Condo owner living in van finally gets keys back after years locked out at Seven Lakes

Ted Stegner couldn't afford to pay two rents. More than three years after Hurricane Ian, he found himself living in his van, still paying his mortgage, HOA fees, and utilities for a home he couldn't enter.

On Christmas morning, that changed.

“I was sleeping in my van around nine o’clock,” Stegner said. “Knock on the door, and here’s your keys. All right, thank you.”

Stegner showed WINK News Anchor Liz Birothe twin-size bed he had shoved into the back of his van, with four blankets to stay warm during cold nights. 

“It feels great,” he said. “I mean, it’s nice to be able to stand up instead of always being bent over and on your knees in the car. And it’s great. Climate control, you know, it’s nice.”

The only thing keeping Stegner from getting back into his condo had been the Seven Lakes Association’s original “Unit Release Form,” which required residents to waive any claims against the association for Hurricane Ian repairs. 

Biro took the form to anattorney who questioned the legality of the original form and whether it could be considered coercion. Because without signing, owners couldn't get their keys.

Biro also reached out to the Condo Association and the General Manager.

After continuous reporting, the association issued a new form.

“It’s now called an ‘Owner Acknowledgment Form,’” Stegner explained. “They dropped all the claims and liabilities for the owner. They’re offering you a one-year warranty. It’s better than it was — way better.”

Bill Barrow, another Seven Lakes owner, said he was thrilled for Stegner but cautioned the fight wasn’t over. 

“I was elated, you know, I had a little happy ending,” Barrow said. “But it’s just the beginning. Ted has a long way to go, and the other residents here getting their units is just the start. It’s a bare minimum.”

Barrow said nearly 50 units in another building, Building 25, remain uninhabitable without Certificates of Occupancy. “No flooring, no cabinetry — just the bare necessities,” he said. “And the owners aren’t allowed to see the progress being made, which makes it hard to coordinate their own contractors to finish the units.”

Owners say the new form is a step in the right direction. Stegner said management “gave a lot to gain the trust of the community back. Means a lot. So I think it was an even trade-off, and a step in the right direction.”

Barrow praised WINK News for helping bring results. “I went to every extreme, every government agency — DBPR, governor’s office, Congressman Byron Donalds’ office — never got any replies. But WINK News. We really appreciate your help.”

 Stegner added simply, “And WINK listens.” For now, Stegner is back inside his condo, focusing on getting his home ready. “

One day at a time, get the place fixed up as best I can, as fast as I can, and go from there,” he said.

But the story isn’t over. Many owners in Building 25 remain locked out, and questions about oversight and enforcement persist. 

WINK News will continue to follow the issue as owners work to regain access to their homes.