As Hurricane Nicole made landfall in Volusia County, Florida on November 9, 2022, officials ordered evacuations of 24 condominiums and hotels due to structural damage caused by coastal erosion and collapsing seawalls.
“Daytona Beach Shores resident Donna Reeves Fremont posted a photo on Facebook that she took shortly before noon Thursday of heavy waves continuing to erode the ground beneath the pool decks of two nearby oceanfront condos.”
Donna Reeves Freemont
In Miami-Dade County, environmental concerns are of top-priority, especially following the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers East in Surfside, a beachfront condominium.
In response, Miami-Dade County passed new building recertification requirements and procedures, which now consider environmental factors, such as coastal erosion.
Specifically as to coastal erosion, Miami-Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) oversees the approval and construction of seawalls and riprap.
Condo associations need to be diligent not just in the recertification, maintenance, repair, and replacement of typical structural components like concrete and rebar, but as we see in Volusia County, also its seawalls which protect from coastal erosion.
Our firm is uniquely experienced in guiding both condominium associations and property owners through state and municipal building recertification procedures and issues with DERM. Please schedule a consultation with our office if you need help navigating the numerous regulations affecting your condominium building.
Mary Ann Ruiz, P.A. is a boutique litigation firm serving the South Florida real estate sector and specializing in representing high net worth condominium unit owners in complex condominium disputes.
