ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County commissioners voted Tuesday to begin a legal process to terminate the condominium associations within Tymber Skan on the Lake, a complex off South Texas Avenue on the shores of Lake Catherine.
The vote does not mean the property is being immediately sold or demolished, according to county leaders. Instead, they said the process could ultimately lead to a sale and redevelopment of the property.
The county is working with residents on a transition plan, including case workers and potential rental assistance for up to a year, officials said. They said they will share available services and resources through community meetings, direct communication and other outreach.
Tymber Skan was built in 1972 and originally included 312 residential condominium units in 49 buildings. Eight buildings remain.
Some residents said they do not want to leave.
“We don’t owe nothing to nobody, and we don’t bother anybody. Why are you trying to get us out?” said Consuelo Mejia, who owns a unit at Tymber Skan and has lived there since 2009.
Mejia said the county has already reached out to ask about her situation and potential relocation assistance.
“I’m not asking them to relocate me. I’m not asking to move out,” Mejia said.
Other residents said they are ready to move on because of the condition of the property.
“There comes a time when you have to say, enough is enough, and it’s now. It’s that time,” said Cynthia Claytor, who has lived at Tymber Skan for 11 years. “If they can get us a better place to go, if they can make a better place out of this place because it’s falling apart, our plumbing is terrible.”
Claytor said the pipes in the complex have not been replaced since 1972 and that residents have dealt with constant leaks.
Orange County officials said the county has invested more than $3.5 million into the property to try to fix it.
“We wanted to save it, but it’s at this point that it’s just too much,” Claytor said. “There’s just not the money. This is not the time. And there’s just no way to do it.”
Orange County Commissioner Michael Scott, who represents District 6, said the vote allows the county to look more closely at the next steps for Tymber Skan.
“Buildings are not being demolished. No one’s being kicked out of their homes,” Scott said. “It is just allowing us to do more intimate and more specific research on what are the next steps for Tymber Skan.”
Scott said he has visited Tymber Skan several times and has gone door to door visiting residents, which include families, seniors and young people with disabilities.
He said the county will work to provide residents with a social worker, housing and relocation assistance to help with the transition.
“Really making sure that we as a county provide a clear pathway for them to their next transition and not just for a couple of weeks or a couple of months, but at least for a year,” Scott said.
He reassured residents that the county will do right by them as the process moves forward.
“You’re not going to be out on the streets and everything that’s going to happen to them. It’s going to be discussed,” Scott said.
“My hope is that this action will be the beginning of a revitalization that brings not only physical improvements but also a safer and brighter future for all existing residents,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said in a statement. “We will work together to ultimately transform the property into something better for our community.”
Residents can contact the Orange County Office of Tenant Services at 407- 836-7368 for the latest information and available resources.