Governor Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that he will soon sign a bill revising condominium-safety laws enacted after the tragic 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, which resulted in 98 deaths.
The wide-ranging bill (HB 913), which was unanimously approved by both the House and Senate, has not yet been formally sent to the governor, but it is a key part of his legislative priorities this year. The revisions come after concerns were raised by condo residents and associations about the high costs imposed by the existing laws.
“You had people who were at risk of being forced out of their condos due to legislation,” DeSantis said during a Tuesday appearance in Tampa.
The original laws, passed in 2022 and amended in 2023, required milestone inspections for older buildings and structural integrity reserve studies to determine how much should be saved for major future repairs.
These inspections were scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024 for certain buildings that are three stories or higher. Many condo associations levied large assessments on owners to meet the deadline, in addition to regular association fees.
The new law, which will take effect July 1, extends the deadline for structural integrity studies by one year, moving the completion date from December 31 to the end of 2025. Lawmakers recognized that many associations were struggling to meet the original deadline.
Additionally, the bill allows a temporary two-year pause in reserve funding following a milestone inspection and gives condo associations more flexibility in meeting reserve requirements.
