Property managers have a lot on their minds. There are board meetings to attend, legal issues to wade through, phone calls to return, emails to answer and a constant parade of maintenance issues to contend with at any given time. The j…
Mel Garskof is thrilled about the lobby makeover that will happen in the coming year at the Kips Bay area cooperative building where he lives. The public halls will be renovated, including new wallpaper and carpet, doors will be repain…
Few experiences can rattle the collective confidence of a co-op or condo community as much as charges of fraud. Trusts are broken and faiths betrayed, all in the name of personal gain. Boards and residents can protect themselves, thoug…
In its last meeting of 2005, the New York City Council enacted legislation to make the city a quieter, cleaner and more environmentally-friendly place to live. Perhaps one of the major initiatives sought by the mayor’s office was revis…
Some years ago, an acquaintance of ours worked as a “permit clerk” for a plumber while on summer vacation in college. The plumber would give him paperwork for a work project, he would go to the city offices, and, in theory, he would ge…
Unlike co-ops, which are governed by the business corporation law and the common law with respect to cooperative housing corporations, condominiums are really a creature of statute. The statute that gives authority to create condominiu…
If you’ve ever attended a meeting and witnessed the group president call it into order, heard the secretary review the minutes of the previous meeting, heard motions, seconds and then voted, you have participated in parliamentary procedu…
Meandering cobblestone streets lined with 19th century brownstones. Tiny parks and postage-stamp sized courtyards tucked away in odd corners. Cafes and shops where hipsters, yuppies, and urban archetypes of all kinds rub shoulders in pe…
Several interesting court decisions regarding co-ops and condos were made during the latter part of 2005. The decisions received some commentary, but perhaps not the attention that they deserve. In a condo case, the Appellate Court tha…
In little Italy, architect Adam Kuchner, of Kuchner Studios, is putting the finishing touches on 23 premier high-end condominium apartments. Located at 123 Baxter Street, the elite units include such exquisite design features as s…
Q For many seniors living in co-ops and condos, the viability of placing their owned units into revocable or irrevocable trusts has become an area of interest. The major problem with this is that boards and managing agents are re…
Q Can a co-op board restrict outside contractors on a religious holiday? If so, is it legal for this to be done for only one religion? The board of my co-op has restricted work on all, including the minor, Jewish holidays. By ‘mi…