ORLANDO, Fla. — The future of the dilapidated Tymber Skan on the Lake condominiums is up in the air.

Orange County commissioners spoke at length Tuesday about what to do about the condos, but pushback from residents led them to table it until March 11.

What You Need To Know

  • The Orange County Board of Commissioners tabled talks on the future, and potential forced sale of the Tymber Skan on the Lake condominium complex until March

  • Health and safety issues have been prevalent at the complex for years, and in 2021, it was where investigators found the body of 19-year-old murder victim Miya Marcano

  • Even if the Board decides to move forward with the plan, Mayor Jerry Demings said nothing will happen immediately and the county fully intends to assist residents currently living at the complex

What was on the table — was a recommendation from county staff for commissioner to terminate the Tymber Skan Condominium Association and file a petition for a receivership for the property.

This would allow for the sale of the property, meaning that resident would have to move.

According to information from the county, the complex was built in 1974 and originally had 49 buildings with 321 residential units, but 41 of the original buildings have been demolished and only 56 units remain, with many living without running water.

Issues at Tymber Skan have been ongoing for years and include shootings, fires and more recently, it is where investigators found the body of 19-year-old murder victim Miya Marcano in 2021.

“The living conditions of those homes have deteriorated over time," Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. "They are substandard and I certainly wouldn't want one of my relatives living there." 

Officials say the county has invested $3.5 million in trying to improve the situation at Tymber Skan, but now believe it is time to seek another approach.

“The County understands the plight of the existing residents in Tymber Skan and realizes intervention is required to address the conditions and facilitate the revitalization of the property,” the agenda note said.

During the public comment section of Tuesday’s meeting, several current Tymber Skan residents implored members of the Board to reconsider their plans. 

“I really don’t want to lose my home,” resident Thomas Chambers said. “I really don’t. I’ll end up on the streets.”

“Give us time to change it and change things and make things better,” he added.

Others speaking during the meeting, though, fully supported the county’s proposed plan to force the sale of the property.

After listening to about 10 people discuss Tymber Skan, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said the Board has every intention of working to help residents still living there.

He said, though, that the county could not just look the other way while the complex continues to be plagued by health and safety concerns.

"If we could have had other choices for them, and that's what we're trying to do is provide them with other choices," Demings said.

Concerned about what losing their homes would do to the residents, whose properties were valued by the county at about $65,000 each, commissioners decided to push any decisions until March to discuss option with the residents further.

“I just don’t want to be in the situation where we move people out, we help them for a short period of time, and now they are homeless or they have no other out alternative,” District 6 commissioner Michael Scott said.

Scott plans to hold a community meeting before the next discussion.