By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities
UPDATE/Clarification:
A reader clarified that when Tymber Skan was created, it was, in fact, divided into three separate sections, each with its own HOA. The HOAs for Sections 1 and 3 were, at one time, led by Lorenzo Pinkston. Since utilities have been shut off, most of the buildings in Sections 1 and 3 have been abandoned and demolished.
However, Section 2, led by board President Malinda McIntosh, continues to collect assessments from remaining owners, and has been making payments on its outstanding debt to Orlando Utilities Commission.
For more information about the history of Tymber Skan, see What does the future hold for Tymber Skan, Orlando’s most troubled condo complex? The report was written by Erin Sullivan, and published by the Orlando Weekly.
An earlier version of this article mistakenly assumed Tymber Skan was governed by a single HOA.
Interesting update on one of Orlando’s most distressed condo associations. WESH2 News’ Bob Kealing was booted from the property while reporting on the most recent shutoff notice from OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission).
The condo association representative would not appear on camera, and complained about negative publicity in the media.
Threats to shut off utilities are quite common in distressed housing complexes, when unpaid bills accumulate thousands of dollars in debt. Although a board member says Tymber Skan’s association has been making payments in recent months, OUC claims about $8,000 debt is still outstanding, despite decades of trying to work out a payment plan. Tymber Skan has until May 8 to pay off the remaining balance and avoid the shutoff.
One fact in the follwing report that caught my eye: 25 of 49 buildings have now been torn down, at a cost of more than $375,000 to Orange County. Looking back at one of my previous updates on Tymber Skan in November 2016, at the time, 17 buildings had been demolished, at a cost of more than $375,000.
Most of the remaining residents are tenants who claim to be paying rent as required. Unit owners are supposed to pay assessments that include the cost of utilities.
According to Florida public records on the condo corporation, Malinda McIntosh is now board President of Tymber Skan on the Lake Association, Section 2.
Sections 1 and 3 are currently listed as Inactive on sunbiz.org However, Lorenzo Pinkston remains President of master association Tymber Skan on the Lake HOA Inc., with Pinkston Diversified LLC (Kissimmee, FL) listed as Registered Agent.
Tymber Skan residents feel caught in-between
OUC distributes notices to 40 condo homes announcing potential service cut off
Bob Kealing
WESH | Updated: 9:54 PM EDT Apr 10, 2017
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
Jamall Davis is one of the residents who received notices on their front doors, making them aware of unpaid utility bills. Davis said he and other residents do pay their bills, and they’re not the ones responsible in the dispute.“The top people, they’re not doing their part,” said the father of eight as he pulled out of Tymber Skan’s front drive.
Davis is referring to the homeowner’s association of the section of Tymber Skan where 40 residences were noticed on Monday by OUC.
A spokesman for the utility told WESH 2 News that the HOA still owes $7,800 in back utility payments. If not paid in full by May 8, water will be cut off to all of those residences. Power will be shut off to certain areas, as well.
“OUC has worked for decades to try and resolve the significant ongoing utility debt to keep utility services on in this community,” the company said in a prepared statement.
A representative of the Tymber Skan Homeowner’s Association asked WESH 2 News to leave the property. The woman declined an on-camera interview, but told WESH 2 News there’s a miscommunication, that the HOA does pay its bills and they’re tired of the negative publicity surrounding the complex.
Read more (Video)
http://www.wesh.com/article/tymber-skan-residents-feel-caught-in-between/9257493
A separate report in the Orlando Sentinel notes a glimmer of hope for the community, now that crime is reportedly way down, and the OUC has agreed to waive waste water fees.
However, looking at WESH2 video footage, Tymber Skan remains mostly vacant and dilapidated. It is hard to believe that owners of remaining units can afford to preserve what little is left of the lakeside housing complex.
PREVIOUS REPORT:
Tymber Skan Arson: the ultimate fate of condominium affordable housing?
Posted on November 16, 2016 by deborahgoonan
This is not the first time I have covered the chaos at Tymber Skan condominiums in Orlando. The latest news: several fires, the last two of which have been ruled to be arson.
Most of the townhouse style condos are vacant. According to WFTV, this time last year there were 600 squatters living in Tymber Skan – now there are only seven. Believe it or not, about 40 legal owners remain on the property.
However, the game plan appears to be vacating all units, razing the remaining buildings (17 have already been torn down) and starting all over.
In the meantime, how much money is Tymber Skan costing taxpayers? Between fire and police services, social services, housing assistance to relocate low income residents, condemnation and demolition of properties, trash removal, unpaid utility bills, and other costs too numerous to mention, one can hardly regard this once affordable housing condo complex as an asset to Orange County.
Tymber Skan is just one example. Look at Green Terrace Condos (Palm Beach County, FL), Lynnhill Condos (Temple Hills, Maryland), Brannon Hill (Dekalb County, GA), for more evidence that the condominium is a financially and socially unsustainable model for housing, particularly for residents with modest or below median household incomes.
My question is, who is this HOA president, Lorenzo Pinkston, interviewed several times by WFTV? Why has he suddenly emerged, and what does he have to gain by taking on this hellish condo association? Is there money to be made in redevelopment?
Let’s follow this saga, wait and see.
Second fire at embattled Tymber Skan condo might be arson
Updated: Nov 10, 2016 – 5:23 PM
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Firefighters spent several hours Thursday morning fighting a blaze at a condo in the embattled Tymber Skan community, and officials said they believe it may have been set on purpose.The vacant building was slated to be bulldozed, officials said.
Read more, VIDEO
what do you know about section 2 ? I am trying to find out about the area