No matter how harmonious and peaceful your building or association, legal issues are sure to come up from time to time. Dealing with them prudently and effectively is crucial to preserving community cohesion and morale, and avoiding sky-hig…

In many neighborhoods, there is always that one building that just drags down the vibrancy of everything in its vicinity. Maybe it was derelict and an always an eyesore. Or perhaps it's the one property left that doesn't fit in with a speci…

Picture this: You’ve lived in your apartment for 15 years and now you’re ready to move.  You love the kitchen you put in when you moved in,  but now it’s a little tired.   So what do you do?  Do you spend the money to renovate and offer yo…

Opponents of an Upper East Side condo project are asking the city to squash the developer’s plans to build it, claiming that the developer is trying to circumvent zoning rules so it could make the luxury tower higher. Developer DDG is buil…

What's a reserve study, and why should your building or HOA conduct them regularly? Find out why they're a crucial part of your community's financial, mechanical, and structural health! 

In New York City, the real estate game is hard fought and won by aggressive players. Everyone wants a piece, from developers to buyers. So when space -- a rarity in the crowded metropolis -- becomes available, it gets used. Interestingly,…

If you are a New York homeowner, you may have heard about STAR , a program under the state's Department of Taxation and Finance that helps provides property tax relief.  If not, you may be missing out on potential savings. Here's an in…

Occupying a dense city like New York can make for strange bedfellows. Parties that wouldn't ordinarily mesh often must do so simply for the sake of space being at such a premium. And sometimes it works. For instance, The Odd Couple is a…

Q. At a regular monthly meeting of a seven-member HOA board where four members present constitute a quorum, can one of the absent members give her proxy to one of the four attending members to vote on specific issues on the board’s agenda…

Q. We are shareholders and residents in a co-op in Westchester. The building provides underground parking for a fee. These cars are handled by a contracted valet parking service, who are careless to say the least. For a small increase in …