For years, calls to Hialeah City Hall and the Hialeah Police Department have told a familiar story. Residents, many of them elderly, describe deteriorating buildings, unresolved maintenance issues and condo boards they say are unresponsive, raising concerns about upkeep, financial reports, fraud and other potential misdoings.
In response to growing concerns, Mayor Bryan Calvo signed an executive order Wednesday creating the Condominium and Homeowners Association Advisory Task Force — CHAT. The initiative, the mayor said at press conference to announce the creation of the force, is designed to help residents navigate disputes and connect with state regulators, providing guidance and support in situations where board mismanagement leaves residents at a disadvantage.
The scale of the problem in Hialeah is significant. The city is home to 26,055 condominiums, making it one of the most condo-dense municipalities in Miami-Dade County. Thousands of residents, many of them seniors on fixed incomes, live under the governance of boards that control the rules of their communities. When those boards fail, residents can find themselves trapped: unable to sell or to afford to skyrocket assessment fees, and unsure of where to turn…