Condo board quit in 2019 as squabbling residents dragged out plans for repairs

[Throck]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/majority-of-florida-condo-board-quit-in-2019-as-squabbling-residents-dragged-out-plans-for-repairs/2021/06/30/43592282-d98e-11eb-ae62-2d07d7df83bd_story.html?outputType=amp

I'd like to know the content of the report. I've never been a fan of HOAs, I've met a few dysfunctional people who serve on them. Lots of noise and no action.

[Mike Nelson]

1. Well...

... it sounds like the owners did not want to, or could not, pay for the repairs.

[Throck]

4. Being a condo w/HOA was there a single owner?

I always thought condos were group owned and the owners all had to ante up.

[Mike Nelson]

7. I think...

... from what I understand, condos do not have a single owner. The only way for that would be for someone to buy all the units and rent them out... otherwise, condos are group-owned.

When repairs are needed, the owners must vote yes or no. The owners' HOA would probably not have the funds for this extensive set of repairs. They would have to have their HOA go up, or they would have a limited-time 2nd HOA to pay for the repairs. But, if the owners don't want to do the repairs, or don't like the cost, they can vote the repairs down.

Just my understanding.

[Throck]

22. So in theory the HOA could have done this to themselves?

This could be bad.

[Klaralven]

9. The owners of the units jointly own the common areas and the land.

A condominium is a building structure divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condominium

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Typical MO's:

Complain, bitch -- but refuse to take responsibility.

[XanaDUer2]

3. I'm sure there were contentious HOA meetings nt

[moondust]

6. Resident filed lawsuit in 2015.

https://www.insider.com/florida-collapsed-condo-was-part-of-2015-maintenance-lawsuit-2021-6

A resident of the Florida condominium that partially collapsed early Thursday filed a lawsuit in 2015 alleging that one of the building's outer walls was not being maintained properly, court records seen by Insider showed.

~

In 2015, Matilde Fainstein filed for damages in the Miami-Dade Circuit Court, saying the building's owners "failed to repair or negligently repaired the common elements and the outside walls of the building."

The year before, water had started coming in through cracks in the outer wall to Fainstein's terrace, causing damage, the complaint said. The filing said she had previously taken the same issue to court, where the building's association, the Champlain Towers South Condominium Association, were found liable.

The building's owners settled the earlier case, court records showed.

~

Settled the case and went back to counting their money?

[obamanut2012]

14. The owners are literally the owners

[CreekDog]

18. the board members are volunteers, unpaid

do you know anything about HOA's, besides sound bites?

[obamanut2012]

21. I do not get it Creeky

[CreekDog]

23. i don't either

doesn't this story seem to be saying that these board members were trying to get this project going and when the other homeowners kept protesting it, causing further delays, they resigned.

lots of HOA's are horrible, but i can't imagine how a normal, unpaid volunteer faces a decision like they had.

[Dr. Strange]

24. I like cjeekdgg!

Especially his love of Canadian progressive rock.

[Maxheader]

8. wanted millions from the residents...

In the past , for cosmetic repairs. Home owners ass...?

Glad there's none here in the country....

[yardwork]

11. The residents are the owners.

[obamanut2012]

15. The condo owners own the building

[CreekDog]

20. are you saying that a highrise destined to collapse wouldn't require millions in repairs?

have you ever owned a highrise building? ever managed one?

they aren't cheap.

[Maxheader]

25. I'll practice harder ....

on getting sarcasm into my posts...just for you...

[Maxheader]

26. Cosmetic ..aesthetic improvements. Not structural..

"We struggled with it and everything," said Isabel Aguero, who owns an 11th-floor condo in the part of the building that remains standing. She said she thought most of the line items appeared to be more for aesthetic improvements instead of structural fixes to the building -- such as $722,000 for "hallway and public area renovations."

[Earth-shine]

10. It's an exemplary case of the adage, "A stitch in time saves nine."

People died because the Champlain Towers South condo board wouldn't or couldn't spend the money to make necessary structural repairs.

My wife is the VP of our Condo Association. We're not a high-rise situation, but like one, our people pay monthly HOA fees for maintenance of common areas. And people get damn pissy about it because they do not see the connection between money well spent and future property values.

[snowybirdie]

12. Owners do not

have to pay large special assessments all at once. Generally a loan is arranged that will spread out payments over time. I know that's how golf course repairs and upgrades are done. So looks like other owners did not want to pay the extra fee. Unfortunately, they paid for their inaction.

[Liberal In Texas]

13. Squabbling condo board members. Seems like a definition of a condo board.

My only experience was being on a condo board when I owned a condo. It was enough to make me not to want to ever do that again.

Owners have agendas that often differ widely. When some repair can be agreed on nobody wants to actually pay for it. If you do get a board that knows what it's doing and is working smoothly, one owner who might not be playing with a full deck can insert themselves on the board by running around lobbying enough owners by making claims of embezzlement by the current board or promises to lower association fees just to get themselves elected to the board.

Then the disruptor on the board starts making trouble during the board meetings. The disrupter keeps the lobbying up and is eventually able to get allies elected to the board to make a once smooth running board literally into a dictatorship.

Not to mention that it is hard to get competent people to run for a board position as most people just don't have the time to devote to it or just have no interest.

[Captain Stern]

16. My experience with HOA's (which is limited) is thus

There's a group of folks that really want to be on the board, and they will suck at it.

There's another group of folks that would do a great job on the board, but they don't want any part of it because of the other group.

[Srkdqltr]

17. Should be a warning to other Condominium groups. Fix or collapse.

But it won't make a difference.

[brooklynite]

19. An HOA is -not- a Condo (or Co-op) Board

Condo and Co-op Boards and their members have legal responsibilities (on behalf of the owners) for the residential building. They probably also have Directors and Officers Insurance assuming their actions on behalf of the Board were responsible.