Time has run out for any residents left in a Broward County condominium.
People living in Heron Pond Condominium have to be out by the end of Thursday.
The saga began in August of 2023, when residents in over half of the buildings at the condo complex were ordered out after the city of Pembroke Pines deemed them unsafe.
But in July of 2024, engineers released a new report indicating their inspections at the property revealed even deeper issues. Along with the visible structural damage, engineers cited inadequate design and construction of the complex, prompting concerns the buildings may not withstand high winds.
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The city then ordered the residents of all 304 units to be out by Aug. 29.
Edward Picon is the son of an elderly owner who told NBC6 earlier this month that the costs keep adding up. A receiver appointed to manage the property sent a survey last week to owners outlining two options: an up-front assessment of at least $40,000 or selling the property.
“[My mother] relies solely on social security and social assistance. She doesn't have that kind of money,” he said. “[She’s] a person that has never owned anything in her life…and she finally owns something, and now she doesn't have it.”
Residents say they’ve been living with the damage from termites, balcony beams rotted by water and other issues captured in photos from condo owners.
While people moved out, many found temporary places to stay and are waiting to see what becomes of the homes they poured money into.
The struggles have prompted many to ask how the complex got to this point.
Court records show the association petitioned to have a receiver appointed to manage the property in April. That petition outlines allegations the previous board of directors “willfully and intentionally mismanaged the association and failed to perform routine, necessary maintenance.”
The petition claims the prior board was controlled by representatives for a single trust, Federated Foundation Trust, which owned over a third of the units at Heron Pond. It alleges none of those units were paying monthly fees, hindering repairs. It goes on to say, “It’s believed these individuals may have wanted the Association’s common elements to fall into a state of disrepair so that they could acquire more units within the Association at a reduced/discounted cost.”
NBC6 Investigates looked into the matter and spoke to the man behind the trust. See the findings here.
“There basically was like a lack of maintenance,” said Pembroke Pines Assistant City Manager Michael Stamm Jr., adding the city was left with no option.
“Our building official and Fire Marshall in conjunction with their engineers have determined that these units just aren’t safe for people to live in,” Stamm said. “The outside and the bones of the building is what we’re finding is damaged.”
Stamm said the city had been asking for specific reports on conditions at the complex for around two years, but the association had not provided all information required to secure permits.
“The current reports will show you, there was a lot of unpermitted repairs made to the buildings,” Stamm said, “They put stucco over rotted wood in some situations.”
Stamm says the city is partnering with the county to help relocate people who meet income requirements and can provide documentation, such as a lease agreement. He said the city also has a limited number of apartments to try to place people. The city of Pembroke Pines has additional information available on this website.
“The community has faced countless hardships,” Stamm said. “This is affordable housing. So, trying to find comparable affordable housing is really challenging.”
