As Seen OnCBS Miami has covered Ari Pregen’s work defending South Florida property owners against code enforcement proceedings on multiple occasions. Coverage references The Pregen Firm, Ari’s broader South Florida civil litigation practice.
The Code Clinic, PLLC was founded on a simple premise: every property owner deserves the same level of legal representation that developers and institutions have always had access to when facing code enforcement. Attorney Ari Pregen has put that premise into practice in courtrooms, in Special Magistrate hearings, and — as CBS Miami has reported — in public forums where the fairness of South Florida’s code enforcement system itself has been scrutinized.
CBS Miami Coverage
Fort Lauderdale Couple Feared $5,000 Daily Fines Over Code Violations, But City Proposes $600 Penalty
CBS Miami covered Ari’s representation of a Fort Lauderdale couple facing potential $5,000-per-day fines over code violations. The story highlighted a systemic problem that Ari has fought to expose: property owners are summoned to Special Magistrate hearings without being told the fine amount they face until they appear. As Ari told CBS Miami directly: “That’s not code enforcement. That’s a trap.” The city ultimately proposed a $600 penalty — a fraction of what had been threatened.
Read the Article at CBS Miami →Miami Gardens Homeowners Push Back Against City’s Swale Maintenance Fines
CBS Miami covered Ari’s representation of Miami Gardens homeowners facing code enforcement fines over swale maintenance — a widespread issue affecting property owners across South Florida who are being cited for conditions on the public right-of-way adjacent to their property. The coverage highlighted how municipalities use code enforcement as a revenue mechanism against homeowners who have little awareness of their rights or the procedural tools available to contest the citations.
Read the Article + Watch Video at CBS Miami →Lauderdale Lakes Commissioners’ Walkout Halts Vote on Relief for Property Owners Facing Six-Figure Fines
CBS Miami reported on Ari’s advocacy for Lauderdale Lakes property owners facing six-figure code enforcement fines, and the political battle over municipal relief measures. The story captured the moment when Lauderdale Lakes commissioners walked out — halting a vote on fine relief that would have benefited dozens of property owners. Ari’s advocacy for these clients extended beyond the Special Magistrate hearing room to the legislative and political arena.
Read the Article + Watch Video at CBS Miami →Why code enforcement fairness matters
The CBS Miami coverage reflects a broader reality that The Code Clinic was built to address. Code enforcement in Florida is a system with extraordinary power — the authority to impose fines of up to $1,000 per day under Florida Statute §162.09(1), to record liens that attach to property and block sales and refinancing under §162.09(3), and in some cases to trigger repeat violation fines of up to $5,000 per day without a new hearing. Most property owners who enter that system have no idea how it works, what their rights are, or that the notice they received can be challenged.
Ari’s comment to CBS Miami — “That’s not code enforcement. That’s a trap” — captures what The Code Clinic exists to prevent. Property owners who know their rights, who appear prepared at their hearings, and who have experienced legal representation consistently achieve dramatically better outcomes than those who do not. Code violations can be dismissed. Fines can be dramatically reduced. But none of that happens automatically — it requires knowing the system and how to work it.
Facing a code violation in South Florida?
The same attorney who fought for fairness in these CBS Miami stories is available to review your violation — free, with no obligation. The Code Clinic, PLLC offers flat-fee representation for property owners, landlords, and businesses across Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and statewide. Call (305) 396-1495 or visit thecodeclinicpa.com. One flat fee. No hourly billing. No surprises.