2013 October
Focus on... Board Operations

There’s nothing worse than being a unit owner in a building and seeing someone on your board breaking a rule and seemingly getting away with it. Some board members believe that they are “above the law” so to speak, and seem to be ope…

Finding the right balance of involvement between HOAs and condo boards and residents can be like maintaining a healthy relationship with a significant other—you want to be compassionate, responsive and attentive, but not too needy, nosy or…

You may love your building. You may even love your neighbors and the members of your board. But there are few people who can say that they love their monthly board meetings or annual owner or shareholder meetings. That’s because these meet…

Living in a condo means putting up with certain occasional inconveniences: that curious odor emanating from the neighbor’s unit, the downstairs saxophone player who practices every Tuesday afternoon, or that one resident that insists at ev…

It’s no secret that helping to run a board of directors or board of managers of a co-op or a condo association is quite often a thankless task. There are a lot of issues to take care of, and board members are strictly volunteers. While the…

Someone once said that "People who say that small things don't bother them have never slept in a room with a mosquito." The truth is that there are little irritations—otherwise known as pet peeves—about a job, relationship, or other …

Many aspects of the American work landscape have changed radically in the last two decades. As the service and information economies have overtaken manufacturing and other more traditional forms of labor, the old 9-to-5, office-bound workd…

Time was, a nice spacious condo unit with a good location, a decent view and several basic amenities like a laundry room, a doorman and a gym or pool were what New York City buyers wanted when they went home-shopping. However, as more buil…

Modern cities are amazing creations, pulsing with life 24 hours a day, and built to cater to every need of residents. Take away just one of any city dweller’s basic necessities like plumbing, electricity or heating and air conditioning, th…

If your neighbor blasts his music during the weekends, do you have a right to complain to the management? Can you sublet a room in your co-op apartment to make some extra cash? How many unit owners have to be present at a meeting in order …

Manhattan dwellers desperate for a break from the constant buzzing of frenetic energy that surrounds the city—or just a little bit of elbow room—often look to Northern Manhattan as an escape from it all. Sure, Hamilton Heights or Inw…

It's been said that there is strength in numbers and there have long been organizations that strive to strengthen and clarify the roles of owners, residents, and managers in condos and co-ops. One vitally important professional—the superin…

To reduce their potential liability from secondhand smoke-related issues, condominium and cooperative boards and landlords or rental buildings can attempt to adopt rules and bylaws or lease terms that clearly address smoking issues. (Altho…

Let’s face it. Every multifamily or commercial building owner would like to substantially lower their utility costs. Prices for energy and water are projected to go nowhere but up in the future. When you start to factor in the new regulati…

If you want to catch mice the simple solution is to use a mouse trap. If the mouse trap does not work, and often they don't, then you have to find an alternate solution. One good solution is to get a natural predator of the mouse to assist…

A Problem Superintendent Q I think we have the world’s worst super. I live in Queens. Our super doesn’t do repairs to any problem in the building. He farms out all projects to more expensive contractors. He always wants to be compen…

For the past few years, the condominium board and management has denied me the right under our bylaws to audit and inspect the books of the condominium. What action, if any, can I take? —Concerned in Chelsea “Both New York law …