When you decide to run for a board, you’re usually thinking about all the great changes you’re going to make to your building, along with all the time and effort that you’re prepared to sacrifice for the good of your home. Of th…
2013 August
Focus on... Insurance/Board Training
In pretty much all states except New York, if someone doing construction work is injured on the job, workers’ compensation insurance will take effect and cover all medical expenses and lost wages. Here, according to a spokesp…
Suddenly, the room was shaking and the plants around Ron Tepperman’s desk were moving—it took a second for him to register what was happening. Until a real live earthquake shook the city and created panic along the East Coast, that grou…
Most co-op and condo residents have taken part in at least a few annual board elections, and perhaps, they’ve even served on committees, or volunteered on behalf of their building in some other capacity. But those who’ve never taken a s…
Being on a board of a condo or co-op is no picnic. There are tons of decisions to be made, disputes to settle, finances to keep track of and a chance of being sued for a slip-up. So why do so many people decide to serve on a board—some …
Freelance photographer Jocelyn A. lives in a charming, post-war brick townhouse community of over 1,600 units and a $3 million annual budget. She receives a monthly newsletter with over 20 pages of everything to keep residents informed,…
Property management, in the broadest of terms, is defined as the operation, control and oversight of real estate. Most property managers would agree that definition is just a starting point. There are many facets to the demandin…
Any building in New York City taller than, say, five stories usually has an elevator—and often, new buildings of even three stories have one. If you live in a New York-area co-op or condo apartment building, chances are that you use an …
These days, just about everyone is cutting back on spending, either to make ends meet, saving for something special or a rainy day, paying off debt or funding their retirement. Consumers are cutting coupons, looking for deals and keepin…
A glance at a chart of average temperatures in New York City during the summer months (not withstanding the recent heat wave we’ve had) reveals typically it gets into the 80s during the daytime in July and August, and cools off at night…
Under New York law, does a landlord have a general right to inspect leased residential premises in the absence of a specific lease provision granting that right? Assuming no written lease, no specific agreement on the issue, and that th…
I am president of a co-op board in Queens, NY. It has come to my attention that a sexual predator moved in with his son, who owns the apartment. I informed my security team and they are watching him very closely since there are children…