Overview of Condominium Inspections
Over 2,500 condominium and cooperative buildings in Florida are scheduled for Phase Two milestone inspections in 2024 and 2025 due to structural deterioration. This is according to the Florida Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). Among these, 54 buildings have been labeled as “unsafe or uninhabitable,” with five evacuated.
Inspection Requirements
The laws in Florida mandate that aging buildings with three or more stories undergo inspections. If initial visual checks reveal substantial structural deterioration, the buildings are subjected to more detailed Phase Two inspections. These involve engineers assessing structural conditions and recommending necessary repairs.
The Context of the Report
The findings are part of an effort initiated after the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, Florida. That event, which resulted in 98 fatalities, led to overhauled inspection requirements. However, the report does not represent statewide data fully, as information was obtained from 71% of jurisdictions for 2024 and 64% for 2025.
Inspection Outcomes
“Building officials reported 8,777 buildings in 2024 and 2,880 in 2025 were due for Phase One inspections.”
A total of 6,952 Phase One inspections and 1,301 Phase Two inspections were completed in 2024. For 2025, 1,784 Phase One and 274 Phase Two inspections were completed. South Florida, particularly Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, had the highest numbers of buildings requiring Phase Two evaluations.
Impact on South Florida
The concentration of inspections in these coastal counties highlights their inventory of aging buildings constructed well before the revised inspection regulations. South Florida is also facing a housing affordability crisis, lacking approximately 90,000 affordable units.
Responses to Unsafe Buildings
Across both years, 54 buildings were deemed unsafe, with five evacuations in 2024. Miami-Dade County accounted for 23 of these unsafe buildings in 2025.
Growth and Condominium Market
South Florida’s bustling growth, attracting new residents and businesses, emphasizes the ongoing necessity for stringent inspections. Notable relocations like Citadel have increased the region’s prominence in political and business spheres.
Lessons from the Surfside Collapse
The Champlain Towers South collapse on June 24, 2021, stands as one of the deadliest structural failures in U.S. history. It sparked nationwide concern over aging condominium conditions, especially along Florida’s coast.
Subsequent investigations pointed to structural deterioration and failures. This led to condo safety reforms, demanding milestone inspections and enhanced reserve funding for repairs.
Legislative Efforts to Improve Safety
A bipartisan legislative effort last month introduced the Making Condos Safer and Affordable Act to facilitate financing for condo repairs. This involves expanded access to HUD loan programs that assist with structural and safety-related costs. The legislation aims to ease financial burdens, encouraging timely renovations and improvements.
The persistent uncovering of structural issues across Florida points to significant challenges in maintaining the safety and habitability of aging condominium buildings.
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