Florida’s first statewide condo safety inspection report following the 2021 Surfside collapse has been released— and the results revealed dozens of unsafe buildings, millions of dollars in needed repairs, and a data collection process still working out the kinks.
The July 2026 report from the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, known as OPPAGA, analyzed milestone inspection data from 2024 and 2025. The inspections were required under a law passed after the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, which killed 98 people.
How the inspection process works
Under Florida law, condominium and cooperative buildings that are three or more stories tall must undergo a milestone inspection by the time they reach 30 years of age — or 25 years if located near saltwater. Inspections must be repeated every 10 years.
The process begins with a visual phase one inspection by a licensed architect or engineer. If substantial structural deterioration is found, a more in-depth phase two inspection follows, which can include destructive or nondestructive testing. Building owners must begin any repairs identified in a phase two report within 365 days
Inspections completed, but gaps remain
In total, building officials across the state reported 8,736 completed phase one milestone inspections and 1,575 completed phase two milestone inspections for 2024 and 2025 combined.
Building officials also granted 1,587 extensions for initial inspection deadlines. Ninety-four percent of those extensions were issued in coastal counties and municipalities, where the bulk of eligible buildings are concentrated.
The report noted that not all jurisdictions submitted data. OPPAGA received 2024 milestone inspection data from 71% of local enforcement agency jurisdictions and 2025 data from just 64% — meaning the full picture across Florida may be larger than what the report reflects.
Dozens of buildings flagged as unsafe
Milestone inspections identified 30 buildings as unsafe or uninhabitable in 2024 and 24 more in 2025, spread across eight counties statewide. Despite those findings, building officials reported that most buildings deemed unsafe or uninhabitable were not vacated.
Of the 30 buildings flagged in 2024, officials confirmed only five were vacated. For 2025, building officials reported none of the five buildings for which responses were received had been vacated.
Repair costs range from under $1,000 to $30 million
Building officials reported 903 permit applications for repairs identified through phase two inspections. Estimated values ranged from under $1,000 to $30 million, with concrete, electrical and structural repairs among the most common.
The average permit value was $337,229 in 2024 and $496,236 in 2025. Fifty-six permits in 2024 and 30 in 2025 exceeded $1 million. Ninety-three percent of 2024 permit applications and 100% of 2025 permit applications were for buildings in coastal counties and municipalities.
Data collection needs work
OPPAGA identified several limitations in how the state collected inspection data. Among the concerns: building officials used inconsistent definitions when determining whether a building was unsafe or uninhabitable, since Florida law does not define either term.
The report recommended the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, known as DBPR, provide clearer guidance to local enforcement agencies — including a webinar or guided tutorial — to improve accuracy and consistency in future reporting cycles.
DBPR Secretary Melanie Griffin acknowledged the challenges in a written response included in the report.
“This effort presented challenges because the milestone inspection process and related statewide reporting requirement are still maturing, and local building departments vary in size, staffing, resources, and familiarity with statewide data reporting,” Griffin wrote.
Griffin said the department is developing additional guidance and virtual training for the 2026 reporting cycle.
