WPBN: DeSantis blames the high cost of insurance and HOA due in part to politicians. According to Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida lawmakers need to move quickly to address the state’s impending “condominium crisis.”
He stopped in Tampa Tuesday morning to witness Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzie Lopez’s swearing-in.
When asked about the future of Florida’s condo market, Governor DeSantis told reporters that millions of Floridians would be facing the possibility of losing their properties because of exorbitant prices.
After the swearing-in event, DeSantis stated, “Things happen in life and it’s not like the government can save, but this was created by the legislation.”
Congratulations to @SuzyLopezSA on being reelected by the people of Hillsborough County! pic.twitter.com/1EtmFG5Vuq
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) January 8, 2025
The governor blamed the increased cost of insurance and Homeowners Association (HOA) due in part to lawmakers.
DeSantis claimed that when he accepted new legislation passed by the legislature in the wake of the fatal Surfside condo collapse in 2021, prices began to rise.
According to DeSantis, the Florida Legislature intended these regulations to stop catastrophes like the one that killed 98 people.
“I think everyone had to acknowledge that it was kind of a work in progress,” he stated. “It was no way there weren’t going to be any issues.”
Bipartisan consensus existed at the time on regulations requiring frequent inspections of high-rise condominium complexes and the allocation of funds for upkeep and repairs.
As DeSantis pointed out, some condo owners did experience issues as a result of such restrictions.
“My unit is 1400 square feet and my assessments are $49,000,” said Earl Cooper, a condo owner in Hillsborough.
Cooper bought the Belleair condo owned by his parents. Florida law mandates that the property’s HOA completely spend its reserves to bring the building up to code because it is more than 40 years old.
Today, I met with condominium owners in Pinellas County to hear their concerns about the effect of some post-Surfside legislative reforms.
This feedback will enable the Legislature to make necessary changes so that condo owners—particularly seniors on fixed income—can afford to… pic.twitter.com/U3SnyEdUJz
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 19, 2024
However, that necessitates higher assessment costs and, typically, greater property insurance for individuals like Cooper.
“Our smallest apartment, which is like 1200-1300 sq feet, the assessment is in the high $30,000 and it goes up from there,” Cooper continued. “We have one unit, which is a larger unit, their assessment is $100,000.”
Back in September, Governor DeSantis attempted to convince the Senate and House to agree to call a special session of lawmakers, but was unsuccessful.
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“If we have an agreement, I’ll call the session, and we’ll go. But I do think we need to act sooner rather than later,” DeSantis stated.
The newly elected House Speaker of Florida, Danny Perez, who is a Republican from Miami, believes that it would be most beneficial to have the conversation during the regular session, which will begin in March.
“The question shouldn’t be when,” Perez stated to reporters in November. “The question should be what. What is the solution that people are offering to the issue before condos? It’s an issue we’ll be discussing during session.”
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