By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities
Celebration, Florida is a town near Orlando, originally built by Walt Disney. Although it has always been marketed as a utopian version of new urbanism, Celebration has not been without its share of controversy.
The latest one involves a condo complex in Town Center. Take a look at the video, and you’ll see that these aging condos are literally falling apart. And now owners are facing huge special assessments – at least $20,000-$40,000 per unit. Owners say that maintenance has been deferred for years, despite their repeated complaints.
Keep in mind, as you read and watch the videos below, that, in addition to a condominium association that is majority-owned by an investment company (Lexin Capital), residents in Celebration also reside in a Community Development District (Celebration CDD). It also has a Residential Owners Association. (CROA)
Celebration is not a city or town. But if you live there, you are subject to multiple layers of governance bureaucracy!
No wonder condo owners in Town Center are frustrated, and have resorted to suing their condo association.
Celebration condo owners file suit over repairs to buildings (WFTV)
Published on Aug 22, 2016
Celebration condo owners file suit over repairs to buildings
Highlights of the history of Celebration Town Center condos:
Celebration is a massive CDD, Community Development District, large enough to be a city in its own right. Within Celebration there is a Town Center built in the tradition of New Urbanism – a walkable community with shops, restaurants, parks, and community gathering spots. Condominiums comprise much of the housing in Town Center, and the 104 units in 12 buildings, many set atop small businesses on the ground level.
Built by Disney, Town Center was purchased by Lexin in 2004. Lexin owns 60% share of the Town Center Condo Association, and is responsible for exterior maintenance. Roof leaks began in 2006, but owners say Lexin has failed to address these issues for years. As a result, there is damage due to massive wood rot, termite damage, and mold, requiring extensive repairs estimated at $5M as of February 2016. That amounts to $20 -$40 K special assessment per unit, but the total bill could increase, as repairs are ongoing.
Owners are fighting the matter in court. (See below) They argue that Lexin’s prolonged neglect has allowed condo structure to deteriorate, and that, because owners hold a minority of voting interests and seats on the Board, they have been powerless to force timely repairs and preventive maintenance.
Residents in the condo complex are mainly retired adults, including a 91-year old woman who recently purchased her unit. She says the condo association never disclosed the nature of extensive repairs, length of ongoing construction, nor the huge special assessment she would be expected to pay.
Additional Reference:
Celebration, FL is ruined by mold and shoddy construction, residents say
New Urbanist Decay
Celebration, Florida, is ruined by mold and shoddy construction, residents say
Any update on these issues? Are the buildings on Bloom St been repaired properly? I was considering on Purchasing.
Further insight into this issue:
Lexin/Town Center Foundation/Lexin Realty/Lexin Commercial/Lexin Celebration (all variations of the same entity) controlled the Condo Association until 2015 and in late 2015 early 2016 condo owners fired the sitting condo board lawyer and accountant and took over the condo board and all work voluntarily to save money since the money that was supposed to be in reserves is gone. While in litigation now the condo owners are paying fees and assessments into escrow where they will stay until judgement is made in case. Lexin in retaliation is threatened to put liens on condo owners if they don’t pay. A third party collection agency chosen by Lexin is trying to collect but condo owners and their condo board have requested all of the account records for each condo unit which legally they are required to have. Lexin refuses to provide any financial records at all. They also will not provide the building engineering reports for all the buildings. Lexin blames latent defects and expects owners to pay for extensive damages. But residents/owners have been reporting problems since 2006 and claim it is Lexin’s negligence of knowing about the water intrusion issues since 2006 and not doing anything about it until now when everything is 10 years worse of damage.