Category: Building Operations

Like the skin of the human body, a building’s façade is its largest organ (so to speak), offering structure and protection, as well as a first aesthetic impression. It also takes the brunt of extremely harsh conditions: weather, wind, water…

As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression—which is why the façade of your building should always look clean and in top shape, for both aesthetic and commercial reasons. Important as appearances are, however,…

Individual unit owners, co-op corporations, and condominium associations are all always seeking ways to control and lower their energy costs. In these inflationary times, and with the City’s declared intent to make New York a carbon zero en…

A new NYC law will place yet another inspection requirement on co-op and condo communities with parking facilities on their premises. Known as Local Law 126/2021, the measure is only the latest in a long and growing string of ordinances pas…

Over the last few decades, property technology, or 'proptech' has completely transformed how we live and work. Historically, the real estate industry has been slow to embrace technology - which means many co-op and HOA boards are missing ou…

In a recent statement, Mayor Adams announced a new law, which he has dubbed the Rat Reduction Act. Despite the name, the Act does not hold the city’s rats responsible for their mayhem and destruction. Rather, it seeks to reduce the rat prob…

In many ways co-op, condo, and HOA living represents the most basic form of representative democracy. Like the ancient Athenians, we gather periodically to elect a small group from among us to represent our joint interests and to oversee th…

In the world of co-ops, condos, and HOAs, management plays a slightly different role than it does in the rest of the real estate world. For example, in many rental buildings, the landlord or property owner often acts as de facto manager as …

Like any profession, property management has its moments. Managers often feel a sense of great achievement when they’ve done a good job for a client community, sorting out a seemingly intractable problem, saving them thousands of dollars, o…

Building owners - as well as co-op and condo boards - are facing the challenging task of complying with NYC’s array of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) laws, which are intended to measure, track, and report the energy efficiency of buildings …