Most of the board members of the Florida condo building that collapsed resigned in 2019 as debate raged over the cost of repairs, The Washington Post reported.
Champlain Towers South in Surfside, near Miami, collapsed on June 24. At least 18 people had been confirmed dead as of early Thursday, and almost 150 more were still missing.
It is not yet clear what caused the collapse, but reports since the collapse have highlighted a slew of issues.
A 2018 inspection report found that the building showed signs of "major structural damage," while numerous accounts pointed to problems with water seeping into the basement parking garage.
The Post reported that a majority of board members resigned in 2019.
It said Anette Goldstein, the head of the board, cited frustration that repairs were not being carried out because of debates over the cost. She also cited problems with the working of the board.
It was not clear why the others resigned, the Post reported.
Five of the seven board members resigned within two weeks, the Post reported.
That debate and turnover on the board meant further delays to the repairs, the outlet said, which were still incomplete at the time of the collapse.
The Post reported that many people who owned units in the building were unhappy with the cost, which had been estimated between $9 million at $15 million.
The board only voted in favour of the $15 million in repairs in April 2021, the Post reported, though dozens of residents had voiced complaints about how high that figure was.
Goldstein and some other board members later returned to the board, the Post reported.
She and other board members who resigned did not respond to the Post's requests for comment.
