Questions remain weeks after Miami Gardens massive apartment fire
MIAMI - A woman called CBS4 Thursday morning in tears, helpless, unsure how to help her 81-year-old mother find somewhere to live. She feels the city's efforts need to meet the moment after many families lost so much in the fire.
"It's ridiculous," said Ruth Garcia. "There's not much that they're offering."
Garcia's mother owned a unit at New World Condominium. Her home, like many, was destroyed. At least 75 units were damaged in the massive fire in Miami Gardens in January.
Ruth says the heartbreak became too much when mom was rushed out of the American Red Cross pop-up shelter in Miami Gardens to the hospital last weekend.
"That's how much stress she's been under," added Garcia. "She's devastated because she lost everything."
You can see the smile shine through the mask. Ruth's mom returned to the shelter on Wednesday. A relief for Ruth. But immediate financial relief is what her mom needs.
"Still have to pay their mortgages," said Garcia. "Plus, go and look for so-called affordable rental, which I'm looking for online, and there's nothing."
Ruth says city leaders told her they would work to provide affordable housing to displaced residents. She does not believe it's affordable for all, especially her mom, who lives off $850 a month from social security.
More concerns remain.
CBS4 has learned since the January fire, the building repeatedly:
- Failed inspections for years.
- Was without a working fire alarm system; and
- Was uninsured.
"You cannot regulate morality," said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rene Garcia.
CBS 4 reporter Joe Gorchow asked the commissioner how the county or local city municipalities can ensure that privately owned residential buildings are safe without forcing people to the curb or paying more money.
"That's the question," said Garcia. "The county itself doesn't have a lot of regulatory arm because Tallahassee is holding that. Tallahassee has pre-empted local governments from regulation of these Condo Associations."
In a written statement, a county spokesperson said: "We are actively processing the registrations that have been coming in and anticipate that we will begin contacting associations that are not in compliance at the beginning of April to assist them in coming into compliance. We will then move to enforcement measures for those that are non-responsive. Our standard compliance process in this department when there is a new regulation is to focus on education and outreach, given the novelty of the requirement, before escalating to enforcement. By next year's deadline, we expect compliance by February 1, and will begin enforcement immediately after."
We contacted Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation about the condo code violations and if they were ever made aware.
They have yet to respond.
Commissioner Garcia points to a new ordinance to create accountability for all Condo and Homeowners' Associations within Miami-Dade County.
"All the financial, all structural information in one database, so people have access to it," said Garcia. "Make sure they know we're paying attention."
Garcia says the county will issue fines for associations that fail to register and submit all documents promptly. We did send an email on Thursday to clarify when all documents are due this year.
Still, many unanswered questions remain. For weeks we've asked Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris to discuss the violations and could the city have been more proactive. We've been turned away in person, by phone, and through emails for weeks.
On Friday afternoon, Commissioner Garcia's office replied to Gorchow's question:
Is the commission considering providing any financial assistance to those displaced by the Miami Gardens condo fire? Some residents have been asking us about this since the building failed to meet the code for years, and the city has said it will not provide financial assistance.
Response:
"Camillus House is providing relocation assistance (first, last, and security) to New World owners that occupied their homes during the fire. Most recently, Camillus has agreed to allow owners to relocate to Broward County if they are unable to find affordable options in Miami-Dade County. There is no maximum rental amount. The household only need to demonstrate they can afford the rent amount. On February 21, 2023, The Office of Housing Advocacy (OHA) will host a meeting with Camillus House and the owners who occupied their units to discuss the relocation assistance and eligibility criteria."
CBS4 will not stop pushing to find answers.
