Dear Unit Owners,
I hope this letter finds you all well and in good health.
This new 2016 Board of Directors would like to thank everyone that entrusted your investment and well-being in the Presidential Condominium by voting for us and showing that the past Board needed to be changed and that previous Board members were not in your best interest and the interest of the Presidential Condominium. We will strive to work hard and represent 238 unit owners equally by following our governing documents and rules and regulations without any personal gains which would violate our fiduciary responsibilities to you and the Association. Below is a list of what we have accomplished so far on behave of our building.
On February 11, 2016, Unit Owners elected SIX new Directors in this year’s Board election. The only one returning from the 2015 Board was Miguel Remon who was re-elected. All the Directors elected are FULL TIME residents of South Florida and the Presidential Condominium, which is a must when you need to address issues on behave of the Association.
On February 18, 2016, by secret vote of the SEVEN members elected to the new 2016 Board of
Directors, the new Directors voted as follow:
George Guerra – President
Alex Pretorian – Vice president
Miguel Remon – Treasurer
John Harvey – Recording Secretary
Anouck Jourda – Director
Jose Calderon – Director
Jeffrey Locke – Director
In the first few months in which this new 2016 Board of Directors took office, we have found Numerous issues and discrepancies with past boards handling of the Presidential Condominium business. We inherited numerous building violations dating back to 2013 that should have been handled and completed already. Instead, we were placed in a situation where we still need to work endless hours with the City of Miami Beach Fire Department, Code Enforcement and Building and Zoning to obtain an operational license which still hasn’t been accomplished. I foresee the building obtaining the license before year end.
Also affecting our day to day operation was the issue dated 11/4/2015 (BV16000167) in which the City of Miami Beach building and zoning received an anonymous complaint stating that numerous units (over 30) in the Presidential had illegally been remodeled. Basically the City ofMiami Beach came in to the building, asked to view these apartments and threaten to close us down if we didn’t comply. Working with Counsel and the City of Miami Beach, we have been able to get extensions (latest till August 5, 2016) on the violation so each owner affected can make their own decision as to the request. Over 60% of owners affected have complied with the City of Miami Beach.
This and much more has not kept this 2016 Board of Directors from communicating with you via letters and monthly meetings on the issues and progress that we have accomplished and still need to accomplish. Our meetings are open, we meet at least twice monthly in the card room and owner participation is encouraged.
During the first month of our term, the Association received numerous unit owner’s calls and emails complaining of going incidents and the lack of security in our building. These incidents ranged from:
* DRUNKS WALKING THE HALLS AND PARKING AREA
* OPEN DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE AT THE POOL
* RAMPANT SEXUAL AND DRUG ACTIVITY IN BOTH THE SAUNA AND POOL AREA
* CONSTRUCTION WORK TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND WEEKENDS
* UNDERSIRABLES ENTERING OUR BUILDING, SLEEPING IN STAIRWELLS AND LEAVING BEHIND
WINE AND BEER BOTTLES IN THE HALLWAYS AND ELEVATORS
* UPS PACKAGES BEING STOLEN FROM UNIT OWNERS / TENANTS FRONT DOORS
* EXPENSIVE BIKES STOLEN FROM THE BIKE RACK
* OUR US MAIL BOXES ON THE FIRST FLOOR VANDALIZED – TWO TIMES
* TWO ELEVATORS VANDALIZED OF ITS LICENSES AND PERMITS
* A SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BLOW UP DOLL FOUND IN FRONT OF A 10TH FLOOR APARTMENT
AFTER A NIGHT OF PARTYING BY SHORT TERM RENTALS. A SECOND ONE FOUND IN THE
PARKING LOT
* OWNERS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS IN THE BUILDING, VIOLATING OUR GOVERNING
DOCUMENTS AND RULES AND REGULATIONS PLUS VIOLATING CITY OF MIAMI BEACH LAWS
AND CAUSING OUR BUILDING SEVERAL VIOLATIONS TO THE POINT WE WERE WARNED BY
THE FIRE CHIEF IN A MEETING THAT WE WOULD BE CLOSED DOWN
These are just a few of the incidents that are/where happening in the Presidential
Condominium, our home.
On March 16, 2016, the 2016 Board of Directors who are committed to the health, safety and welfare of the condominium residents, voted to submit to unit owners the necessary approval of 50% needed for alteration or further improvement of common elements in order to install security cameras.
Also submitted to each unit owner (whom past Boards failed to address) was the very
important issue of Florida State Statute 718.112, in which the unit owners needed to address prior to December 31, 2016. This is the right to waive retrofitting (installation) of a complete and very costly building sprinkler system. On June 13, 2016, at a scheduled meeting, the results will be made public.
On April 14, 2016, at a scheduled Board of Directors meeting, the Board of Directors approved the purchase of unit #221 and welcomed MR. and Mrs. Fawley to the Presidential
Condominium family.
On April 20, 2016, at a Special Meeting of the Unit Owners, three (3) very important Corporate Resolutions were considered and voted upon unanimously (7-0) by the 2016 Board of Directors.
They were:
• REAFFIRMING THE ASSOCIATION LEASING RESTRICTIONS AS INCLUDED IN THE
ASSOCIATION GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AND TO PROVIDE FOR GRANDFATHERING OF
CERTAIN LEASES WHICH OWNERS HAVE FAILED TO REGISTER IN THE ASSOCIATION
OFFICE. NOTE: THE RESOLUTION WAS REGISTERED AND RECORDED ON April 26, 2016.
YOU HAVE 30 DAYS FROM 4/26/2016 TO COMPLY. RESOLUTION IN EFFECT 5/26/2016.
• LOCKBOXES AND ALTERNATIVE UNIT ENTRY SYSTEMS. RESOLUTION IN EFFECT.
• CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES AND RESTRICTIONS. RESOLUTION IN EFFECT.
All Unit Owners have been mailed a registered and recorded copy of each resolution for your records.
On May 4, 2016, at (10:30am), Myself (President Guerra) and Director Jeffrey Locke met with City of Miami Beach Fire Department Division Chief Juan L. Meizoso, Fire Inspector Stephen Munoz and a Fire Department Manager. This meeting was not by choice but requested by the Division Chief. During our one and a half (1 ½) hour meeting, the Chief spoke about all our pending violations and the lack of completion. He also hammered us on the fact that his office and code compliance were aware that SHORT TERM RENTALS have become an epidemic in our building and that unit owners are posting rentals on numerous vacation sites. He claimed to have enough evidence to violate us immediately causing our building to be shut down. In plainEnglish he said we were not a HOTEL or a MOTEL but a Residential Condominium. The Chief asked us to make corrections and advise the unit owners of the situation, postponed violating the building in return for immediate progress. He also assigned Inspector Stephen Munoz to our building asking him to assist us in our violations. On (5/10/16) Director Locke and I met with Inspector Munoz at the Presidential Condo. We reviewed the violations and showed him that we had completed everything that was pending except for the sprinkler retrofitting waiver which also might need a Life Study Survey if waived. Inspector Munoz took notes and stated he would get back to us. Also we need to return on 6/3/2016 to show proof of full compliance to the City of Miami Beach Special Master or daily fines would again start.
On May 4, 2016, at (7:00pm) a Special Meeting of the Unit Owners, Unit owners responded
overwhelmingly by voting for security cameras. Also, The Board of Directors also voted to engage the security camera installation. We the 2016 Board of Directors, would like to thank each and every one of you that took time to vote and make your voice heard.
On May 4, 2016, at (7:30pm) a scheduled 2016 Board meeting, numerous issues were debated and communicated to both the 2016 Board of Directors and the Unit owners in attendance. One of the items that the 2016 Board of Directors introduced to the unit owners in attendance was the retaining of the Law Firm of: BACKER ABOUD POLIAKOFF & FOELSTER.
On May 16, 2016, at a scheduled 2016 Board of Directors meeting, the approval of a one (1) year lease per our governing documents was approved to units # 401 & 712. Also approved was the purchase of a family members 50% interest of unit # 708 to Joyce Rubin (Living Trust) who now owns 100%. In the same meeting, the contract for the security cameras was awarded to ERSC Security Consultant whom was the lowest bid and supplied the building with a proof of concept. Vendor contract is pending legal review prior to signing and commencing work.
On May 20, 2016, at a scheduled 2016 Board of Directors meeting, the 2016 Board of Directors spoke about the importance of building security and how it was necessary in order to confront the issues plaguing the Presidential Condominium. The Board spoke about the issue in the WPLG – Channel 10 investigation dated 5/19/2016 referencing ILLEGAL SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN MIAMI BEACH and how security was needed to combat the ongoing illegal short term rentals at the Presidential Condominium. If you didn’t get a chance to see the investigation, basically the City of Miami Beach is cracking down on owners who short term rent and finning them $20,000 for a first time offense and going up from there on future offenses. As you know, our building is a residential building and not a hotel or motel. Our governing documents specifically read that we are not allowed to lease our apartments for less than one (1) year, and that lease needs to be approved by the Board of Directors in a formal approval process. If you are a short term rental violator, please stop immediately as your actions are placing the
Presidential Condominium in serious violations. Please also note that should the 2016 Board of Directors approve the engaging in security guards for a specific term or on holiday weekends, entry to the building will be closely monitored and anyone not previously registered or without an owner present to welcome their guest, will be turned away. The only means of entry are your assigned and registered fobs. Any CLONED fobs or the use of an PHONE APP to bypass our entry system is forbidden. The 2016 Board of Directors also spoke about the BIOMETRICS entry system which is like what they use in Disney World and how that too can be an upgrade from what we presently have.
Well, above is just a small list of what your 2016 Board of Directors have accomplished or had to deal with in the first four (4) months of their term. There are still many things that need to be accomplished in order to get back the TRUST from the owners regarding past Board of Directors dealings. We are working very hard at it and that’s the reason we call ourselves the “New 2016 Board of Directors” so we are not mistaken.
PROJECTS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE NEAR FUTURE:
• Remodeling of the Card Room
• Remodeling of the Front Lobby
• Building Entrance Tiles
• Repair or Replace Gates and Surrounding Fences
• Repair Exterior Concrete Deteriation
• Paint the Inside of the Building
Owners, we understand that certain families might have a hardship when it comes to
maintenance and assessments but the truth is our building is located very close to the water on Miami Beach where deteriation comes very quickly due to the Air and Salt Water. Over the last several years no improvements have been made and we have just been repairing things as they break.
This new 2016 Board of Directors has a greater vision for our building of which we call Home. We will follow our Laws and encourage your involvement in decision making and hopefully one day we too can sit back and enjoy.
Sincerely,
George Guerra
President – Presidential Condo Association