Page 3 - New York Cooperator February 2019

COOPERATOR.COM THE COOPERATOR — FEBRUARY 2019 3 DEPARTMENTS: 4 Pulse/Calendar 5 Questions & Answers 22 Service Directory Publisher Yale Robbins yale@cooperator.com Executive Vice President Henry Robbins henry@cooperator.com Associate Publisher Joanna DiPaola joanna@cooperator.com Senior Editor Hannah Fons hannah@cooperator.com Associate Editors David Chiu david@cooperator.com Pat Gale patgale@cooperator.com Staff Writers Michael Odenthal michael@cooperator.com Alan J. Sidransky alan@cooperator.com Art Director Shirly Korchak shirly@yrinc.com Production Manager Aetna Dowst aetna@yrinc.com Vice President of Advertising Tom Christmann tom@yrinc.com Advertising Directors Rick Levin rick@cooperator.com Fred Marks fred@yrinc.com Peter Chase peter@yrinc.com Ted Olczak ted@yrinc.com Ben Toro Jr. ben@yrinc.com The Cooperator is published monthly by Yale Robbins Publications, LLC, 205 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10016, (212) 683-5700. President: Yale Robbins, Executive Vice President: Henry Robbins. Subscriptions are available free by request to co-op and condo board members and homeowner associations. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Cooperator, 205 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10016. ©Yale Robbins Publications, LLC 2019. All rights reserved. Application to mail Periodicals postage rates is pending at New York NY. FREE Subscriptions for Board Members, Property Managers and Real Estate Decision Makers. To Subscribe, please visit us at: cooperator.com/subscribe March Exterior Maintenance/Expo Issue April Landscaping, Lawn Care & Curb Appeal May Design June Law & Legislation July Budget & Finance August Insurance/Board Training September Energy & the Environment October Board Operations/Expo Issue COMING UP IN THE COOPERATOR TABLE OF CONTENTS THIS MONTH’S FOCUS: BOARD RELATIONSHIPS ON THE WEB: 6 New Gas Line Inspection Law Went Into Effect Jan 1 By David Chiu LIC Condo Combines Art & Architecture By Mike Odenthal Report: $4.5M Brooklyn Condo Signed Into Contract by David Chiu Board Optics By Mike Odenthal Community association and co-op boards typically consist of elected volunteers whose job is to serve the best interests of the community in day-to-day decisions both big and small. In an ideal world, every board would live and die by its fiduciary duty, making well-informed choices that not only keep its community or building solvent, but also maintain a pleasant environment in which to live. But would even that ideal scenario be enough? 8 10 14 16 Board Demographics By A J Sidransky Volunteerism is arguably the bedrock of co-op and condominium communities. One buys into one or the other with the expectation of participating in the governance and operation of the property. Volunteering for board or committee service, though, is often a matter of time – something many of us don’t have much of these days, especially the ‘extra’ kind. Self-Management Strategies By A J Sidransky One of the most important factors in the decision to purchase a condominium or co-op is lifestyle. Many who live in residential communities, particularly those in single-family HOAs, choose community living over a single-family home for the convenience of what they don’t have to do: no snow shoveling, no grass mowing, and no cleaning the gutters or falling off the ladder while doing it. Managing Board Conflict By Mike Odenthal In a community association, it falls on the board to put out any fires that ignite among the property’s residents. But what happens when that blaze springs up between the board members themselves? Those who volunteer to serve on their community association or co-op board are likely to bring strong convictions – and personalities – to the table. Trends: City Versus Suburbs By Mike Odenthal The ‘big city’ is known for its breakneck pace, as life whirls around the unprepared out-of- towner in an overwhelming swirl. Suburbia, on the other hand, is supposed to be a respite from that intense metropolitan grind–a place to patiently teach the kids how to play tee-ball out in the yard until it’s time for dinner. 18