Category: On The Board

As a construction attorney I can say that it is rare that a change is made in the law which revolutionizes the design industry. Up until now, the laws in the State of New York only allowed architectural and engineering firms to be owned…

 Tell someone at a cocktail party that you are on a co-op board and the most  likely response is “What a thankless task!” It seems every New Yorker has a co-op board horror story—and many of them probably contain more than a grain of truth…

 The sad reality is that when a hurricane, flood or fire strikes, often the  greatest damage is not caused by the crisis itself, but rather by poor decision  making by boards in the aftermath of the event.    In the aftermath of a d…

 New York City law will phase out the burning of Number 6 fuel oil in the near  future.    Should you wait until the last minute until making the switch to cleaner fuel  oil in your own building? Does it make sense to do it now, or …

Election season typically starts around Labor Day, when we start to be bombarded with reminders to cast our ballots to choose who we want to be in charge of our city, town, state and country. It ends on Election Day in November, when th…

 If the board of directors is the Barnum & Bailey of the cooperative or condominium, the manager is the ringmaster. The  board finances the show and books the talent, but all eyes are on the manager.    “Everything falls on you,” sa…

 Whether you are dipping your toe in the real-estate buying pool for the first  time, or you’re soaking in it after purchasing numerous properties, the Institute of Real  Estate Management (IREM) is an organization to take note of.   …

 When you’re decorating your home, there are two things you want to bear in mind if you  have children. You want to keep the design functional, but safe. After all,  anyone who’s ever had, or just looked after, a baby or toddler, can tell …

The main source of any co-op or condo building’s revenue comes from maintenance charges. That seems self-evident. But sometimes a building or development may suddenly need to undergo emergency repairs or fund large capital impr…

Birds in flight may be beautiful, but their departure sometimes leaves the nest unprotected. And when that nest is in a condominium or cooperative community, property managers and boards must do their best to compensate. This …