Category: Law & Legislation

Even if you're on the board of a tiny, tight-knit building or association, that doesn't mean that you can handle your community's business with a handshake over coffee at the local diner. For the protection and long-term security of your co…

Third in an ongoing series on housing discrimination. Read parts one and two . In this series, The Cooperato r has examined discrimination laws in relation to multifamily buildings. Among the issues we’ve covered included people…

Lawsuits are expensive endeavors, period. But what about everyday legal costs - contract vetting, sending documents back and forth, assessing prospective purchasers' information, and so forth? How can boards keep a lid on those expendit…

This is the second part in a series on housing discrimination and multifamily buildings. Click here to read part one. The legal definition of 'physical disability' has changed and expanded over the years. While it might be clear that …

First in a series. To read part two, click here . The rights of people living with physical disabilities have always been closely entwined with the issue of housing discrimination. In some instances, cases involving discrimination and t…

In March  2015, an illegal tap on a gas line caused an explosion in a residential building in the East Village. Two lives were lost and three buildings were leveled. In the aftermath, it became clear that while the city required ins…

There are some expenses that boards don't have much control over - maintenance supplies, utilities, and fuel, just to name a few - but others can definitely be kept under control, and legal costs are one of them. In this clip, legal pros gi…

The rules are almost always different for co-ops, and that is most certainly true for occupancy issues.  One of the initial reasons for the co-op ownership structure, both on the part of the those already living there and those buying in, w…

Depending on our profession and habits, we may interact with dozens of people on any given day. And amidst all of these interactions, we inevitably experience annoyances: being squashed among fellow commuters on the train; scoffing at the d…

Whether as a member of a cooperative or a condominium association, a shareholder or unit owner maintains certain rights within their chosen community. However, achieving harmony among neighbors isn’t always easy. Rights aside, residents are…