SAFETY INSPECTION PROGRAMS ARE TOUGHER IN DADE AND BROWARD

If you are reading this blog from Dade or Broward —- you are not going to be happy. On Friday, I received an e-mail from a two-story, 19 unit condo in Broward County stating that they are being told they need to go through the inspection process.

We have always believed that the new mandatory inspection laws only apply to condos that are three stories or more —- and this one was only two stories — so what gives?

I had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Guerasio, Chief Code Structural Compliance Officer for Broward County and what he told me won’t make residents in Dade and Broward happy. The problem is that Dade and Broward had their own building safety programs that were in effect before this new 30 year “milestone inspection” program came out. Their programs started at 40 years however. But their programs did not care about height, they cared about age and square footage. And Dade and Broward are keeping their own building safety inspection programs in place. They are not going with the new “milestone inspection programs” now required in all of the other counties.

So in Dade County, your building gets inspected if it is 2,000 square feet, and in Broward County, your building gets inspected if it is 3,500 square feet. Again, regardless of height. Where the new “milestone inspection” in all other counties would only be a structural inspection, the building safety inspections in Dade and Broward require structural and electrical recertification. Again, Dade and Broward’s required inspections are tougher than the other counties.

Since the new laws require these inspections to start at 30 years —–In both Dade and Broward, these building safety inspections now have to now start at 30 years instead of 40, 25 years if within three miles of the coast, and every ten years thereafter.

Hopefully, this clears up all the confusion that Dade and Broward condos have been operating under. And if you have reached these time periods and have not been inspected yet, you must be inspected by December 31st, 2024.

The bottom line is that in Dade and Broward, their old building safety inspection programs remain in place – but the new state guidelines as to time requirements now apply. And again height does not matter, square footage does.

Some buildings are exempt. Those are one and two family dwellings and fee simple townhomes.

If you are in Broward and have any questions as to whether or not your building is exempt, call 954-765-4500.

If you are in Dade and have any questions as to whether or not your building is exempt, call 786-315-242.

As if it wasn’t confusing enough. For owners in Dade and Broward, it now more confusing than ever.