$19K-28K special assessment has some wanting to sell at one Hollywood community
HOLLYWOOD - The people living at Carriage Hills tell CBS News Miami they are frustrated, confused, and concerned about their immediate future.
Some say they plan to sell their homes following a hefty special assessment imposed by the association.
"There's goes all my savings," shared Dinora Payne as she took reporter Joe Gorchow up the elevator and walked to her unit.
She took us to her home of nearly two years in Carriage Hills.
She's one of more than ten unit owners from different buildings who greeted me within the gated community.
"Me and my husband here for 30 years," said resident Pat Capua. "This place was kept like diamonds."
Capua and her neighbors say that's no longer the case.
"For the past 15-16 years, it's been going down every year," exclaimed Capua
"They don't fix anything at all," added Payne.
Outside the apartment, Payne pointed to suspected damage on the stairwell.
In a statement, the Condo Association's President, John Wise, told CBS News Miami the board had "inspections performed, the scope of the repairs [assessed], and ultimately, the necessity of a special assessment [was decided on] to fund the repairs." All of that happened over the last two years.
Photos shared reveal damage along walkways and stairwells.
The homeowners were notified they would need to pay for roof problems, 40-year repairs, a cooling tower, and repairs to the elevators.
The cost, revealed at a meeting two weeks ago, is $19,000 for some residents and as much as $28,000 for others.
"It's like spend, spend, spend, and we pay," added Payne.
The payments are due by the beginning of next month, or residents tell us they must agree to a 12-month payment plan.
Gorchow asked one of the residents, "Are you going to have to sell your home?"
"I don't know yet," said Adelaida Cardona.
"I've been talking to different people to see if I can get a loan."
"My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer," added resident Mirela Cedru.
"So you are selling," inquired Gorchow.
"I'm selling, yes," said a saddened Cedru.
Cedru and others were hopeful for a lower cost or a better payment plan.
"Social Security check has to pay everything," said Carmen Rodriguez.
"I have to move out and rent the apartment for a year," shared another resident.
"We are senior citizens, and we cannot afford this much money to get this repaired," added Cardona.
Wise emailed the Hollywood mayor and county commission offices on July 25th.
He explained the situation, requesting help.
"We levied over $4 million for only 172 Carriage Hills Residents, and more will be coming [for remaining residents and buildings. Many of our Carriage Hills Residents are seniors on a fixed budget, and this could put them out of their homes."
"A certified Florida licensed engineer identifies structural deficit, then the city supervises and puts the building on a clock to require those repairs," said Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy. "We really wanna help if we can."
Mayor Levy has been exploring options to see how the city or county could provide financial assistance, similar to what's done in Miami-Dade.
"Explore the use of those state funds and perhaps opportunities to use local locally generated funds to try to help them," shared Levy.
Residents are also making demands of their association.
They want to see the building's inspection reports, the scope of work cost estimates, and the association's financials, which were not provided at last month's meeting.
"That's what I want to see," said Capua. "We charge this much for this and this much for that. That's what I want to see."
Wise told CBS News Miami all official records are available to unit owners.
Gorchow asked if the board considered providing documentation at last month's meeting and how they've addressed maintenance issues over the years. He did not respond.
"They are entitled to any record, any written record that relates to the association's operation," said attorney Jeffrey Kominsky, Managing Partners, LS Carlson Law.
Kominsky explains condo owners' rights under Florida State Law.
"This includes investigative reports, financial records from an association over the last seven years," added Kominsky.
Kominsky explained email exchanges between the property manager and board members can be obtained if they relate to association business.
He also detailed potential issues if unit owners cannot sell their homes or pay the high dollar figure.
"Exposed from a legal perspective by the association who has a legal right to intend to impose a lien and record that lien in, in county records and eventually foreclose on that lien," said Kominsky.
