2014 January
Focus on... Management/Board Relations

Whether change is good or bad often depends on who you talk to; even a welcome change produces a certain level of stress and adjustment. Personal changes are challenging enough, but for co-op and condo residents, a board decision to change…

Whether a building is a luxury high rise with an in-house movie theater, rooftop pool, and climate-controlled wine cellar or a much more modest low-rise or townhome community with a simple community room or gazebo, managing common amenitie…

As jugglers of multiple and oftentimes complex tasks, property managers must be adept at mediating between board members and unit owners, as well as resolving all manner of maintenance and legal issues. To this end, property managers don’t…

Olivia Pope, the main character on ABC’s Scandal,is a professional fixer. If you have a problem—any problem—she can fix it. Over the past two seasons plus, she’s rigged elections, covered up murders, employed professional hit men, exposed …

Suffice to say, parking is a big deal in New York City. On any given day, you will find hoards of people swarming the densely populated city streets in hopes of getting a good parking spot—or any spot, for that matter. Tourists circle madl…

Charles Dickens once said, “It is a pleasant world we live in, sir, a very pleasant world. There are bad people in it, Mr. Richard, but if there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.” Ah Mr. Dickens speaks the truth. Lo…

According to a well-worn truism, "You can't fight City Hall." In the old days, that was true—particularly when it came to public works projects. If the city wanted to do it, there was no one to say 'no,' except at the ballot box, when it w…

As we enter a new year and get ready for the snow and ice to fall, we, of course, look forward to warmer weather. One of the rites of passage to spring is The Cooperator’s annual Co-op & Condo Expo, which is now 27 years and running. …

Most co-op and condo board members are not fully aware of all of the financial risks and liabilities associated with their service. Some may not realize that the management company, the co-op corporation board or homeowner's association is…

Few things are worse than stepping out into the January cold and immediately slipping on icy concrete. It’s a tough decision to leave the warm environs of your co-op or condo apartment to go out into the frigid cold. Learning proper deicin…

A one-time popular summer resort that attracted the best stars that the cinematic Golden Age of Hollywood had to offer, Far Rockaway has come a long way since its incorporation into New York City in the late 1890s. What is now known …

Q For the past few years, the condominium board and management has consistently denied me my bylaw rights to audit and inspect the books of the condominium. What action can I take? —Righteous in Riverdale A “Most condominium byl…

I teach real estate licensing and continuing education courses at New York University and Long Island University. My question is with regard to Form 86, co-op sublets. It is my understanding that New York State law allows a tenant named on …

I am the president of a board of managers where a member of the board is also a realtor. He manages units in the condo and owns two of the units. Just wondering—is this a conflict of interest? —Brokering in Brooklyn “Clearly, there…