2011 March
Focus on... Exterior Maintenance

 Good information and clear communication are crucial for anyone involved with  the administration of a cooperative, condominium or homeowners association—crucial not just to thriving, but surviving in today's challenging economic  times. …

 Believe it or not, pigeons are related to doves (both hail from the columbidae  family of birds) but to many co-op and condo buildings, the former are not at  all symbolic of peace. Quite the contrary. Although rats, mice, cockroaches,  a…

 While recent decades have seen the rise of glass-and-steel as architects'  favorite materials for new construction, the bulk of New York City's facades  remain clad in brick. From last-century red-brick tenement buildings in the  Village …

 It’s no secret—living space is at a premium in New York City. Balconies can go a long way  toward providing a little extra elbow room by giving co-op and condo residents  the square footage necessary to entertain, relax or simply enjoy a …

 Probably ever since the first hominids shared a wall between their adjacent  caves, neighbors have complained about each other. Modern multifamily housing  dwellers are no different. Residents may even sometimes feel like their  situation…

 “Light” and “Air” are probably two of the terms most overused by New York City real estate types,  but even so, every resident wants more of both in their apartment—and one way to get them is via a skylight. Skylights are often found in t…

 Since first taking office, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has made environmental  protection and preservation something of a personal mission. Eco-advocates have  applauded his ambitious PlaNYC initiative with its goal of cutting the city’s e…

 After receiving over 4,200 comments on a proposal that would have eliminated  flip taxes and transfer fees in co-ops, condos and HOA communities, the Federal  Housing Finance Authority (FHFA) has reconsidered its position and will allow  …

 Politics is a subject that can ignite fierce passions and discussions among the  tightest of friends and the most loving family members. Being elected to a building's board doesn’t usually require a campaign budget, but financial and emot…

 Condominium boards of managers and cooperative corporation boards’ of directors face special challenges when dealing with unit owners or  tenant-shareholders who suffer from mental illness, psychological disorders  and/or substance abuse.…

 Between 2011 and 2013, owners and managers of existing properties in New York  City will start to feel the impact of two energy-related laws signed by Mayor  Michael R. Bloomberg at the end of 2009. Many property professionals might  stil…

When most of us think of New York City architecture, skyscrapers and brownstones are probably what spring to mind most readily—but there's a lot more to New York City's beautiful buildings than just plate-glass and bricks. The city is h…

 Nowadays, almost every co-op and condo board member and every board manager  knows about Local Law 11 inspections. The law and its predecessor, Local Law  10, were originally enacted to make building facades safe and to protect  pedestria…

Q We have had one tenant/shareholder who has cost the co-op over $100,000 in legal fees since 2000. We continue to be at odds with this tenant because of her objectionable behavior. She continually makes unfounded calls to the police d…

Q I am an owner in a building that went condo 10 years ago. In 2008, our taxes were reduced by a firm that does this procedure for the building. However, my individual real estate taxes are way out of line compared to other apartmen…

Q I am the owner of a one-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I have a legal subtenant who filled out all forms and paid all the fees as described on the required two-year lease provided by the board, including that o…