Condo safety repairs bill returns with bipartisan Florida support

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) is again pressing Congress to ease the cost of condominium safety repairs. This time, she has teamed with Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) to revive a bill that stalled in committee three years ago.

They have reintroduced the Making Condos Safer and Affordable Act around the anniversary of the deadly 2021 condo tower collapse in Surfside, Florida. The bill would expand access to low-interest, government-backed loans for structural and life-safety work in condominium buildings.

“The Surfside tragedy changed our community forever and reminded us that protecting families must always come first,” Salazar said in a statement. “This bipartisan bill gives condominium associations and homeowners the tools they need to finance critical safety repairs, protect residents, and preserve safe, affordable housing across South Florida.”

The bill could have an easier path through Congress this time. Roughly 18 states have introduced condo safety and reserve legislation since the Surfside disaster.

Florida created statewide “milestone inspections” for older buildings and required structural integrity reserve studies to fund major repairs. Maryland, Virginia and Tennessee are among the other states that enacted similar condo safety and reserve laws.

The federal legislation comes as cities and states pursue zoning reform to boost density through multifamily construction. California lawmakers are working on two condo law reform bills to reignite condo construction.

Easing the condo assessment pain

Wasserman Schultz’s and Salazar’s bill would let condo associations spread the cost of repairs over time instead of relying on large special assessments. Supporters argue that owners facing new inspection rules and insurance hikes need financing help to stay in their homes.

“This bipartisan legislation provides practical financing tools to help communities address infrastructure needs, protect residents, and plan responsibly for the long term,” Dawn Bauman, CEO of the Community Associations Institute, said in a statement. The 53-year-old organization, which has more than 50,000 members, backed the legislation when it was first introduced in 2023.

Wasserman Schultz co-sponsored the earlier bill with Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.) in response to the Surfside collapse. Posey served in the House until 2025 and died in 2026. The House Financial Services Committee received the bill but never held a hearing, markup or vote.

It failed to advance before the 118th Congress ended. If it passes this time, associations could tap federal loans to complete critical repairs without pricing owners out of their buildings.

In Florida, the law would pair with state changes made in 2023 and 2025. Those changes adjusted deadlines and gave condo boards limited flexibility on reserves while keeping key safety mandates. The laws have forced many associations to move ahead with costly work while raising fees or imposing steep assessments.