Displaced residents of 'unsafe' NW Miami building will likely get to go home

MIAMI - Hope emerges from Monday night's association meeting as residents of 5050 Northwest in Miami learn from city officials and board members that they most likely can come home by next month.

It's welcomed news after being displaced 18 months ago.

"This is good news because you know our situation," said resident Jose Pico. 

August 2021, City of Miami building inspectors deemed 5050 Northwest 7th Street condos unsafe.

Pico says the time away has taken a toll.

"It's a very big problem, financial and emotional, for us," Pico explained. 

Financial burdens from some residents include additional rent to paying roughly $5000 so far in special assessment fees. 

Some expressed frustration about the delays in the project to the city and the condo association leaders during Monday night's meeting held outside the condo building.

"I understand their point because I'm in the same boat," shared Hiubert Casdellon, who serves on the board of directors at 5050 NW. "I'm paying extra rent. I live in Hialeah."

He tells CBS4 prior issues with the previous property management company created setbacks early on.

"We had to start from scratch," said Casdellon. 

And so they did with a new board last January. And six weeks ago, contractors finished the main structural issues with the columns of the building.

"Six to eight structural columns had to be sured up from the bottom to the roof," detailed Ace Marrero, city of Miami building director. "That was complex. Getting the financials they needed took a lot of time."

Marrero explained one last hurdle before the city can ok residents back.

"The building had been vacated for almost 18 months," said Marrero. "Other things surfaced. There's electrical, mechanical, engineering, and fire, a punch list that has to be satisfied."

It's a list of repairs we're told should be finished by next month.

"We fight for it," said Casdellon. "We fought for it. And here we are. And soon we will get everything done, and we are going to keep working, and I'm willing."

Casdellon mentions there's still more work beyond the city's requirements to allow people to move back home. 

The goal is to complete the city's list of mandated repairs soon and have people return by next month.