Understanding Florida’s Building Certification Requirements<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Were These Laws Passed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On June 24, 2021, the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, partially collapsed, resulting in the tragic loss of 98 lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The collapse occurred only a few miles south of Mystic Pointe and shocked residents throughout Florida and the nation. In response, Florida lawmakers enacted sweeping condominium safety legislation intended to identify structural problems before they become dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Did the New Laws Require?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The legislation adopted in 2022, and later modified in 2023 and 2025, created statewide requirements for milestone inspections and structural reserve funding for many condominium buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For most condominium buildings that are three or more stories tall, the law requires periodic milestone inspections by a Florida-licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Architect. These inspections are generally required when a building reaches 30 years of age, or 25 years in certain coastal areas, and must be repeated every 10 years thereafter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is a Milestone Inspection?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A milestone inspection is not a mandate to perform any specific repair or replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rather, the law requires a licensed engineer or architect to inspect the building and determine whether substantial structural deterioration exists and what corrective actions may be necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The inspection process generally begins with a visual assessment known as Phase I. If substantial structural deterioration is identified, a more detailed Phase II inspection may be required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The purpose of the process is straightforward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What the Law Does Not Require<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The law does not require every building to undertake the same repairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The law does not mandate that every aging component be replaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The law does not require complete replacement of a structure simply because it has reached a certain age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, the required work should be based on the findings and recommendations of the licensed professionals who inspect the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concerns Raised by Owners<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many condominium owners throughout Florida have expressed concerns about how the new laws are being implemented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the questions frequently raised are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Are recommended projects always supported by the inspection findings?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Are repair alternatives being adequately considered before major replacement projects are approved?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Are owners receiving sufficient information to evaluate major expenditures?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Are engineering firms, consultants, contractors, and associations operating with sufficient independence and transparency?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These questions are not unique to Mystic Pointe Tower 500. Similar concerns have been raised by condominium owners throughout Florida as associations work to comply with the post-Surfside legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why This Matters<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every owner wants a safe building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The challenge is ensuring that safety decisions are based on sound engineering, complete information, transparent decision-making, and responsible stewardship of Association funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The purpose of this website is not to oppose necessary repairs. It is to help owners understand the facts, review the underlying documents, and participate in decisions that affect our homes and our investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Understanding Florida’s Building Certification Requirements Why Were These Laws Passed? On June 24, 2021, the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, partially collapsed, resulting in the tragic loss of 98 lives. The collapse occurred only a few miles south of Mystic Pointe and shocked residents throughout Florida and the nation. In response, Florida lawmakers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-16","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mysticpointe500owners.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mysticpointe500owners.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mysticpointe500owners.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mysticpointe500owners.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mysticpointe500owners.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/mysticpointe500owners.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22,"href":"https:\/\/mysticpointe500owners.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16\/revisions\/22"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mysticpointe500owners.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}