Condominium Special Assessment (insurance, maintenance, live in)

[jackson1490]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this and could lend some advice.......

Question: The condominium complex I live in suffered some severe flooding of 15 units back in July. About 10 days ago all of the condo owners received notice of a "special assessment" of $2000.00 each to cover the expense of repairs to those condos, namely the interior "shared" wall between the condos. They are terming those walls "common areas" since they are shared between unit owners. In my bilaws and declaration "common areas" are basically defined as areas in which all homeowners have access and the right to use and all homeowners are responsible for the maintenance and repairs of those areas. The declaration also goes on to defined "limited common areas" as areas that are restricted to the use of that homeowner only.....and specifically states that the shared wall between the garages are limited common areas, AND are the responsibility of the HOMEOWNER to maintain and repair. Nowhere in my bilaws or declaration are the interior shared walls addressed as either common areas or limited common areas. BUT, can they call the shared wall between garages limited common areas and the shared interior walls between units common areas. How can they call one wall one thing and another wall another thing since they are essentially the same thing?

Any advice.......a majority of the homeowners in my area think the association is trying to pull a fast one over on us since the condo insurance does not cover flooding and the board members stepped in and made the decision to cover the repairs of the interior shared walls and the garage walls and are calling them "common areas" and used our reserve funds to cover the cost of those repairs....to the tune of $70,000.00. And, ....... three of the 4 board members owned condo's that got flooded........AND, since have stepped down from the board now that the entire community is in an uproar about this $2000.00 special assessment. Any advice????