2017 October
Focus on... Board Operations

A condominium, cooperative, or homeowners’ association elects a board for a specific purpose: to manage the community’s day-to-day business, oversee special projects, and draft and uphold the rules and regulations that keep life orderly and…

Community living – the very basis of co-op, condo and HOA life — is based on the idea of trust. In a community of potentially hundreds or thousands of residents, every resident can’t be involved in the making of every decision. Too many coo…

Most people go about their days paying little attention to the labor performed by those who make their lives easier. From transit workers to service employees to government officials, how often does one stop to thank the people making every…

Supers, building managers, maintenance persons, custodial staff, groundskeeping personnel, porters, doormen, concierges—depending on the size of a community, the staff roster for a condo, co-op, or HOA can be pretty long. The truth is, in t…

They are subjects no one ever really wants to discuss: death and divorce. But when it comes to safeguarding an asset as valuable as a family co-op or condo,  those discussions become imperative, however uncomfortable they may be. Should the…

Creating and adhering to an operating budget is a delicate financial balancing act that boards, management, and staff do every year in buildings and associations all across the country. The object is to predict expenses, balance cash inflow…

Attractive communal gathering spaces are one of the many perks often found in co-op and condo living – both in the city and in more suburban communities. Rooftop patios, resident libraries, screening rooms, clubhouses – these amenities are …

Just a few months ago, according to various media reports, property manager Steven Dym of the Queens-based Gabriel Management Corp., was facing a lawsuit for allegedly taking approximately $22,000 from a client. The ultimate result from thi…

Regardless of whether you live in a large co-op community with hundreds of units, a small self-managed co-op with a dozen, or a townhome condominium with just a few, board meetings can be both a chore and a headache. From shareholders or ow…

Under the Façade Inspection and Safety Program (FISP), formerly referred to as Local Law 11, all New York City buildings six stories or higher must have their exterior façades (including balcony enclosures) inspected every five years. A rep…

Q. Can I, a shareholder, get access to records of maintenance work for my own unit? I have been told by the property manager and a board member that the maintenance supervisor has claimed that certain maintenance work was done in my unit …

Q. On September 21, I was re-elected to the board by a majority of votes, as I’ve been on the board for over seven years. On September 22, I resigned my position due to personal circumstances. (I was verbally attacked by two shareholders …

Q. For at least 30 years, all residents (owners and tenants), have been using the main front door of our co-op buildings. Now our board of directors sent out an updated list of rules that says anyone walking or carrying a dog must use the…

Q. My co-op board just voted to require all shareholders to buy homeowners insurance. I'd like to find out if that's a common thing, but I don't know who to ask. Thanks!                                         —Is This Right? A. “R…