HIALEAH - On Thursday, Florida State Senator Ileana Garcia, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rene Garcia, and Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo hosted a town hall to gather complaints from condo owners about skyrocketing insurance costs and abuses of power by rogue homeowners' associations (HOAs).

"From one month to another, our charges went up 50+% in just a matter of a month," said Alberto Aleman, a condo owner in Hialeah, describing the financial strain.

Rising property values and soaring insurance premiums have left many condo owners struggling, with some facing canceled policies.

Meanwhile, homeowner associations often fail to protect owners, town hall leaders said, leaving thousands of middle-class residents vulnerable to losing their homes.

"Condo owners can't take anymore," Commissioner Rene Garcia said, calling for urgent action.

The lawmakers called for greater accountability and improved oversight of both insurance rate hikes and HOA boards, which they say have neglected property maintenance.

"We were passing laws that we weren't supervising and enforcing, and that really pissed me off. That's why I put the town hall together," State Senator Ileana Garcia said.

Attendees were encouraged to provide ideas for strengthening regulations, with Commissioner Garcia advocating for local control over HOA oversight: "My ask is to bring regulation of HOAs back to the local level. Let us come up with a regulatory scheme that can help our condo unit owners."