Page 14 - NY Cooperator October Expo 2019

14 THE COOPERATOR — OCTOBER 2019 COOPERATOR.COM MANAGEMENT Co-ops, Condos, & Kids Managing Conflict Between Families and Child-Free Residents BY MIKE ODENTHAL While children are most certainly the tions where the interests of parents with future, in the present they can often be a children come up against non-kid-having bit of a handful. In buildings and associa- tions where residents live in close quarters, ers who have downsized by moving into it’s inevitable that unit owners without these communities. “There’s just really kids will cross paths with their neighbors’ no viable space outside in which the kids young ‘uns. This is rarely a problem when can play,” Pyrros laments. “Where there the tykes are well-behaved and playing is grass, it’s limited – and often muddy – safely, but when things get loud or even so the kids will play in the street. And we dangerous, conflicts can arise. A board can have older members who will perhaps oc- only regulate conduct so much without casionally not be fully attentive when driv- encroaching on the rights of residents, so a ing home, so that can get dangerous. And delicate balance must be struck that takes our first priority is obviously protecting into account both those families with chil- dren, and those without. Warning: Children At Play Part of any board-management team’s nage and neon safety indicators, but while mandate is to establish rules that maintain these measures may reduce the risk of ac- quality of life for their community’s par- ents, children and neighbors. This can be “We try to enforce the rules, but they will easier said than done – especially for prop- erties that don’t have designated areas or of the constant considerations that comes facilities in which kids can play safely. Mary Pyrros, director of property man- agement with Kent Builders Management available space, the idea of installing some LLC in Tenafly, New Jersey is currently sort of playground equipment sometimes dealing with two Bergen County associa- residents – particularly older empty-nest- the kids.” Pyrros goes on to say that the commu- nities have implemented things like sig- cidents, they can’t eliminate it outright. occasionally be ignored,” she says. “It’s one with being a manager.” In associations with more abundant comes up, but according to management