SURFSIDE, Fla. – More than two months after the June 24 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Miami-Dade County officials are still reviewing options to prevent another tragedy from happening again.
The collapse of the 12-story building killed 98 people just as the building association was preparing to spend millions on repairs. Officials know there are many aging condos with residents who don’t want to spend big on structural repairs.
“We have a range of things to look at. We have building certifications, we have condo associations, we have disclosure laws, mandatory reports, so there is a range of things that can be considered and improve the process,” Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said.
The investigation into the cause will take years, but communities like Sunny Isles Beach can’t wait. The city has at least 20 buildings going through the 40-year recertification process. Each of them is potentially facing a $15 million assessment.
“It is completely filled with people that are living on social security and we as a city are looking at how we can help them- that’s obviously not the best solution but this is happening right now,” Sunny Isles Beach Vice Mayor Larissa Svechin said.
There is a hope that federal assistance can help property owners cover the cost. Levine Cava said wants the recertification process to happen every three decades, instead of four.
“We are going to have to upgrade all of our codes. We are going to have to upgrade our processes by which we enforce those codes because we can’t have places with 40-year recertifications, 5 and 10 years late,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said.
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