Hundreds Of Residents In 310-Unit S. Florida Condo Face Water Shutoff As Delinquent Maintenance Fees Result In Unpaid Bills; 100+ Units In Foreclosure

In Hialeah, Florida, the The Miami Herald reports:

• The cash crisis plaguing South Florida's foreclosure-wracked condominiums reached a apex Wednesday for the Mirassou Condominium in Hialeah after county government shut off the water to residents because the association failed to pay its water bill. Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department said it turned off the water supply to the 310-unit building after the association failed to abide by three separate repayment plans over the last seven months. The association has an outstanding balance of $124,581.04, the department said.

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• South Florida condos have been particularly battered in the region's foreclosure crisis because they rely on association fees from residents to pay for basic utilities, maintenance and other services. When owners stop paying, often associations are forced to scale back on services or increase fees for residents in good standing. [...] About 104 units, or nearly one-third of the building, are in foreclosure in the Mirassou.

For more, see County shuts off water at foreclosure-ridden Hialeah condominium.

For story update, see Water is back on for Miami condo:

• Water is flowing again at the 310-unit Miarassou Condos in Miami-Dade County. County officials shut off water to the residents earlier in the week because the condo's association bounced a check and failed to pay a $109,000 past due bill. Condo residents say the problem stems from a large number of foreclosures - roughly a third of the units are bank-owned or in foreclosure. After the county turned off the water, residents allegedly tampered with the meter to keep it running illegally. On Thursday evening, the county and the association agreed on a payment plan, and the water was turned on again.