Surfside condo collapse

Municipalities Taking Closer Look at 40-Year-Old Buildings

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Municipalities are doing what they can to inspect buildings that are at the 40-year mark or have not completed their 40-year inspections, something that has been in the spotlight since the collapse of a condominium building in Surfside last week.Β 

There are approximately 469 enforcement cases for multi-family residential buildings currently in the "Unsafe Structures" process, according to a Miami-Dade County spokesperson. 

Of those cases, 24 have been identified as buildings that are at least four stories high and have been prioritized for inspection as part of the audit. 

Cases like these don't necessarily have to be related to structural integrity issues. They can be on the list for not submitting necessary reports or where repairs have not been completed to come into compliance. 

In Broward County, municipalities have been asked to report to the County all buildings that are either overdue for the 40-year inspection or are yet to complete the repairs. 

In the City of Sunny Isles, there are currently 20 buildings in different stages of compliance toward recertification, according to a city spokesperson. 

β€œIt makes me feel unsafe,” Austin Martinez said. 

Martinez lives at one of the buildings identified by Miami-Dade County as an "Unsafe Structure." 

As building officials identify locations in violation of their 40-year recertification, condominium and planned development law attorney Peter Sachs says residents should be asking tough questions to their property managers or HOA boards. 

β€œDo a records request and see what reports the association, contracts and bids, to see how the association has responded to and fixes that need to be made,” Sachs said.Β 

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