Florida's extended deadline for condominium reserve studies passed at the end of last year, and the cost is now reaching individual owners. Buildings across South Florida have completed the structural inspections and reserve studies required after the 2021 Surfside collapse, and many boards are responding with large special assessments. At Perez Mayoral, P.A., a Coral Gables real estate firm that represents owners rather than associations, those bills are cultivating new questions about what owners can be made to pay and what they can challenge.
After Surfside, Florida enacted SB 4-D in 2022, requiring older condominium buildings to complete milestone structural inspections and reserve studies. In 2025, HB 913 revised those obligations. It extended the reserve study deadline to the end of 2025, raised the reserve threshold for covered components, and let associations fund reserves through special assessments, loans, or lines of credit with owner approval. Framed as relief, the law mainly gives boards more ways to raise or borrow money, and the cost still flows to owners. This shift means that even with the new flexibility, the financial burden remains squarely on unit owners, who may see their monthly fees or one-time payments increase significantly.
Older buildings in communities such as Coral Gables are especially exposed, because years of deferred maintenance are surfacing at once. Not every assessment is proper, and not every board follows the association's declaration, also known as the governing documents or rules and regulations. Owners often have grounds to push back when their association adopts assessments without the notice or votes the law requires, mismanages or misapplies reserve funds, ignores repairs while charging owners for the neglect, or enforces rules selectively.
"Some of these charges are legitimate, and some are not," said Erik A. Perez, co-founder of Perez Mayoral, P.A. "Owners have real rights here, and the earlier they understand them, the more options they have." The firm's focus on representing owners against associations highlights a growing area of legal dispute as more buildings confront the costs of compliance.
For readers, this story underscores the importance of understanding their rights under Florida condo law. As special assessments become more common, owners should review their governing documents and seek legal advice if they suspect improper charges. The implications extend beyond individual finances; widespread disputes could strain community associations and lead to further legislative adjustments. With the deadline passed, the pressure is on owners to act quickly to protect their interests.
