Danny Rivero was among the first reporters to arrive at the scene of the Champlain South condo collapse in Surfside, Florida. This is not far from Miami Beach. He's been there nearly every day since then, documenting what technically remains a rescue and search mission. 12 people have died, but 149 are still missing. Rivero claims that the shock from the event is beginning to wear off and people are starting to feel grief and anger. Rivero says this didn't happen by accident. It didn't happen by accident, even though it seemed like it was coming out of nowhere. This happened because of certain reasons.AdvertisementRivero, a reporter at WLRN in the local radio station, spoke to me on Wednesday's What Next episode about the disaster and the role of climate change. He also discussed what the consequences for Florida. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.AdvertisementAdvertisementMary Harris: It is a condominium. Each unit is owned by different people, so when the building needs repairs, they have to come up with a collective way to do it. These people elect a board to make these decisions. In 2018, the condo board retained an inspector to assess the stability of the tower. The inspector discovered a serious problem with the structure of the tower's bottom floor. The problem was discovered by residents who spent many years trying to resolve it.AdvertisementDanny Rivero: There were structural problems that were identified long before the building was constructed. It all has to do with the fact the pool deck was constructed flat, which is a big no-no. Even I, a non-constructionist, know that you don't build flat.Why?Flat roofs are not recommended because water can accumulate on flat and cause structural damage. A flat roof is not permitted in Florida. A sloped roof is designed to prevent rainwater from pooling on your roof and causing leakage. The engineer report revealed that the concrete slab used for the pool deck was not flat from the beginning. Over the years, this meant that as water accumulated from rain and storm surges (which happen occasionally every now and again), it was seeping into the concrete slab and causing geologic changes. It was building up under the property, causing problems on the pillars on which the entire property is built.AdvertisementAdvertisementWe don't know if the residents fought the repairs.We know. USA Today published a wonderful story on Monday evening. It was heartbreaking too because it documents how the condo board has been trying to get residents on board for these repairs over the past couple of years. They couldn't get everyone on the same page. The longer they kept pushing it back, the more expensive it became. Repairsit accelerates if it is not addressed. They couldn't reach that decision because it was a collective decision. This meant that they couldn't do the necessary repairs.AdvertisementSocialism allows you to collectively decide about something. Some of these decisions will be difficult. Danny RiveroThis is in addition to the fact the building must be located on the beach to withstand the harsh elements of the seawater.Yes. It is well-known that properties located on the beaches are more susceptible to corrosion due to the salty air and saltwater intrusions from hurricanes and harsh winds. This is a structural problem that, as I mentioned, probably goes back to the building itself. The condo board is unable to get residents onboard for repairs.AdvertisementIt is funny that I don't believe the 2018 report was required. After the condo board made the decision to do it, they received this information back. It's like being careful about what you wish for. The engineer basically says that the whole building needs to be stabilized. Then, the question is who will pay for it all.AdvertisementThis is the long-term story. It's not about the one building that collapsed and the tragedy. This is going to require a reevaluation in general of how these matters are handled in Florida.Condo associations can be compared to small-scale socialism. This thing is owned by you all. It is up to you to make the decisions. The board is a bit like the Politburo. It is socialism, not a board. Socialism allows you to collectively decide about something you own. Some of these decisions will be difficult.The board is also elected. You might not want to make that costly decision if you're trying to keep your place.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat's exactly. The big question we will be dealing with in Florida long-term is: Should boards be allowed to exercise as much control as the state of Florida gives them? They are free to do whatever they like and there is little oversight from the government or state at any level. They can do whatever they want at any level. They are capable of doing their best.Crises can bring about a reevaluation of things. I believe now people are asking openly, "Should condo boards be doing this all when there is an inherent conflict? Even if you are elected, it is likely that you will be an owner of the condo. This could mean that you are responsible for repairs costing hundreds of thousands of dollar per unit.AdvertisementAccording to my understanding, Surfside came in to evaluate the engineer's report, give an assessment of the condo board, and then give their opinion. They said that the damage wasn't too big, which may have contributed to the delay. While I understand that different motivations can lead to different outcomes, do you believe the city will ultimately be held responsible for what happened?AdvertisementAdvertisementThis is the main driver of Florida's industry. This is what we do. This is Florida's story. Danny RiveroIt is likely that it will be implemented at some point. Although I don't know who to blame, it is clear that the city played a part in all this. If they were not relaying this information with the same gravity as they should to residents, that is an issue. It will be an issue if they downplay it. We are seeing some things, but we don't have the complete picture.AdvertisementThe county government launched an emergency audit within 30 days for any building over 40 years of age and five stories high in unincorporated County. The city of Miami has its own emergency audits. Miami Beach and a few other municipalities are also doing theirs. Because there is so much fear, the governments are responding because no one wants their building to become part 2. They are trying to identify the most critical buildings right now and address them immediately to prevent something similar from happening again.AdvertisementPictures of the Champlain Towers' water damage were released earlier this week. These photos were taken by a pool maintenance man a few days before the collapse. He was looking into some of your concerns about the pool deck's flatness and water seepage. Evidently, the man was worried. He claimed that standing water had seeped down to the parking area. It makes you wonder if this could have been done earlier.AdvertisementIt's the big what-if. This is why there is panic in the area, as there are a lot of condo buildings. These repairs can't be put off. Condos are cheaper than other types of property. This is why people are scared to death when you realize that you will need to spend $25,000 on this repair. People have put it off.This is a huge wrench for our state, regional, and local economies. Condos, condo development, and mortgage brokers who help with financing, as well as the realtors who sell and investors who flip, are the main drivers of Florida's industry. This is what we do. This is Florida's story. This is why I believe we are seeing so much anxiety. This will force a wholesale reevaluation in the very areas where Floridians are residing.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis is a complex situation, but the buildings are still able to withstand extreme conditions. Condo boards are required to inspect the buildings, but they take a long time due to the incentives. One more thing: Could climate change make some of these structural changes even worse?This is a question that remains open, especially for those buildings that are located on the coast. Although I don't want to generalize, we know that buildings on the coast are susceptible to flooding. This is especially true for Surfside, which experiences high storm surge. They also have sunny day flooding. Surfside is the only place in the United States with a fund that can be used to relocate residents due to climate change. Their government has been proactive in dealing with climate change over the past couple of years. Although it is a small community, they opened an account that allows them to take a certain amount of money and put it into a pot. This way, if Surfside becomes inhospitable, they will be able to help people move out. This is not to suggest that I am comparing climate change and it. It is almost certain to be one of the contributing factors.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhat length of time do you anticipate reporting on this story for?They'll probably continue this work for the next few years. There is already a shortage in inspectors and workers in construction. These buildings have been put off for so long. What happens when all of them decide to start work? The tentacles from this thing will reach extremely deep into Florida.AdvertisementAs I said, condo building is our state industry. That is what I mean. Florida was once considered a deserted state until the developers realized that they could make it a reality. This is not an exaggeration. Over the course of history, our economy has been a pyramid scheme consisting of developers and people selling the dream of Florida. To come down to Florida, it's so beautiful, it's so carefree. Now we have something to worry about. This tragedy has brought this serious matter to our attention, and we will be dealing with it for a long time.Subscribe to the What Next Apple PodcastsEvery weekday, Mary Harris brings you more news.
