Resources to Navigate New Condo Law

By Dana Goldman, Vice Mayor

(Thursday, August 31, 2017) – Residents came out in record numbers to a recent town hall meeting with City officials and State Sen. Rene Garcia to discuss the Florida Condominium Act, which finally provides criminal penalties for certain abusive activities.

At the town hall, residents made it clear they want to avail themselves of the remedies in the new legislation that was championed by Sen. Garcia in Tallahassee this past legislative session.

In response to their strong support, the City is providing resources to help residents navigate the state’s new law to prosecute fraud in condominium associations. Available on the City’s website at sibfl.net/condocomplaints is information detailing everything needed for the State to investigate a claim of certain abusive activities, as well as links to the State site to initiate an investigation.

At the upcoming September budget hearings, I will propose that the City provide additional resources to assist residents and state regulators in enforcing the new law, which criminalize selection fraud, insider dealings, kickbacks and destruction of records by condo associations.

Navigating this new law, gathering evidence, and making a solid case can be daunting. I hope the pro-posed “condo cop” program will help our residents build a solid case to bring wrongdoers to justice.

Please contact me at dgoldman@sibfl.net or 305.792.1753 with any questions or to receive a copy of our City’s guidelines for pursuing cases against condo associations.