Central Florida leaders take closer look at condo building inspections

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - High-rises with oceanfront views are the epitome of a picturesque Florida lifestyle, but it has become shattered by tragedy in Surfside. 

"Never would I have thought that something like this would happen and there is no mechanism in place currently," said Cocoa Beach Mayor Ben Malik.

Mayor Malik said the disaster has caused government leaders to take a closer look at their own properties.

"It is up to the individual condo association. They are the ones responsible for maintaining the condo elements and the exteriors of their building. There are no state of Florida requirements, no county requirements, certainly no city requirements in terms of a structural assessment," Malik added.

He said a lot of their waterfront properties are over 40 years old – all of them subject to saltwater, harsh winds, and hurricanes.

RELATED: Florida condo collapse: Death toll rises, evacuations ordered after nearby tower deemed unsafe

"Everything on the coast. You live in a really, highly corrosive environment, everything here rusts. That is just the price to pay to live on the beach," Malik said. 

State Representative Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, said the Surfside condominium tower collapse has created a crisis for the entire state.

"In the USA, you expect that if you live in a building it is not going to fall down," Fine said.

He said condo boards have little oversight by the state or government at any level but thinks changes may be coming down the pike.

"We are going to take a real hard look at the state level as to whether we have the appropriate precautions in place as it relates to surfside," Fine said.

Brevard County is considering taking a closer look at buildings over a certain age to figure out if they need inspections.

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