Survey: Condo owners back conciliation committee plan
The Puerto Rico Association of Condominiums and Access Controls has released the results of a survey on Senate Bill 611, which would reactivate conciliation committees in condominiums to address disputes before they reach the Department of Consumer Affairs or the courts.
The survey gathered 319 responses from condominium owners, administrators, former board members and professionals across the island. San Juan, Carolina and Guaynabo were among the most represented municipalities. Nearly 80% of respondents identified as active owners.
Views on the proposed committees were mixed. Thirty-six percent expressed confidence in their impartiality, 35% said trust would depend on the case and 29% expressed no trust. Still, 45% considered the committees very useful, while 31% said effectiveness would depend on how they operate. Only 24% preferred taking disputes directly to regulators or courts.
Participants said the top issues for the committees to address include mediation of neighbor conflicts (24%), complaints against boards or administrators (21%) and review of fines and violations (19%). They cited benefits such as promoting community peace and agreements (29%), quicker resolution of complaints (25%), lower costs for owners (20%) and reducing cases before regulators or in courts (14%).
Concerns about abuse of power were also evident. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they had experienced abuses and see the committee as a necessary tool, while 32% said they had not experienced abuse but still valued its preventive potential.
The survey also found that 44% of respondents are willing to participate in a coalition of condominium owners, while 35% prefer to stay informed through the association. The group said the results point to the committee as a potential tool to strengthen coexistence, streamline dispute resolution and ease the burden on government agencies and courts.
