Category: On The Board

Co-op and condo board members are charged with the all-important responsibility to make critical policy decisions that ensure the building, the property, and their neighbors' interests are cared for and protected. It's a job that requires l…

During a recent news conference about noise pollution, Michael Horodniceanu—the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s president of capital construction—had to shout in order to be heard while speaking at a Second Avenue construction proje…

It starts innocently enough. The plumbing in your building has been giving the residents grief: toilets constantly running, inconsistent water pressure and sputtering faucets. The reserves are low and the three quotes you got from plumbing …

Every relationship starts the same way—people getting to know each other and moving into a new condo or co-op is no different. It’s actually a lot like moving into a new town; there are new neighbors, new rules and new community leaders. S…

With dozens and sometimes hundreds of people living in a community governed by neighbors, acquaintances and friends, it should be no surprise that disputes can happen in co-op and condo buildings. The possibility of disagreements among res…

Having an apathetic, uncommunicative board is a big issue in many buildings and associations, but the opposite situation—a board that oversteps its authority—can be just as problematic. When a board does something it should not do, or fail…

In South Africa, it’s called a “sectional title.” In Quebec, it’s a copropriété divise or “divided co-property.” In Italy, they call it “condominio,” derived from Latin. Regardless of location, a condominium—commonly referred to as “condo”…

The 2015-16 New York State Legislative season is here, and on the table are many housing-related bills, many of which directly impact co-op and condo board members, managers and residents. Housing is also on the agenda in the New York City…

Rare in all but a few cities around the country, residential co-ops are by far the most prevalent type of owner-occupied apartment in New York City, outnumbering condos by 3-1 by some estimates. According to a study commissioned by N…

For co-ops, condos, and HOAs, insurance premiums are some of those quiet necessities that tend to fly under the budgetary radar until it is time to examine the bottom line, provoking a search for savings. Without a doubt, insurance e…