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Condo balcony collapses in Florida Panhandle - 2017
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A second-floor, wood balcony of a condo association in the Florida panhandle collapsed in February, thankfully causing only injuries, not fatalities.
But 11 people harmed is nothing to dismiss, even if it didn't happen in your community. It's still smart to understand how condo associations can get to this point and what to do to prevent it from happening in your association.
Absurd. You have no basis for this breathless dramatic conclusion. Reinforced concrete structures can suffer deterioration to many elements that have nothing to do with basic structural integrity. The fact that an engineering report made no mention of a safety issue lends me to think 3:1 this issue had nothing to do with the collapse. That you weighed in with your expertise ups my weighting to 10:1 against.
I wonder if they were negligent and should have issued a safety warning? Usually it's the city/county that declares buildings unsafe, right? An inspection simply reports what they find.
But if WATER is seeping into foundation spaces, I think it should always be called a safety emergency and I'd have the building evacuated until a full safety inspection was done, and repairs.
I am sure this was inspected and recommendations for repairs given. Now at that point who is responsible for executing the repairs.
Good question.
With Condominiums there seems to be a gray area between condo owners or the "HOA" regarding who is responsible for making sure costly structural repairs are done.
I suspect, as a result, we are seeing structural failures of condominium buildings because timely repairs of condos have been neglected (see my previous posts regarding failed condo structures in other areas of our country).
Perhaps, due to this lack of firm accountability or a conflict of interest (condo owner is also on HOA board thus will realize a personal cost for needed repairs), the condominium concept may need to be reexamined.
I am sure this was inspected and recommendations for repairs given. Now at that point who is responsible for executing the repairs.
The association should have insurance for the building, the premium of which is part of the association fees. Who will be responsible for the deductible? Likely a special assessment against the homeowners. However, that presupposes rebuilding. It may make more sense to seel the land to someone else for redevelopment.
The association should have insurance for the building, the premium of which is part of the association fees. Who will be responsible for the deductible? Likely a special assessment against the homeowners. However, that presupposes rebuilding. It may make more sense to seel the land to someone else for redevelopment.
There is an insurance policy that covers a building's general maintenance/repair fees?
There is an insurance policy that covers a building's general maintenance/repair fees?
Doubtful - if that was the question I misunderstood it. I thought the question was about repairing/rebuilding now after the collapse.
No, the expenses of general repair and maintenance would come out of association fees. Depending on their finances and condomium association bylaws the cost could come out of existing condo funds or a special assessment could be levied on the residents if it was a big project. I suppose a third option would be a loan but I don't know how realistic or common that is for an association (or a bank) to pursue.
Seems the owners of this condominium may have caused the [loss of the (sic)] lives of many!
Except for overlooking the fact that many of those "owners" were, in some part. the tenants themselves, and from what little we've seen so far -- disproportionately elderly, price-conscious, and often relocated from states where greater governmental oversight, and the higher taxes to support it are the rule.
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Originally Posted by jojajn
As condo buildings become older and perhaps require major structural repairs, I am beginning to doubt that the HOA/condo concept is working well enough to make these repairs on a timely basis.
Doubtful - if that was the question I misunderstood it. I thought the question was about repairing/rebuilding now after the collapse.
No, the expenses of general repair and maintenance would come out of association fees. Depending on their finances and condomium association bylaws the cost could come out of existing condo funds or a special assessment could be levied on the residents if it was a big project. I suppose a third option would be a loan but I don't know how realistic or common that is for an association (or a bank) to pursue.
As condo buildings become older and perhaps require major structural repairs, I am beginning to doubt that the HOA/condo concept is working well enough to make these repairs on a timely basis.
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