A LOCAL FAMILY SAY THEY ARE LIVING IN A NIGHTMARE BECAUSE OF ONE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
>> AND AS AMY PATERRI DISCOVERED
THE SITUATION IS SO BAD THAT
RESIDENTS SAY THEY’RE UNABLE TO
SELL THEIR PROPERTY EVEN IF YOU
THIS WANTED TO.
>> NO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS...
>> Reporter: WE COULD BARELY
MAKE IT INSIDE THE THREE
HORIZONS EAST CONDOMINIUM IN
NORTH MIAMI BEFORE NEIGHBORS
SWARMED US, EACH WITH A PROBLEM
TO SHARE.
>> YOU CAN’T USE YOUR OWN SPOT
BECAUSE THEY’RE TOWING YOU.
>> YES, YES!
>> Reporter: THEY FOCUS ON THEIR
PROPERTY MANAGER MICHAEL CURTIS
AND HIS COMPANY BDM PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT WHO OWNERS ALLEGE
FRAUDULENTLY INSTALLED THEIR HOA
BOARD OF DIRECT.
>> THERE HAVEN’T BEEN ELECTIONS
FOR FOUR YEARS.
>> Reporter: NO ELECTIONS AND NO
HELP, POINTING TO BUSTED
BUILDING PIPES, FLOODING UNITS
WITH SEWAGE AND MOLD.
UNPAID VENDORS REFUSING TO DO
REPAIRS LEAVING SOME RESIDENTS
TO PAY OUT-OF-POCKET.
>> HE CHARGE ME $209.
>> Reporter: THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS IN MAINTENANCE FEES
UNACCOUNTED FOR AND OWNERS SAY
THEY’RE STUCK.
>> THERE’S CURRENTLY A LEAN ON
THIS -- A LIEN ON THIS ENTIRE
BUILDING?
>> CORRECT.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR
ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GET
OUT?
>> YOU CAN’T.
>> Reporter: BECAUSE THE UNIT
OWNER SAYS THE LEASE FOR THE
LAND THE BUILDING SIT ON HAS
GONE UNPAID SINCE MARCH,
ACCORDING TO RECORDS.
>> IT HASN’T BEEN PAID.
WE OWE $25,000.
>> Reporter: THE ASSOCIATION
ALSO OWES $84,000 IN PENALTIES
FOR FIRE CODE VIOLATIONS MEANING
ANOTHER LIEN ON THE PROPERTY.
AND NEIGHBORS SAY THEY CAN’T
EVEN USE THE COMMUNITY’S POOL
AND REC CENTER.
>> BECAUSE WE HAVEN’T PAID, THE
RECREATION FEE OF $1500 A MONTH,
IN OVER -- SINCE 2019.
>> Reporter: AN INVOICE SHOWS
THAT BALANCE IS $63,000.
BUT TRUJILLO SAYS OWNERS ARE
PAYING THEIR MAINTENANCE AND
THEY HAVE RETTS TO PROVE IT, SO
WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING?
WE WENT TO THE OFFICE IN POMPANO
BEACH TO ASK CURTIS DIRECTLY.
HE DIDN’T COME TO THE DOOR, BUT
HE WAS INSIDE THAT’S HIM THERE
PEEKING AROUND THE CORNER AND
HERE AGAIN USING HIS PHONE TO
TRY TO SEE US.
>> WE CAN SEE YOU.
WE’RE WITH CHANNEL 10.
DO YOU MIND COMING OUT TO SPEAK
WITH US?
>> EVENTUALLY DID HE OPEN THE
DOOR.
>> WE WERE TRYING TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT THE RESIDENTS AT THREE
MORE HORIZONS EAST...
>> UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN’T TALK.
>> THAT’S FINE.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.
IS THIS ABOUT A DEPOSITION.
DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING
REALLY QUICK WHILE WE’VE GOT ALL
OF THESE ALLEGATIONS.
>> IF YOU GLADLY SEND AN EMAIL.
>> I WOULD BUT I THINK THEY’D
PREFER TO HEAR FROM YOU
DIRECTLY.
WE DID GET AN EMAIL FROM CURTIS’
ATTORNEY WHO DISPUTED MANY OF
THE OWNER’S CLAIMS BUT OFFERED
NO PROOF.
FOR EXAMPLE HE CLAIMS THE
RECREATION LEASE HAS BEEN PAID,
WE CHECKED AGAIN.
IT HASN’T.
WE LEARNED OF SEVERAL OTHER
COMMUNES MANAGED BY DBM WHERE
OWNERS HAVE VERY SIMILAR
COMPLAINTS.
ONE OF THE VENDORS IS SUING BDM,
IN WHEN IT 20 THE FAIRWAYS HOA
RECEIVED A $440,000 SETTLEMENT
FOR DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE IRMA,
MONEY OWNERS SAY THEY NEVER SAW.
CURTIS DENIED OF BEING AWARE OF
ANY PAY-OUT BUT BANK RECORDS
SHOW HIS COMPANY BDM GOT A CHECK
FROM THE HOA FOR $499,000.
>> UNFORTUNATELY IT’S AN UPHILL
BATTLE FOR AN OWNER TO FIGHT
THIS KIND OF MESS OF AN
ASSOCIATION.
IT SHOULDN’T BE LIKE THAT, BUT
THAT’S THE REALITY.
>> Reporter: ATTORNEY ALISON DRA
SPECIALIZE INSIDE CONDO
ASSOCIATION LAW AND SAYS THE
BURDEN IS ON THE OWNERS TO GET
RID OF ANYBODY CAN BE COSTLY AND
TIME-CONSUMING.
>> ULTIMATELY I’D LIKE TO SEE
MORE INVOLVEMENT BY THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT WHEN THERE ARE
ALLEGATIONS AND MORE FUNDS AND
STAFF ALLOCATED TO ECONOMIC
CRIMES.
>> Reporter: THE STATE’S
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION OVERSEES
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES
AND HAS TAKEN ACTION AGAINST BDM
OVER PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS AND
IT’S CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING NEW
ONES.
THE AGENCY TELLING US IT DOES
HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REVOKE A
MANAGER’S LICENSE, SOMETHING
NEIGHBORS SAY NEEDS TO HAPPEN
HERE.
>> I WANT TO LIVE IN PEACE.
BRING US UP UP TO DATE.
TELL US WHERE ALL OF OUR MONEY
IS.
TELL US WHO’S NOT PAYING.
BE HONEST.
>> Reporter: AMY VITERI, LOCAL
10 NEWS.
>>> A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE BDR
ARE REVIEWING COMPLAINTS AND