Item Coversheet

DEFERRED ITEMS  34.

COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM

TO: Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee Members


FROM:
Alina T. Hudak, City Manager


DATE: March 22, 2023


SUBJECT:DISCUSS CREATION OF A SEARCHABLE DATABASE TO ENHANCE CONDOMINIUM TRANSPARENCY

HISTORY:

This item was discussed at the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee meeting on December 7, 2022.  The item was referred by Commissioner Meiner.

 

Direction was given to return in March 2023 with an update on the creation of a searchable database; and, to investigate the feasibility of requiring the annual submittal of audits or financial statements from condominiums.

ANALYSIS

Since our December meeting, City staff has been in communications and discussions with the Consumer Protection Division of Miami-Dade County’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources.  We are pleased to announce the February 1, 2023 launch of the Countywide Community Associations Registry.

 

The County Ordinance for Registration of Community Associations requires condominium associations, cooperative associations and homeowners’ associations governing real property located within incorporated and unincorporated Miami-Dade County to annually register with the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, Consumer Protection Division, in order to provide an easily accessible and centralized registry of documents such associations are generally required to maintain under Florida Statutes.

 

The requirements for registration have been sent to Miami Beach condominium associations, cooperative associations and homeowners’ associations via email blasts, snail mail, and webinar invitations.  As of February 28, 2023, approximately 40% of required associations have complied.  The Consumer Protection Division anticipates commencing enforcement efforts in April 2023.

 

The online registry requires that Community Associations submit documentation regarding their administration (name, address, emergency contact, list of officers, website, corporate seal, governing documents, etc.), financial status (budget, audited financial statements), building maintenance (list of planned capital projects, structural engineering reports, etc.), and certificates of insurance on an annual basis.

 

The County registry web link has been added to our City Website and can be directly accessed by using the link below:

 

https://www.miamidade.gov/global/economy/consumer-protection/community-association-registry.page

 

Additionally, a community association registry video presentation and the searchable database are available at the link above.

CONCLUSION:

In addition to the Community Association Registry, the City now requires all buildings, five stories or taller, to submit an annual maintenance log. The maintenance logs are available on the City’s Citizen Self Service (CSS) portal, with recertification records linked to the maintenance log.

 

Following the Surfside tragedy, the City of Miami Beach and Miami Dade County are at the forefront of community association transparency with information readily available for the public through the publishing of building maintenance logs, coupled with the searchable community association registry.

Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds?
No No