The death toll from the devastating condo collapse in Surfside, Florida, has risen to 86 as questions loom over a 2008 law repealed under former Gov. Charlie Crist, which some experts surmise may have ushered in repairs for the building.
According to the reports, the death toll stands at 86, with dozens of others missing as crews continue their search operations.
This week, an NBC Miami report detailed a Florida law repealed in 2010, which some experts believe would have expedited multimillion-dollar repairs needed at the Surfside condo.
Inspections began in 2018, and in April, the president of the Champlain South Towers condo association wrote to residents, detailing the millions of dollars of assessments needed to address serious issues, such as the “accelerating” deterioration of concrete. The total amounted to over $16 million.
Per NBC Miami:
A 2008 Florida law requiring condo associations to hire engineers or architects to submit reports every five years about how much it would cost to keep up with repairs was repealed in 2010. Also known as a “reserve study,” it would also estimate how much the boards should collect from residents to prepare for future fixes.
The Champlain Towers South had not done a professional reserve study since at least 2016 and its reserve fund account held just $777,000, according to documents obtained by NBC News and NBC Miami. That decision was legal, but it meant that planning was left to the board, a shifting group of volunteers with little training in building maintenance.
The report did not mention that the law was repealed under Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL), who served as governor from 2007-2011 and is vying to challenge Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in the upcoming gubernatorial race in the Sunshine State.
According to a report from the Tallahassee Democrat, Crist signed the condo repeal bill in 2010 as part of an effort to “woo” Democrat voters:
The report, published in the Palm Beach Post on June 25th, 2010, stated that “Gov. Charlie Crist was on the photo-op express Thursday signing the same bill three times in a two-hour period.”
The bill, SB 1196, was sold as a way to “help distressed condominium associations” during a down real estate market by repealing certain regulations that were put in place in 2008.
Crist told the condo residents at the bill signing events that the legislation was important to him and would empower “condominium owners to make their own decisions about their associations.”
However, it remains unclear how much the repeal of the law could have contributed to the demise of the structure, as the cause of the collapse has yet to be determined.
“The tragedy in Surfside has changed Florida & the country. The stories of the individuals lost are heartbreaking & the impact is being felt around Florida & the world. It is going to be tough as we recover but we will be standing with the Surfside community every step of the way,” DeSantis said this week:
On Friday, the governor announced he is signing an executive order to “remove the burden of property taxes for the families and residents of Champlain Towers South”: