Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday signed legislation aimed at easing financial burdens tied to condominium safety mandates enacted after the deadly 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, which killed 98 people.
Speaking at a press conference in Clearwater, DeSantis acknowledged growing concern over how the safety laws were affecting condo owners.
“There were a lot of folks that had a lot of concerns about how some of these assessments were being done, whether people could even afford to even stay in their units,” he said.
The newly signed measure, House Bill 913, passed unanimously in the House and Senate earlier this year. It seeks to strike a balance between safety and affordability after many condo associations complained that previous laws, though “well intentioned,” were leading to skyrocketing costs.
The legislation extends by one year — to the end of 2025 — the deadline for completing structural integrity reserve studies, which are used to determine how much money must be set aside for future major repairs. It also allows for a temporary pause in reserve funding for up to two years following a milestone inspection and gives associations greater flexibility in meeting reserve requirements.
To help fund repairs, the bill permits associations to use lines of credit or loans to meet reserve obligations, with majority approval from unit owners.
The safety laws enacted in 2022, and later updated in 2023, introduced strict requirements such as milestone inspections for aging buildings three stories or higher. Some condo associations imposed large assessments on owners in order to meet looming deadlines.
DeSantis, who made revising the condo safety laws a legislative priority this year, said affordability needed to be part of the discussion moving forward.
On Monday, the governor also signed a separate measure, House Bill 393, revising the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program, which provides grants to help hurricane-proof buildings.
Under the changes, the number of unit owners required to apply for a grant will drop from 100% to 75%. The bill also clarifies that associations must match $1 for every $2 received in state grant funds.
Both laws will take effect on July 1.
