Shores of Panama condo owners seek to block $80M renovation project

PANAMA CITY BEACH — A hearing has been set for residents seeking to block the Shores of Panama Home Owners Association board members from levying an $8.9 million special assessment against them.

According to paperwork filed with the 14th Judicial Circuit Court, Judge William S. Henry will preside via zoom video conference at 1:30 p.m. July 27 over the hearing on the temporary injunction and on the board’s motion to dismiss it.

HOA rejects assessment: Condo owners ask court to halt $80 million HOA construction at Shores of Panama

$76M renovations?: Structural damage at PCB condo leads to legal feud over special assessment

The assessment is part of a $80 million repair and renovation project that the HOA’s board of directors deemed necessary due to heavy damage allegedly caused by Hurricane Michael in October 2018.

Last year the board noted concerns about the building, announcing in December that board members had chosen a general contractor to oversee a roofing project and entire renovation and that insurance would not cover it. In February, the city’s building officer in a letter told the HOA it had 30 days to initiate a safety plan “to mitigate dangerous conditions.”

Owners said the board began to sign contracts without telling them, but on June 7, the board announced the special assessment.

Some residents in the 709-unit building at 9900 Thomas Drive say the vast majority of the repairs and the renovation are unnecessary after they secured estimates with other licensed contractors.

As a result, they’ve asked the court to step in.

Dana Matthews, their attorney who represents the owner of 58 of the units, joined other attorneys in filing a motion seeking a temporary injunction aimed at stopping the HOA’s board from enforcing the special assessment, and from completing any more work until the court can decide its necessity.

John Townsend, attorney for the HOA, has not returned two calls from The News Herald in the past week seeking comment.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Shores of Panama residents, HOA board set court hearing via Zoom