Focus on condo safety

Afederally appointed team of engineering experts is investigating what caused the 12-story Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside to collapse in June, killing 98 people. While understanding the science behind the tragedy is critical, the collapse also exposed dangerous gaps in how condominiums in Florida are managed and maintained. That’s why a new report from a task force from a section of the Florida Bar is such a solid starting point as the Legislature looks to prevent another catastrophe.

Among the reforms proposed:

■ Regular inspections. Only two Florida counties—Miami-Dade and Broward— require local officials to recertify that a building is safe, and that provision applies only after a building reaches 40 years old.

■ Strengthening reserves. Condos typically fund major repair projects by using reserves or levying a special assessment on property owners. But existing loopholes allow condo associations to waive or reduce their reserves, which may be more financially palatable to residents but which can defer much-needed repairs. The task force recommends tightening the law to provide more money for long-term maintenance.

■ Increase transparency. The Bar task force would also increase transparency so that condo boards, residents and government building officials would all be more informed about the structural integrity of a building and the plan for keeping it safe.

It’s always tempting to respond to tragedy by swinging the pendulum too far in the opposite direction—by adopting far-reaching reforms that are both well-intentioned and overkill. In this case, the Bar task force has offered a thoughtful, measured blueprint for debate. Its report acknowledges that building safety and the condo market are intertwined, and the inherent conflict that elected condo boards face in imposing assessments. And it proposed these recommendations in time for lawmakers and the public to consider in advance of the legislative session’s start in January.

The Bar task force has contributed to a fuller, responsible response to the disaster, and laid out practical reforms that should improve condo living and management alike. They deserve the same due consideration by the Legislature.