MIAMI (AP) — Florida condominium owners are looking at higher costs from condo associations in the new year, a consequence of a safety law passed by state lawmakers in 2022.
It requires associations to have sufficient reserves to cover major repairs and to conduct a survey of reserves every decade. Because of the law, older condos — found largely in South Florida, according to state records — are facing hefty increases to association payments to fund the reserves and repair costs.
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Workers make repairs to the facade of the Parker Tower Condo, designed by architect Morris Lapidus, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Hallandale Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Workers make repairs to the facade of the Parker Tower Condo, designed by architect Morris Lapidus, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Hallandale Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Kelli Roiter talks to her mother Hilda on the pool deck of their condominium building, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Hallandale Beach. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Kelli Roiter, a condo owner, pauses during an interview, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Hallandale, Fla. Roiter said her building is showing some of the same problems that were visible in Champlain Towers South when it collapsed three years ago, which is just a few miles down the coast from her building. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
An older residential building is undergoing repairs to all of its balconies, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Bal Harbor, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Real estate agent Rebeca Castellon, sits in her condominium Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Coral Gables, Fla. Castellon agrees with the idea of requiring condo associations to maintain reserves for future repairs but acknowledges that the timing is bad when the increased fees are combined with higher insurance costs and recent inflation. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Kelli Roiter, a condo owner in one of the few residential buildings designed in 1971 by architect Morris Lapidus, looks out her balcony at other waterfront high-rise buildings, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Hallandale Beach, Fla. Roiter supports new rules that require condo associations to maintain reserves and make necessary structural repairs. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law in response to the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South, which killed 98 people in Surfside in June 2021. New regulations require condo associations for buildings with three or more stories to file an inspection report focused on structure, maintenance and expected costs for repairs or renovations by Dec. 31.
The report is just a small sector of the large-scale issue in Florida’s condo and property insurance crisis. A May report from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation noted that the average homeowner’s insurance premium is approximately $3,600, about $1,000 more than the national average, according to the National Association of Realtors.
In Hallandale Beach, condo owner Kelli Roiter sympathizes with people having trouble paying the higher fees, but she said she supports rules requiring associations to maintain reserves for repairs if it means her oceanfront building — built in 1971 — gets the repairs it needs.
She said her building, a few miles from Champlain Towers South, is showing some of the same problems that were visible before that building collapsed.
“I’m concerned that this building will collapse,” Roiter said. “There are nights I wake up hearing a creak, and I jump. And then I remind myself that, no, no, no, we’re safe. But am I safe?”
Rick Madan, president of the Biscayne Neighborhoods Association, which represents 22 condo associations, said the law is bringing condo owners strife by forcing buildings to take full coverage and bringing forth a blanket solution that doesn’t holistically address the crisis.
Madan said the law puts newer condos in the same category of needing reserve funds, inspection reports and recertifications as much older buildings at the expense of the condo owners.
That’s especially tough for people who retired in South Florida on fixed incomes, Madan added.
“You’re making us do all these reserve studies. You’re making us fund our reserves more, so we have to come up with more money,” Madan said of the Florida Legislature. “On top of that, you’re not giving us any flexibility on the insurance side where the insurance companies are basically making so much profit because they write a policy for $100 million, which they know they’ll never have to pay a claim on.”
Democratic State Sen. Jason Pizzo, who represented Surfside at the time of the collapse, said he agrees with Madan’s point about property insurance.
Pizzo and state Sen. Jennifer Bradley, a Republican, held a condo summit in early December where he warned of transparency among associations about the required projects for repair costs to prevent structural damage.
Pizzo told The Associated Press it is important for associations to have that transparency with condo owners to ensure that the rising payments are truly related to repairs and not to amenity costs, and that it is done within a reasonable timeframe for residents’ safety.
He said it's understandable to worry about anticipatory costs but that is why objective inspections of older buildings are necessary.
Nearly 90% of the 1.6 million condos in Florida are more than 30 years old, and Pizzo said it is concerning that they haven’t had critical inspections.
“They’re going to get a milestone inspection, and they may find some immediate repair or replacement requirements as a result of it," Pizzo said. “That’s not really by operation of law. That’s by operation of common sense.”
Luis Konski, a Miami attorney who deals with construction and commercial liability cases, said previous condo regulations kept fees low by failing to save money for future repairs, and then owners were hit with special assessments when repairs finally needed to be done. Konski said this encouraged many associations to ignore necessary but expensive maintenance, which is what likely led to the Surfside building collapse.
He said he’s not sure whether the state has committed enough staff to actually make sure associations are following the new rules. Pizzo echoed similar concerns, saying the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation might require legislative changes so it can start reviewing structural integrity and inspection reports while continuing to regulate all parts of business in Florida, including licensing and enforcing rules.
Konski said that if associations can continue to delay maintenance with inaccurate surveys and minimal oversight, it’s only a matter of time before another disaster.
“It’s a question of do you save money or do you save lives?” Konski said. “You can’t do both.”
Real estate agent Rebeca Castellon, who owns a condo in Coral Gables, said she agrees with the idea of requiring condo associations to maintain reserves for future repairs but acknowledges that the timing is bad when the increased fees are combined with higher insurance costs and recent inflation.
“I think part of the challenge is that right now there is tsunami of things that are really making it very challenging for condo owners,” Castellon said.
The condo market has cooled with the uncertainty created by additional fees and regulations, but Castellon said condos are still the most affordable form of home ownership and the new regulations will just give buyers more information going forward.
“I would not be surprised if in the future buyers are going to demand to see the structural inspection that the towers are going through right now and take that into consideration, as far as whether or not that’s the right property for them to move forward and put an offer,” Castellon said.
Real estate agent Gatien Salaun, who owns a waterfront condo in Miami Beach, said what appears to be a recent reduction in average sale prices is largely just buyers negotiating with sellers to eat some of the costs.
“They are simply asking for price reductions that are commensurate with that exact amount that they will have to pay over the next 20 years, 30 years in assessments,” Salaun said. “And the sellers are somewhat stuck in terms of negotiating with the buyer or just paying for the cost themselves.”
Workers make repairs to the facade of the Parker Tower Condo, designed by architect Morris Lapidus, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Hallandale Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Workers make repairs to the facade of the Parker Tower Condo, designed by architect Morris Lapidus, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Hallandale Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Kelli Roiter talks to her mother Hilda on the pool deck of their condominium building, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Hallandale Beach. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Kelli Roiter, a condo owner, pauses during an interview, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Hallandale, Fla. Roiter said her building is showing some of the same problems that were visible in Champlain Towers South when it collapsed three years ago, which is just a few miles down the coast from her building. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
An older residential building is undergoing repairs to all of its balconies, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Bal Harbor, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Real estate agent Rebeca Castellon, sits in her condominium Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Coral Gables, Fla. Castellon agrees with the idea of requiring condo associations to maintain reserves for future repairs but acknowledges that the timing is bad when the increased fees are combined with higher insurance costs and recent inflation. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Kelli Roiter, a condo owner in one of the few residential buildings designed in 1971 by architect Morris Lapidus, looks out her balcony at other waterfront high-rise buildings, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Hallandale Beach, Fla. Roiter supports new rules that require condo associations to maintain reserves and make necessary structural repairs. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
The Eastern Conference semifinals are set: We already knew it was Cleveland vs. Indiana, and now we've got Boston vs. New York in the other bracket.
As for the Western Conference, the wait continues.
Jalen Brunson scored 40 points and the Knicks are into Round 2 of the NBA playoffs after beating Detroit in Game 6 on Thursday night, ending a series where the road team won each of the final five games.
And the Los Angeles Clippers forced a Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets, winning in LA on Thursday night to extend that series to the ultimate.
There's one game on Friday — Game 6 between Golden State and Houston, with the Warriors looking to finish off that series.
All times Eastern
9 p.m. — Houston at Golden State (ESPN)
All times Eastern
7:30 p.m. — LA Clippers at Denver (TNT)
All times Eastern
6 or 8 p.m. — Indiana at Cleveland (TNT)
8:30 p.m. — Golden State at Houston (TNT, if necessary)
(If there is no Golden State-Houston game, the Indiana-Cleveland game will start at 8 p.m.)
Oklahoma City (+150) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed closely by Boston (+200). After that, it's Cleveland (+500), Golden State (+1800), Minnesota (+1800), the Los Angeles Clippers (+3000), New York (+4000), Denver (+4000), Indiana (+6600) and Houston (+12500).
On Thursday, Boston’s Jrue Holiday was named the league’s sportsmanship award winner for the second time.
Other awards so far:
— Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels won most improved player.
— San Antonio's Stephon Castle won rookie of the year.
— Golden State's Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award.
— Golden State's Draymond Green won the hustle award.
— Cleveland’s Evan Mobley won defensive player of the year.
— New York's Jalen Brunson won clutch player of the year.
— Boston's Payton Pritchard won sixth man of the year.
— Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson wins NBCA coach of the year award.
The league has not announced a schedule for other awards — including MVP and coach of the year — along with All-NBA, All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams.
The highest-scoring games by players so far in this year's playoffs:
43 — Jamal Murray, Denver vs. LA Clippers, April 29
43 — Anthony Edwards, Minnesota vs. LA Lakers, April 27
40 — Jalen Brunson, New York at Detroit, May 1
39 — Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers at Denver, April 21
38 — Luka Doncic, LA Lakers at Minnesota, April 27
38 — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City at Memphis, April 26
38 — LeBron James, LA Lakers at Minnesota, April 25
38 — Jalen Green, Houston vs. Golden State, April 23
Sunday — Round 2 of the playoffs starts.
May 12 — Draft lottery, Chicago.
May 18 or 20 — Game 1, Western Conference finals.
May 19 or 21 — Game 1, Eastern Conference finals.
June 5 — Game 1, NBA Finals. (Other games: June 8, June 11, June 13, June 16, June 19 and Game 7, if necessary, will be June 22.)
June 25 — NBA draft, first round.
June 26 — NBA draft, second round.
— Preview of Friday's game: Rockets-Warriors.
— Giannis Antetokounmpo has a decision to make. Stay or go?
— Tyrese Haliburton wasn't happy with his dad's postgame celebration.
— A look inside the numbers of this season, headed into the playoffs
— Detroit now has sole possession of the longest home losing streak in NBA playoff history, after extending that drought to 10 games — since 2008 — with Thursday's loss to New York. Philadelphia dropped nine straight from 1968 through 1971. Miami has lost eight straight at home in playoff games; play-in games don't count in that figure.
— The Knicks had the 20th instance in NBA history of a team going 3-0 or better in road games in a single playoff series. This doesn't include three teams — Boston, Toronto and Miami — who went 3-0 (or in the Celtics' case, 4-0) in “road” games during a series in the bubble at Walt Disney World in 2020.
— Detroit's Malik Beasley finished the season with 339 made 3-pointers, 12th-most in NBA history (including playoffs) and the most of anyone not named Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, James Harden or Luka Doncic.
— James Harden played 46 minutes, 35 seconds in the Clippers' win over Denver. That's the most he's ever logged in a non-overtime game and pushed him over the 3,000-minute mark for the season for the eighth time in his career. Among active players, only LeBron James has more 3,000-minute seasons. Thursday was only the second time he played the second, third and fourth quarters in full without a rest; the other was a Christmas Day game for Philadelphia in 2022.
— Denver's David Adelman will become the 110th Game 7 coach in NBA history (and got there in just his 10th career game). Clippers coach Tyronn Lue will look to join Red Auerbach as the only coaches to win their first five Game 7s; Lue is 4-0, Auerbach was 8-0 in his career. Lue will try to be the first coach to win three Game 7s on the road.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Minnesota Timberwolves co-owner Alex Rodriguez, left, questions a non call as Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves looks on during the second half in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry watches from the bench during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla encourages his players during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Orlando Magic, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, center, tries to argue a non-call after the New York Knicks won Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Detroit, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner (33) reacts after dunking over Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo during the second half of Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) scores against the Miami Heat during the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) shoots the ball past Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, bottom, and Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) reach for a rebound during the first half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets in San Francisco, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis reacts after scoring a basket during the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) gestures after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero celebrates a 3-point shot against the Boston Celtics during the first half in game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series,, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Chris Paul, right, gestures as Bob Iger looks on during the first half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, left, and center Ivica Zubac defend during the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates with teammates during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant looks on from the bench in the first half of Game 3 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren dunks during the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) celebrates after a basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a first-round NBA basketball playoff game in Indianapolis, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) goes to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) and forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Memphis Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo looks up during the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown leaves the court after defeating the Orlando Magic in game 1 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) celebrates in front of teammate Sam Merrill in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) dunks during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns hugs his dad, Karl Towns, Sr., following Game 1 in an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Indiana Pacers' Andrew Nembhard (2) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the first half of a first-round NBA basketball playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray gestures to the crowd after hitting a 3-point basket against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Alex Rodriguez, co-owner, of the Minnesota Timberwolves, claps during the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series Los Angeles Lakers, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, and forward LeBron James celebrate at the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Friday, April 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Fans react as Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) fights for the ball in overtime of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic sits on the bench looking up at a video that was played in the arena as a tribute to the former Mavericks player before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
