Broward County commissioners on Tuesday signed off on a new elevator ordinance designed to keep condo residents from getting stuck when the lifts quit working. The rules put building owners on the clock: if an elevator is out for more than 24 hours and the contracted elevator company cannot get it running again, the association must bring in an alternate registered elevator company. The measure also orders residential buildings to post a clear emergency outage plan so residents and service crews are not left guessing when the elevator doors stay shut.
What the ordinance requires
The ordinance creates a new Section 21-10 of the Broward County Code and spells out exactly what has to appear in an outage plan. That includes contact information for the contracted elevator company, backup providers, steps for reporting a problem, the expected response actions, and accessibility accommodations for tenants with mobility limitations. It explicitly tells owners to “seek an alternate registered elevator company” if the primary contractor cannot restore service within 24 hours, unless an existing contract legally blocks that move. The measure also revises the county civil-penalty schedule tied to documentation and posting requirements, as laid out in the county ordinance text, according to Broward County Legistar.
Why commissioners acted
Commissioners acted after hearing testimony about repeated elevator outages and malfunctioning equipment that left residents stuck or forced to hike the stairs, a pattern local reporters captured in video and interviews. Officials and residents told the board those breakdowns pose an outsized risk for seniors and people who rely on elevators for medical care and basic errands, which supporters argued made swift action necessary. The vote to adopt the new rules followed a run of public complaints and news coverage of the outages, according to CBS News Miami.
Background and scale
County staff and the ordinance text note that Chapter 399 of Florida law generally blocks counties from directly regulating elevator companies, so Broward aimed its rules at building owners and associations instead of imposing operational mandates on contractors, per Florida's Elevator Safety Act. Broward's Building Department already inspects and issues certificates for more than 11,000 elevating devices across the county, underscoring how many systems could be affected by the new requirements. Individual breakdowns in nearby complexes, including widely reported outages that trapped or inconvenienced elderly residents, helped fuel the push for a local policy response, as seen in coverage of a related Doral condo meltdown and in the county elevator program overview from the Broward Building Department.
Legal penalties and enforcement
The ordinance builds teeth into the county code. Violations tied to elevator documentation or failure to post an outage plan carry daily fines spelled out in the penalty schedule, including specific amounts for not providing a Record of Visit or for failing to maintain a posted outage plan. The text says a code inspector may issue citations without first offering time to correct the problem, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. The measure also directs the Building Code Division to notify owners about these compliance rules when issuing required certificates of operation, according to Broward County Legistar.
What condo boards and residents should do
Condo boards are expected to review their service-maintenance contracts, post the required outage plan in a conspicuous lobby location, and keep a short list of alternate registered elevator companies ready if repairs drag on. Unit owners who believe an association is neglecting common elements can look up association duties in the Florida Condominium Act and follow state instructions for filing a formal complaint with the Division of Florida Condominiums, which provides a complaint form and filing guidance. The Division's instructions for condominium or cooperative complaints, including next steps and documentation tips, are available from the Division of Florida Condominiums.
Broward's ordinance is the latest county effort to confront aging building systems and the heavy impact elevator outages have on vulnerable residents. Officials say the new rules are meant to shorten downtime, give boards a clearer playbook for emergency repairs, and provide residents with better information when the elevators stop moving.
