Close to 70 Hillcrest leaders and residents attended the Town Hall Meeting in Rec Room 2 at 1150 Hillcrest Court on July 17. They listened to speakers discuss ways to ease the burden for more than 100 Hillcresters hit hard by inflation and increased structural building inspection requirements. A new state law mandating condo Associations “fully fund” reserve accounts heaped even more pressure on already struggling condo Associations.
Underscoring the pain these financial pressures are causing some unit owners, District 6 Commissioner Idelma Quintana said, it’s “heartbreaking for me” to hear the anguish expressed at monthly Hillcrest Leadership Council meetings.
“But while no quick fix exists, our City Hall representative said the City of Hollywood will hold a workshop this fall to educate residents about resources they can tap. Additionally, she said that the City has developed a webpage that details various state and local sources of funding designed to assist homeowners in making improvements. Each program is distinct, with its own set of rules and application process, which are detailed in the FAQs provided for each respective resource. You can access the page using the following link: https://hollywoodfl.org/1549/Funding-Opportunities-for-Residential-Im.
Quintana said state legislators also have their eyes on fixing problems caused by this year’s “My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program.” It Is intended to help condos obtain a government grant up to $175,000 to pay for hurricane protection projects. But condo Boards must vote to apply for an initial inspection. Then the Board must get 100% approval from unit owners to seek the grant. What’s more, the state did not allocate nearly enough money to cover all the condos that can apply for the grant.
And Quintana said Marie Woodson, our state house representative in Tallahassee, is working with lawmakers to cobble together bipartisan legislation. That legislation is aimed at reducing the burden caused by a law passed after the 2021 Surfside condo tower collapse. The full effect of that law draws nearer as condo Associations are preparing to start budgeting more money for their reserve accounts in January, based on an analysis conducted by an expert in the field.
Leaders also heard from our Hillcrest Angels Team Leader Marcia Skupeika. A registered nurse, Skupeika moved here about 3 ½ years ago. Noticing need, she worked with other Hillcrest “Angels” to bring services to proud but struggling residents. The effort started a few months ago, growing from two volunteers to 13. Some needed food, which angels from buildings 22, 23, and 24 get from local food banks. They then deliver the food privately.
Skupeika started by thanking Inside Hillcrest editor Cindy Abraham for all the hats she wears here – calling her the “Primary Angel”. Abraham also is the secretary to the Hillcrest Leadership Council which holds monthly meetings that educate building leaders about local issues.
Skupeika also lauded an original angel who started helping residents earlier. Ann Wohl, from Hillcrest 22, has been taking care of her neighbors for years; giving people rides if they get around with a walker or wheelchair and don’t have transportation, and helping out with whatever they need. After 28 years of taking care of her neighbors, Ann sold her unit and moved to norther Florida to be near her family.
On this page are the names of the “Angels” named by their building boards or fellow residents. If you would like to be a part of the Angel program in your building, contact Marcia Skupeika at marcia.skupeika@gmail.com. She and her team will meet with you to help you with the resources they use. This is definitely a program we would like to see spread across our entire community.
Finally, the registered nurse said her Angels are compiling a resource guide on disc so all building leaders can easily locate services for residents in need. Next up was Lou Silver, Mortgage Solutions. He has been a mortgage broker for more than 40 years. He advised that unit owners 55 and older with good credit can apply for a reverse mortgage. This mortgage can be paid out in a lump sum. Owners keep the equity in their condo. After they pass, their family has 12 months to decide whether they want to repay the loan, and keep the property, or sell the property and repay the loan from the proceeds.
And while you can do what you want with the money, Silver suggested it’s wise to use it to pay maintenance, assessment, tax and insurance costs so you can stay in your home. His contact info is on page 3 of this issue. The reality of growing old in our society means that money was not the only topic discussed. Two other speakers addressed issues that touch the lives of many seniors in a variety of ways.
One speaker was Bianca Diaz, from Miami Jewish Health Organization. She talked about her agency’s PACE program for people 55 and older who are Medicaid-qualified. Once on Medicaid, you can get home health care, day center visits with activities and lunch or a stipend to help pay for assisted living, among other services. You can learn more by contacting Diaz at Bdiaz@Miamijewishhealth.org.
And John Strader, son of Muriel Strader who served as president of Hillcrest 6 for many years, joined us to talk about help for caregivers dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. John’s wife Lisa is currently suffering with Alzheimer’s, so John knows first-hand the challenges that loved ones face. Strader is Co-chair of the
SE Florida Chapter Board of Directors for the Alzheimer’s Association. According to Strader, the federal government is investing more money than ever before in fighting these ailments, spending more than $4 billion on research and care support programs this year. Alzheimer’s is the now sixth leading cause of death in the United States with over 48,000 cases currently diagnosed right here in Broward County.
While there is no cure, he said drug therapies exist now to possibly slow down the advance of Alzheimer’s if caught early enough. Early detection can occur with tests to diagnose amyloid plaque buildup in the brain, Strader said. In addition to advocating for private and public research funding, his organization operates at 24/7 helpline and local caregiver support groups. For information and support, visit alz.org or call their 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
Several Hillcrest building presidents were lauded for not only their exceptional leadership but also their interest and care for their unit owners. The following names were given to Inside Hillcrest by board members and/or building residents as those in each building who keep an eye out for their neighbors in need:
HILLCREST ANGELS
Hillcrest 1 – Gilda Sedacca
Hillcrest 3 – President Jim Bowers and his wife Kris
Hillcrest 4 – Emma Bataller and Gloria Keller
Hillcrest 5 – Josie Hernandez
Hillcrest 6 – Marlene Mandl
Hillcrest 7 – Fred Pedone
Hillcrest 8 – Frank Demario and Carlos Paez
Hillcrest 10 – Karen Leger and Daniela Solivan
Hillcrest 16 – President Ray Chait
Hillcrest 21 – Celia Alvarez and Paola Bezek
Hillcrest 22 – Lucy Kreidich and Luis Galvis
Hillcrest 23 – Marcia Skupeika, David Hillebert, Silvia Orta, Teddi Campelli, Valentina Marinescu, Dr. James Tracy and Mary Ellen Tracy
Hillcrest 24 – Amy Britton
Hillcrest 25 – A cohesive Board with great leadership – President Steve Hurtig, Treasurer Harriet Dinari, VP Lori Limardo and resident Louise Lamontagne.
Hillcrest 26 – Meredith Shuster
Hillcrest 27 – Bill Lawrence and Dennis Warren
