Over 2,500 condominium and cooperative buildings in Florida are set for Phase Two inspections in 2024 and 2025, according to the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). These buildings show signs of structural deterioration. In total, officials reported 54 buildings as “unsafe or uninhabitable” during these years, with five requiring evacuation.
Inspection Requirements
Florida mandates milestone inspections for certain aging condominium and cooperative buildings, specifically those that are three stories or taller. The process starts with an initial visual inspection. Should this reveal significant deterioration, a more detailed Phase Two inspection follows. Engineers assess the structural conditions and recommend repairs.
This development follows the 2018 collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, which resulted in 98 fatalities. The tragedy led to reform in building inspection laws by Florida lawmakers.
Inspection Data and Findings
The current findings are partial, as data came from 71% of jurisdictions for 2024 and 64% for 2025. In 2024, 8,777 buildings needed Phase One inspections; 6,952 were completed. Of these, 8,132 were in coastal areas. Phase Two was required for 1,899 buildings, with 1,301 completed.
For 2025, officials reported that 2,880 buildings needed Phase One inspections, of which 1,784 were completed. Meanwhile, 636 needed Phase Two inspections, with 274 completed. Across both years, 8,736 Phase One and 1,575 Phase Two inspections were completed, out of 2,535 buildings requiring Phase Two review.
Regional Focus and Challenges
South Florida counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, had the most significant need for Phase Two inspections. In 2024, these counties reported between 218 and 543 buildings for further evaluation. The number for Miami-Dade and Broward in 2025 was between 155 and 308. The region’s high number of aging coastal condos and a housing crisis, with around 90,000 additional affordable units needed, heightens the challenge.
Among the 54 buildings rendered “unsafe or uninhabitable,” 23 were in Miami-Dade County. Only five evacuations occurred in 2024, with none in 2025.
Background on the Surfside Collapse
On June 24, 2021, the Champlain Towers South suffered one of the deadliest structural failures in U.S. history. The building’s collapse, which led to 98 deaths, triggered urgent safety reforms. Investigations identified long-term structural concerns and pointed to issues at column-to-slab connections beneath the pool deck.
New Legislative Initiatives
To address safety concerns, lawmakers have introduced the Making Condos Safer and Affordable Act. This bipartisan effort aims to make funding for critical repairs more accessible. The legislation seeks to expand access to specific HUD loan programs, including the FHA’s 203(k) loan program, which would enable condo owners to cover safety-related assessments.
The proposal also looks to provide federal loan insurance for private lenders and secure FHA-backed loans for those managing condominium associations to support infrastructure improvements.