Florida’s condominium crisis is no longer hypothetical. It’s not a future problem—it’s a current emergency. The recent evacuation of the 12-story South Beach III Condos in Clearwater, triggered by a splitting garage support column, serves as a stark reminder that the structural risks that led to the 2021 Surfside tragedy remain all too real. As the state waits for Governor Ron DeSantis to decide whether to sign House Bill 913 (HB 913) into law, condo owners across Florida face a growing dilemma: how to afford the repairs necessary to keep their buildings—and their homes—standing.

Real Lives, Real Risks

The Clearwater evacuation wasn’t an isolated event. Across Florida, especially in aging high-rise communities along the coast, structural issues are becoming increasingly common.

• In Homestead, condo owners in the Heron Hammocks community recently learned they’d be hit with a $3.4 million special assessment, with monthly payments of $154 for the next 10 years.

• In Miami, residents at the Palm Bay Yacht Club were asked to pay $175,000 each toward their building’s 40-year recertification after an engineer claimed $46 million in repairs were needed. A second opinion found the actual cost might be half that.

These financial burdens are pushing longtime Floridians—many on fixed incomes—out of their homes.

Enter HB 913: A Lifeline or a Half-Measure?

Passed unanimously by the Florida House and Senate in the final days of the 2025 session, HB 913 represents a compromise between two competing visions for reform: one focused on safety (SB 1742), and the other on affordability (HB 913).

Key provisions include:

• Lines of Credit and Loans: Condo boards can now borrow money for repairs, but must get majority approval from owners.

• Reserve Contribution Pauses: After a milestone inspection, boards can pause reserve contributions for up to two years.

• Electronic Voting: Makes board decisions easier but has raised concerns about transparency and fraud.

• Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures: Engineers must now disclose if they intend to bid on repair work following inspections.

Importantly, milestone inspections and reserve studies—cornerstones of Florida’s post-Surfside safety laws—are preserved. However, buildings with fewer than three residential stories are exempt, and some of the stricter accountability measures, like banning insurance for non-compliant condos, were dropped.

What Would Success Look Like?

If signed by Governor DeSantis, the success of HB 913 would be measured by its ability to:

1. Prevent Dangerous Evacuations Ensure early detection and proactive stabilization of structural issues, reducing the risk of sudden displacements like those in Clearwater.

2. Avoid Massive Assessments Give condo boards tools—like loans and temporary reserve relief—to spread costs out over time, avoiding the sudden $100K+ bills that are currently devastating communities.

3. Maintain Accountability Protect against fraud, self-dealing, and inflated repair costs by mandating disclosure and strengthening oversight, especially in the hiring of engineering and project management firms.

4. Boost Transparency and Owner Engagement Electronic voting and financial disclosure requirements should empower owners to participate more meaningfully in their building's governance.

5. Preserve Housing Stability By stabilizing costs and maintaining safety standards, HB 913 could help keep Floridians—particularly retirees and low-income residents—in their homes.

What’s Still Missing?

Even supporters of HB 913 acknowledge it’s not a complete fix. Remaining challenges include:

• Enforcement Gaps: An estimated 25% of buildings have yet to file required milestone inspection reports.

• Financial Manipulation: Without stronger oversight, some boards may continue approving bloated contracts or misrepresenting repair costs.

• No Direct Relief for Owners: The bill provides structural financing options but doesn’t subsidize owners struggling with assessments today.

Will DeSantis Sign It?

Governor DeSantis has criticized the Legislature for acting too slowly and may object to the electronic voting provision. However, vetoing HB 913 would leave Florida’s condo owners in limbo just as new inspection and funding requirements hit full force.

The governor faces a choice: approve a politically palatable compromise that could ease the current pressure—or hold out for stronger legislation that may not come soon enough.

Final Thought: One Crisis, Many Faces

From Clearwater to Kendall, from Surfside to Jacksonville, the threat to Florida’s condo communities is clear—and growing. HB 913 won’t stop every crack from forming or every dollar from being spent, but if implemented effectively, it could help Floridians stay safe in their homes without being priced out of them.

Whether it’s enough will depend not only on what’s written in the bill—but how it’s enforced, funded, and improved in the years to come.