The Collapse of Champlain Towers
On June 24, 2021, Champlain Towers South, a 12-floor condominium building in Surfside, Florida, suddenly collapsed, killing 98 people. The collapse captured the nation’s attention because it was so sudden and deadly. Things like this are not supposed to happen.
Perfect Storm. A number of factors contributed to the tragedy. Among them were construction defects, the boards’ failure to properly fund reserves, deferred maintenance, and a succession of boards’ refusal to impose special assessments to make needed repairs.
Resignations. In 2019, five of the seven members of the condo board resigned in frustration over the endless debate over the scope of work and its cost. Even though dire warnings had been issued, members balked at paying the estimated $15 million to repair the damage.
In her resignation letter, the president noted that the previous president had been repeatedly undermined and unable to accomplish anything. The sniping continued against the new president. She complained of “ego battles, undermining the roles of fellow board members, circulation of gossip and mistruths.”
Consequences. Rogue directors who blocked repairs precipitated deadly consequences, lawsuits, and a $1.2 billion settlement.
Board Negligence
Negligent boards and deferred maintenance are not unique to Champlain Towers. Boards that defer maintenance inevitably result in large special assessments for members. Before the collapse of Champlain Towers, the Foundation for Community Association Research surveyed associations nationwide about deferred maintenance. The majority of issues reported by those who responded to our survey were water intrusion in windows and siding, deteriorating balconies, failing plumbing, electrical problems, and failing roofs. The study resulted in the publication of “Breaking Point: Examining Aging Infrastructure in Community Associations.”
Maintenance and Safety. For projects older than 10 years, boards must fulfill their primary duties — maintaining the common areas and ensuring sufficient funds are available to do so. That means properly funding their reserves and then spending those monies to keep building components in good condition. When directors receive a report warning of imminent harm, they should act quickly, if necessary, by imposing an emergency special assessment to address the danger.
Construction Defects. If a condominium project is less than 10 years old, it is important for boards to consult legal counsel to determine whether defects exist. They should have the property inspected and a report prepared, and then take appropriate action.
Federal Probe by NIST
In June 2026, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a study regarding the structural failure of the tower. The NIST determined that the structural failure began with two critical garage columns beneath the pool deck. It triggered a slow-motion domino effect over the next 21 days. When the initial slab-to-column connections failed, the pool deck began to warp, shifting immense weight onto adjacent columns.
The problem was exacerbated by the installation of heavy landscape planters and thick decorative paving stones on the pool deck in the 1990s. It added tons of dead weight to the concrete slab. Add to that corrosion from deferred maintenance, and the dominoes began to fall. The slab silently warped and fractured, progressively transferring enormous weight in the building. The highrise exhibited physical warning signs that went undiagnosed, such as a sliding glass door popping out of its frame, entry gates that jammed shut, and water leaking through the garage ceiling. Ultimately, the support columns could no longer bear the building’s weight and suddenly collapsed.
To read the report, go to NIST Technical Findings re Champlain Towers.
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