I feel it should have been condemned in 2018 which would have forced the board and HO to bite the bullet and pay for repairs. Would have been cheaper than what they are now up against. If they voted no than insurance companies will probably tell them to pound sand
The roof inspector was probably only focused on ensuring the roof repairs were done to code. They are not structural engineers or P.E. and would not be looking at the underground parking garage where the structural weaknesses were located.
Inspector on the roof was probably checking the roof repair.
“Did ANYONE have an obligation to report the problems to the city (like maybe the engineer)?”
Good question. Can anyone who is a Florida Licensed Professional Engineer speak to this? Common sense would suggest that if a structural engineer found items that threatened collapse, that the engineer would copy his report to the Chief Building Official, for CYA if nothing else.
In the unconfirmed story category — a youtube news report claims a structural repair project was about to begin. Give the complexity of what likely went wrong here, it is believable that it would take years from observing the external signs to a deeper investigation, to designing a feasible repair concept, to getting it developed and approved, to bidding, contracting and performing the repairs — with additional time added to get the condo owners to agree and put up the money. The building should have been evacuated long ago. That idea was probably not received happily by the owners.