MEMORANDUM: GOVERNOR CRIST'S BILL ACTIONS TODAY, JUNE 1, 2010
June 1, 2010
Contact:
GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE
(850) 488-5394
TO: Interested Media
FROM: Sterling Ivey, Governor’s Press Secretary
RE: Governor Crist’s Bill Actions Today, June 1, 2010
The Governor signed the following bill today, June 1, 2010:
CS/CS HB 965 Real Property Assessment
Please see the attached transmittal letter.
Governor Crist Provides Relief to Homeowners Affected by Chinese Drywall
~ Signs legislation requiring assessed value adjustment of properties adversely affected by Chinese drywall ~
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today signed House Bill 965, relating to real estate property assessment. Properties impacted by imported or domestic drywall are now eligible for an adjustment of the assessed value by a property appraiser. The bill applies to the 2010 and subsequent assessment rolls and is repealed on July 1, 2017, unless reviewed and reenacted by the Legislature.
“The homeowners that have been affected by Chinese drywall deserve our unwavering assistance and support. Through no fault of their own, their property values have been impacted and this legislation is one bold step we can take to protect their investment,” said Governor Crist. “My administration will continue to work with our federal partners to help rectify not only the property damage caused by defective drywall, but also the possible health consequences as well. I want to thank sponsors Senators Crist and Storms, Representatives McKeel and Abruzzo, and the many members of the Legislature who worked hard for the People on this bill.”
House Bill 965 requires Property Appraisers to adjust the assessed value of single-family residential properties adversely affected by imported or domestic drywall. To qualify for an adjustment, a property must have imported or domestic drywall that has had a significant negative impact on the property’s just value and the purchaser was unaware of the presence of the defective drywall at the time of purchase. If the building cannot be used without remediation to bring the property up to current building standards, then the property appraiser must assess the value of the building at $0.
This legislation was proposed and signed in response to the numerous homes built with drywall imported from China between 2004 and 2007. The State of Florida established the Chinese Drywall Incident Management team, made up of experts from the Florida Department of Health (DOH,) the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Department of Community Affairs, the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office, has been charged with identifying health and safety risks associated with Chinese drywall. The team has been working closely with the Consumer Products Safety Commission, the federal lead agency in charge of the ongoing investigation. As of March 1, 2010, the DOH confirmed that 530 homes have been impacted by Chinese drywall.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Governor Crist’s press office at (850) 488-5394.