Eviction letters have Miami Beach condo owners living in fear
MIAMI BEACH - Margarita Babilonia is not ready to leave her apartment, much less the bay view from her third-floor apartment, but she is concerned.
"We got this, and it says we are evicted in 5 days," said Babilonia, referring to a 140-page letter she received last week.
She and her fiancé moved from New York City to retire in Miami Beach and paid $130,000 for a studio apartment one year ago to live at the Gardens on the Bay building.
"It's walking distance to the stores, to the beach, to so many things," said Babilonia.
Owners of 102 units at the Garden on the Bay, a waterfront property located at 6484 Indian Creek Drive in Miami Beach, received the same letter on Thursday.
"I'm really shocked, I'm not sure what to do with it, I guess we are going to hire a lawyer. I'm sad about the situation," said Jiri Amon, who owns a studio at the building.
Marilyn Usuamintiaga said she bought a unit for her retirement and now she's concerned about the letter. "Something horrific, we've never seen before. You have until the 24th of June and it's something incredible," said Usuamintiaga.
Amon said he just received another document "stating that someone is missing a piece of railing on a balcony and so the building is not up to the building code and we all have to move out," he said while showing the letter.
The firm that represents Abraham Shaulson, the owner of the building, sent CBS News Miami a statement saying:
"Our main concern is, and always has been, the safety of the residents and the proper and timely maintenance of the building... the association's new president shares our concern about the condition and safety of the balconies in the building, and is in the process of obtaining the required insurance and hiring an engineering firm to assess and address the structural safety and integrity of the balconies and building and perform the necessary repairs.
We have requested the association notify the residents not to use the balconies until their safe use has been confirmed by the appropriate professionals.
Don Silver, COO
Boardroom Communications"
CBS News Miami asked the owner's representative if the building will be sold, they assured us that selling is not part of the plans of the owner who intends to keep the building as an investment but wants to make sure all the necessary repairs are done including the balconies.