condo in 2023. She is an associate professor at Troy University's Tampa Support Center, and just picked up a second job to help cover her unit's fees.
“I'm thinking maybe I need to get a roommate to just make sure I'm not worrying about [money] all the time,” she said.
Her fees have increased by about $300 per month since moving in, she said. Conti said she loves the area, the people, and the weather, but if costs continue to go up, she might consider selling and leaving the state altogether.
Some condo owners, like Pamela Rose in Lauderhill, have needed to forego other needs to pay for the increased living expenses.
Rose bought her condo unit in 2023. Since then, she said her HOA fees have skyrocketed. And in the past year, she's been hit with more than $10,000 in assessment fees.
"My concern is that we look like we're going to lose our property, and I'm crying," she said.
Rose's neighbor, Virginia D. Jackson, has had similar experiences.
"I'm single. I got one check. I pay a mortgage," she said. "I don't even have money to buy groceries with."
Jackson said when she brought up concerns at a recent condo meeting, the board's president told her, "If you can't afford to live here, you need to move."
YF condo voices CC meg read.mp3
WUSF reached out to the condo board and have not heard back.
Rose and Jackson said they want more information from the condominium about where their money is going.
The House condo bill would increase transparency for condo associations by requiring boards to submit timely financial reports and disclosures to owners. It would also impose penalties for board members who violate regulations.
"How can we live like this?" Rose said.
Both she and Jackson said they live on fixed incomes.
"How can you pay [the higher expenses] off Social Security? This is what we're crying out. We're crying for help," Rose said.
If you have any questions about the legislative session, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.