The diagnosis. In the spring of 2017 I was called by a senior building manager of a 19-story Upper West Side condominium about the electrical service room located below a pedestrian plaza. The room had extensive water infiltration, and, as a result, the electrical equipment and its cabinets had severely corroded. Read the article………………………..
Insurance Exclusions Leave Waukesha Condo Owners With Demolition Bill (WI)
A federal court judgment issued Wednesday left the owners of a Waukesha condo building expecting to foot the bill to tear down their homes that were deemed structurally unsound without the benefit of full insurance coverage. Read the article………………………..
Things HOAs Need To Check Before Approving Any Roofing Project
Many homeowners are unaware of what needs to be inspected by their Homeowners Association (HOA) before a roofing project can begin. Both the homeowner and the HOA need to be on the same page to avoid costly mistakes. By understanding the process and what is required, everyone can save time and money. Here are some […]
Investigations into 2021 Surfside, Florida, condo collapse far from over (FL)
Around 1:30 a.m. on June 24, 2021, 98 people were killed when Champlain Towers South, a 40-year-old condominium in Surfside, Florida, collapsed. Raysa Rodriguez was on the ninth floor of a part of the building that somehow remained standing. Read the article………………………..
Official: Satellite Beach condo tower not in immediate danger, despite Nicole beach erosion (FL)
Hurricane Nicole’s relentless waves devoured the shoreline at the Oceana Oceanfront Condominium north tower in Satellite Beach, chewing away the sand dune and exposing the 10-story building’s concrete base. Read the article………………………..
Nicole forces 12 Daytona Beach Shores condo complexes to evacuate as storm threatens collapse (FL)
Daytona Beach Shores police and Volusia County deputies are going door-to-door inside 12 condo complexes and one hotel along the beach that are under threat of collapse due to the powerful storm surge caused by Tropical Storm Nicole. Read the article………………………..
Local Condominium Vacates Twelve Units Due to ‘Undue Strains’ (VA)
Representatives of an engineering firm hired by the residents’ board at the Madison Condominium at 600 Roosevelt Blvd. in Falls Church found a steel beam that was completely corroded and they immediately call City Hall and City engineers condemned the building and the Falls Church Police Department and Office of Emergency Management supervised an evacuation […]
Residents of evacuated Miami Beach condo building could be back home soon (FL)
Good news is coming for people living in the Port Royale building on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach: they could be back in their homes as soon as early next week. On Tuesday, Local 10 News got an exclusive look at the damage that led to Thursday’s evacuation of the 164-unit condo building. Read the […]
Miami Beach Condo Building Ordered Evacuated Over Structural Issue (FL)
A condominium building in Miami Beach was ordered evacuated Thursday after it was deemed structurally unsafe. Residents of the Port Royale condo building at 6969 Collins Avenue have been required to vacate immediately due to an unsafe structure notice, Miami Beach officials said. The building is undergoing a 50-year recertification and the building’s structural engineer […]
Parking structure deemed unfit at condo complex at Ski Time Square (CO)
A condominium complex at Ski Time Square no longer has any parking. It’s the Ski Time Square Condos, built in 1972. The parking structure residents have been using was causing concern so the HOA there had two safety assessments and structural studies done, both of which failed. Those studies were forwarded to DBT Thunderhead LLC […]
Horizon West Condos: City of Waukesha files suit; potentially leaving condo owners on the hook for demolition cost (WI)
The city of Waukesha filed a suit on Monday that would require condo owners to foot the bill for demolition of the Horizon West condo building. That means those condo owners may potentially be in charge of paying for the building to be knocked down if the suit is ruled in the city’s favor in […]
Oceanfront South Carolina condo owners claim evacuated condo had known structural damage for years (SC)
Some people who own condos in an Horry County oceanfront condo building said the property managers ignored structural damage for years, resulting in residents being evacuated Oct. 7. Read the article………………………..
Condo Complex With Crumbling Foundation Gets Major Upgrade (CT)
A Connecticut condominium complex riddled with crumbling foundation problems is back in one piece now. Crews started working on the Willington Ridge condo project in April 2021. It was a six-building, roughly $3 million project. Read the article………………………..
Horry County condo tower residents say they’re being evacuated due to unsafe conditions (SC)
ABC15 is on the scene of a developing situation Friday night at the Renaissance Towers south of Myrtle Beach in Horry County. A sign that has been posted on the door of the building states the building is unsafe and its use or occupancy is prohibited by Horry County code enforcement. It states that violators […]
Could a Local Building Collapse Like the One in Florida? (HI)
Experts say what happened at the Surfside condo is unlikely to happen here. But they warn condo boards: put off maintenance projects and you’ll end up paying far more. Read the article………………………..
Your Building Maintenance Checklist for Fall: 9 Things to Do Before The Leaves Fall
The leaves are falling and another Chicago winter is on its way. That means it’s time to start thinking about your building’s maintenance. As a property owner or manager, you know that maintaining your building is important all year round. But there are some tasks that are especially important to do before the cold weather […]
Tragedies Place Focus On Condominium Model’s Flaws
More than 14 months after the shocking Champlain Towers South condominium tower collapse in Surfside, Fla., many condominium owners lack clarity about the role of condominium associations and owners in preventing future such tragedies. Read the article………………………..
San Francisco OKs Revamped Settling Millennium Tower Fix (CA)
After more than six months of scrutiny, San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection has issued a revised building permit for the revamped perimeter pile upgrade of the settling 645-ft-tall Millennium Tower, thanks to a determination from the planning department that the revised scheme would not have any negative environmental impacts. The upgrade now consists of […]
Broken elevator forces older residents to the stairs (CO)
The Problem Solvers were contacted by multiple residents at the Bayberry Condominiums in Aurora because they say the elevator in the building has been broken for nearly six weeks. “Many of us are seniors. We don’t walk very well,” said Geoffrey Jones, who has owned his condo in the building for 15 years. Read the […]
Small team of federal investigators still investigating tragic Florida condo collapse (FL)
The infamous collapse of the Champlain Towers condominium tower in Florida last year made millions nervous about their own buildings, and the case is not really over. Since the June 2021 tragedy, a team from the National Construction Safety Team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology has been on the case. Read the […]
Aging condos in Ontario will need expensive repairs in the future, report finds
About 15 per cent of Ontario households currently live in condominiums and more than half of new homes being built in the province are also condominium units. There are 900,000 condominium units in the province that are managed by 11,000 condo corporations and some units that are more than 30 years old are starting to […]
Elevators out in 20-storey West End condo tower? Call the fire department (BC)
Strata manager’s note says maintenance company troubleshooting the problem, but adds ‘currently no diagnosis nor ETA for the elevator service to be restored’ Read the article………………………..
City orders extensive facade restoration at Madison House condo tower (OH)
Cincinnati’s building department has ordered the Madison House condominium tower to repair all leaks in the 19-story building’s windows, balconies and façade, threatening to impose quarterly fees if violations are not corrected within 60 days. Read the article………………………..
Tips for Reviewing Construction Contracts for Your HOA
A former construction company executive earned a 15 years prison sentence for his role in a scheme to control homeowners associations and took $58 million fraudulently. Often, homeowners association board members fall into the trap of inadvertently and unknowingly signing biased construction contracts. Read the article………………………..
High-Rise Maintenance Tips Your HOA Should Follow
High-rise buildings have unique and sometimes challenging maintenance obligations. An essential responsibility of the association is to ensure that the community is maintained to the highest possible standard, focusing on safety and appearance. Read the article………………………..
“Heading for a Disaster”: Condos Underfunded for Multimillion-Dollar Repairs (ON)
It’s not a “What if?” scenario — it’s already happening. And condo owners need to know big building costs are coming. There are two problems here, says Lyndsey McNally, Vice President at the Canadian Condominium Institute. One: There’s a very good chance your condominium corporation doesn’t have enough in its reserve fund to pay for […]
New Tilting Prompts Revamp of San Francisco’s Millennium Tower Fix (CA)
NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit has learned that a recent acceleration in tilting of the Millennium Tower has prompted engineers in charge of the so-called “fix” to employ an unconventional strategy to prop up the building so as to stop it from leaning further while the rest of the work gets done. Read the article………………………….
HOA Roof Replacement Guidelines To Follow
Living in a homeowners association comes with plenty of advantages, such as improved curb appeal and increased property values. But, it also means having to adhere to the community’s rules and seek approval for architectural changes. This includes an HOA roof replacement. Read the article…………………………
Mandatory Condominium & Cooperative Building Inspections and Non-Waivable Reserve Requirements | SENATE BILL 4-D (FL)
With home insurers leaving Florida in droves, and following pressure from members of both political parties in the legislature to actually do something about it, in May 2022, the governor called a special legislative session to address the problem. A very real concern to the insurers is the effect of both time and inclement weather […]
Who is responsible for repairing damaged insulation in a condominium?
Q: My condominium association has repeatedly repaired our roof. It has also paid for repainting parts of the ceiling in my unit on multiple occasions. I live on the top floor of a five-story building. Whose responsibility is it to replace rain-damaged ceiling insulation? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Federal Surfside condo collapse investigation enters new phase (FL)
The federal investigation into the deadly Surfside condo collapse is entering a new phase that involves cutting and drilling into concrete and steel to determine what role they played in the disaster, officials said Wednesday. Read the entire article……………………………….
Federal investigators talk about Surfside condo collapse probe (FL)
Investigators with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) said the point of the probe is to not only find out what happened and who may be responsible for this deadly collapse, but it’s also to prevent similar tragedies at other high-rises. Read the entire article……………………………….
Waukesha condo owners out thousands as city orders building to be torn down (WI)
“It’s all on the building insurance,” Nieskes said. “We can’t cover your unit because everything technically in your unit is fine. There was no water damage, no fire damage. It’s the building that is the cause of why you have to be out, so you have to take it up with the building insurance company.” Read […]
The New Cond Laws—-Mandatory Inspections—Part One (FL)
If a community association manager or a community association management firm has a contract with a community association that has a building on the association’s property that is subject to s. 553.899, (the Mandatory Inspections statute) the community association manager or the community association management firm must comply with that section as directed by the […]
After the Surfside condo tragedy, engineers, contractors and local lawmakers are partnering to prevent a similar situation (FL)
Florida’s population has jumped from around 3 million in 1950 to more than 22 million people today—and this number has continued to skyrocket since the pandemic. Between July 2020 and July 2021, Florida became second in the country for most residents gained, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. As demand for housing rises, so do […]
Waukesha condo collapse threat, Horizon West raze order,120-day deadline (WI)
A big step has been taken regarding the future of Waukesha’s troubled Horizon West condos, one that could soon trigger the wrecking ball. The raze order we’ve been hearing about for months is now officially in effect. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo termination, teardown in store for Edgewater property following $143M sale
Two Roads Development has bought out the majority of the Biscayne 21 condo in the Edgewater neighborhood of Miami for $143 million with plans to tear it down and build a luxury condo. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo’s prepare for safety inspections in Boca Raton (FL)
City officials say they are dividing the city into four zones, putting the buildings closest to the ocean with the proper height and age requirements first in line for the recertification program. Read the entire article……………………………….
How To Prioritize Building Improvement Projects In Your HOA
When it comes to building improvement projects, your HOA doesn’t only need to know what maintenance jobs should be done down the line, but also when they need to be done. Knowing how to prioritize maintenance jobs will not only ensure that issues are always dealt with promptly and professionally, but will keep residents happy […]
Waterfront condo building in Tequesta deemed ‘unsafe,’ evacuated. What happened? (FL)
Residents of 24 waterfront condominiums along Tequesta’s waterfront have had to live in temporary quarters for the past three weeks after the village’s fire chief discovered cracks in the building’s columns and ordered them to evacuate. Read the entire article……………………………….
At Last, Co-op and Condo Boards Get Something for Free From the DOB (NY)
New York City co-op and condo boards have grown accustomed to the high cost of complying with a never-ending deluge of new city rules — widely derided as “unfunded mandates” — but during May the city is flipping the the script by offering no-cost, no-penalty inspections of decks, porches, retaining walls and business signs. Read […]
HOA Preparedness: Preventing Water Damage
It’s finally springtime, which means flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and the rain will soon be pouring. And all that rain can lead to one thing: water damage. If you’re an HOA board member, it’s essential to prepare your community association for the rainiest season. Read the entire article……………………………….
Caution! Flooring Penetrations May Result in Structural Issue (CA)
Many of our multi-story condominium communities are wood framed with wood flooring. Most high-rise communities are concrete structures with concrete flooring. Whether wood or concrete, flooring is an integral part of the structural integrity of the building. Read the entire article……………………………….
Cost Going Up: Co-op’s Elevator Modernization Brings Surprises (NY)
Elevator work is always a major headache for boards and residents, but you recently ran into a very unexpected problem on what you thought was a routine job. Read the entire article……………………………….
Federal Legislation Supports Condo Structural Repairs
U.S. Reps. Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Broward, Miami-Dade) introduced the Securing Access to Finance Exterior Repairs (SAFER) in Condos Act of 2022 yesterday. The legislation, a response to the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Fla., on June 24 in which 98 people died, allows condominium homeowners to finance […]
Southwest line construction wasn’t a major factor in condo damage, board told (MN)
Construction of the Southwest light-rail line in the Kenilworth corridor of Minneapolis had little to do with the cracking that surfaced this winter in floors and walls of the nearby Cedar Isles condominium towers, according to a forensic engineering firm. Read the entire article……………………………….
Tequesta building evacuated after columns show ‘significant deterioration and cracking’ (FL)
People who live at a building in Tequesta are out of their homes and trying to make arrangements about where to live after their building was evacuated, Wednesday. The village deemed it “unsafe for occupancy” after columns showed “significant deterioration and cracking.” Read the entire article……………………………….
Civil Code § 5551 and Complying with Safety Inspection Requirements of Balconies (CA)
On August 30, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 326 into law. This law, which went into effect on January 2020, added §5551 to California’s Civil Code. The added section imposes inspection requirements for “exterior elevated elements” which a common interest development’s association has maintenance or repair responsibilities. This requirement does not apply to […]
City funds come to the rescue of ‘troubled buildings (IL)
The vintage condo building on Crandon Avenue in South Shore is in frightful straits. It needs at least $1.5 million to repair a crumbling facade and upgrade pipes. The homeowners association doesn’t have enough cash reserves to fund needed repairs. And the residents, mostly seniors on fixed incomes, are behind in paying monthly assessments. The […]
Major work being done at The 101 Condominium in Sarasota, formerly known as Dolphin Tower (TN)
There are much brighter days ahead for The 101 Condominium complex on the Sarasota Bayfront, formerly known as Dolphin Tower. The parking garage will be completely redone, including structural improvements where crews will strengthen the connection between the columns and decks. Painting and waterproofing of the entire building are also part of this $3 million […]