Judge: Surfside collapse property owners bumped up to $96M

People who owned condominiums in the Florida building that collapsed almost a year ago but did not suffer a loss of life will together collect at least $96 million from a court settlement

People who owned condominiums in the Florida building that collapsed almost a year ago but did not suffer a loss of life will share at least $96 million from a court settlement, a judge said Tuesday.

The initial amount for property owners — as opposed to families of the 98 victims of the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside — was set at $83 million, but Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman agreed at a hearing that the higher amount was proper.

“What I care about now is finishing this case and getting money into the hands of victims,” Hanzman said, noting that under Florida law, the condo owners could have been assessed to pay for the loss of the building.

“This is an outstanding result for the property owners,” the judge said.

The families who lost loved ones in the collapse will share more than $1 billion, lawyers said Tuesday. The exact details of that settlement are to be done by Friday, followed by a hearing for any objections. A billionaire developer from Dubai is set to purchase the 1.8 acre site for $120 million.