Residents of the Amrit Ocean Resort on Singer Island have submitted a formal application to Riviera Beach to change the designation of their units in the complex from resort hotel units to condominiums.
That change would allow residents to claim a homestead property tax exemption and save them thousands of dollars per year.
Residents have said they were duped into believing the units were condos and not resort hotel rooms, which are not eligible for homestead exemptions. They've also complained about the condition of the complex, which they say has had a leaky roof, broken electrical panels and drainage problems that have allowed sewage to seep through unit walls.
The whole episode has taken years to resolve and spurred Amrit residents to plead
for help from the Riviera Beach City Council.
What is the Amrit Ocean Resort?
The Amrit Ocean Resort is a 351-unit, twin tower complex located at 3100 N. Ocean Drive on Riviera Beach's Singer Island that opened in 2024. More than half of the units — 182 — are residential.
"Wellness for life," is the catchphrase on the complex' website. Its Facebook page says Amrit is "the next generation destination spa wellness resort located on Singer Island."
Is the Amrit a hotel or a condo complex?
This question is at the heart of the dispute between residents and the project's developer, Dilip Barot's Creative Choice Group.
Some residents paid $1 million or more for a unit in Amrit, believing they were purchasing a condo in a luxurious, ocean-front complex. They have argued that some Riviera Beach staff members were not clear on the designation of the units and that they were marketed as condos and not hotel rooms.
The city has the complex listed as a hotel, a designation that does not allow residents to claim a homestead property tax exemption and has blocked some from getting mail.
What do Amrit residents want?
Residents have complained that the city should have done a better job inspecting Amrit before it was allowed to open. They have said the building has health and safety problems, including busted electrical panels, a sewage drainage problem, a leaky roof and a locked fire exit.
City inspectors have gone into the building, and Jason Detar, president of the Amrit Ocean Resort Condominium Association, said problems are being "addressed through the appropriate engineering, legal and turnover processes."
Amrit residents have also said they need the city's help to change the designation of their units from hotel resort units to condos. That would allow them to claim a homestead property tax exemption.
How has Riviera Beach responded to Amrit complaints?
City Councilman Glen Spiritis, whose district includes the stretch of Singer Island where the Amrit is located, has spearheaded efforts to get relief for residents. He has held multiple meetings in the building and asked to have city staff get involved to work on building problems and look into a change in the designation of the units.
The city will provide technical assistance to residents as they seek that change, but the final decision will be up to the city council, which would need to take two votes to make the change official.
What's next for Amrit residents?
Amrit residents and the city will need to sort out a few issues.
The city has a process to allow resort hotel rooms to be re-classified as condominiums, but it typically costs $52,500 per unit. Amrit residents want to convert all 182 residential units to condos, which would cost $9.6 million, a huge sum.
A preliminary review from city staff indicated that parking and density rules that determine how many units a building can have per acre would limit Amrit to converting only 60 units. Amrit residents argue that the figure is actually 40 units, and they are asking the city to significantly reduce or waive the conversion fee.
That request comes as the city is looking to make expansive — and expensive — upgrades like a new water treatment facility, a new fire station, new parks facilities, a new police department headquarters and a new city hall.
Wayne Washington is a journalist covering education and Riviera Beach development for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Why Amrit Resort owners want city to reclassify their homes as condos
