PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. (WSVN) - Hundreds of residents at a Pembroke Pines condominium are being ordered out after their entire complex was deemed unsafe.
The residents at Heron Pond Community woke up on Wednesday morning to signs on their door telling them they had until the end of next month to leave.
A resident who identified herself as Dyana spoke with 7News.
“We’re in trouble. Sincerely, we need help,” she said. “We have nowhere to go, so what are we supposed to do with our kids and our pets and everything else? Where are we supposed to go with no help, with no aid?”
The development comes after months of ongoing repairs to several buildings.
Residents showed 7News the issues they have been dealing with, which include large holes and cracks in their building. Some balconies are being held together by plywood and jacks.
“So, yeah, you can basically see in here where it’s basically falling apart. Look at this, look at this. You touch it, and it comes apart,” said Dyana.
The problems at the condo began last year as an issue impacting some balconies in the community. Residents were not able to use them.
“The balconies are unsafe,” a condo representative told residents last year.
At that time, some impacted buildings were condemned completely, and residents living in those units had to leave.
However, residents who lived in other buildings were able to stay.
Kemely, another resident of the condominium, described how a recent meeting went.
“They had a meeting, and we all went, and we were like, ‘Oh, are we going to get kicked out the same way? We want to know what time.’ And they were like, ‘No, for now, you guys are fine,'” said Kemely. “And they brought the inspectors to check our houses a couple of months ago, and they were like, ‘Yeah, you guys are fine, you guys don’t have to leave.'”
But that would all change. ACG Engineering Services, the firm assessing the building wrote in an inspection report that “at the time of the meeting, the understanding between ACG and Heron Pond was that the buildings would be repaired expeditiously and in accordance with the Florida Building Code.”
But noting repairs were too slow, the report goes on to say, “As things stand today, the structure of only one of the 19 buildings (Buildings #2) has been completely repaired and two others (Buildings #3 and #10) have been repaired to a level above 50%. None of the first six buildings (Buildings #2, #3, #10, #5, #14, and #16) has been completed and turned back over to the unit owners.”
A 7News crew went to the leasing office on Wednesday to try to speak with a manager, but no one was there. When the crew returned on Thursday, a woman inside told 7News that there’s nothing she can do.
Residents said no one has worked there in two months.
“This was negligent of whoever built this building,” said Dyana.
For some residents, the thought of picking up and moving in such little time is a nightmare.
“That’s a month away, and it’s like, everything is so expensive right now. We can’t just get up and leave, especially my mom, being a single mom. It’s hard for her to just say ‘OK’ and just move somewhere else,” said Kemely.
Another resident, Jose, said he and his mom Jenny have lived in the condominium for two years. Jenny said she pays $2,000 a month in rent and knows that price will be tough to find in this real estate market.
“She looks pretty stressed out, so I mean, I get it because, like, this came out of nowhere,” said Jose.
Back in April, the condominium association was disbanded, and a judge placed someone else in charge.
The association released the following statement on Thursday:
As the Court appointed Receiver for the Heron Pond Condominium Association, I have and will continue to comply with the Receivership Order. Included in those duties is the assess the status of the buildings and to make certain that the structures are safe and that structures and making such repairs and renovations as are necessary and appropriate to ensure the life, health and safety of the occupants, but only to the extent the Receiver determines that such repairs and renovations are economically feasible and in the best interest of the Receivership Estate and otherwise required to take corrective action consistent with information contained in any Unsafe Structure Notice(s) issued by the City of Pembroke Pines.
My Team and I fully understand and appreciate the hardship this unfortunate situation presents and are working diligently to find solutions.
As to your question regarding assistance, I understand that residents can contact the City through the information available through the QR Code that is in the Notice affixed to their door.
Heron Pond Condominium Association
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