Walls are the only separation between you and your neighbors when you live in a  densely-populated area like Manhattan, and sometimes, it feels like privacy  goes out the window. People hear their next-door neighbors talking, footsteps  f…

 People living along the Gulf Coast have long accepted hurricanes as a fact of  life—one that brings with it torrential rain, howling winds, and devastating  hailstorms. The Mid-Atlantic has been hit with a few big storms over the past  tw…

 A key to success and functionality in any relationship is clear, consistent  communication. In a residential community, part of achieving functionality is  managing the information in the governing documents and records which detail  the …

 Management of any property requires a varying degree of resources and skills.  Materials, capital, and personnel are required for everything from ordering  supplies to the complete overseeing of a multi-unit, high rise co-op or  condomini…

 In the ongoing effort to limit the non-smoking public's exposure to secondhand  cigarette smoke, municipal governments across the country are coming up with  increasingly strict bans on smoking in public places—even on public streets and …

 Lawsuits are usually not an association’s go-to method for dispute resolution. Expensive and time-consuming, they can  quickly turn into a financial burden and may create strained relations in the  community. Unfortunately, in some cases …

 While some condos and co-ops are lucky enough to have lawyers serve as members  of their board, the majority of boards don’t have an in-house legal expert. They often reach out to their attorney to  answer questions, vet documents and sen…

 The New York State legislative season is here again, and bills of all kinds are  being considered, including housing. Some of these bills directly impact co-op  and condo board members, managers and residents. Housing is also on the agend…

 Fires devastated Breezy Point; areas of Staten Island were destroyed with lives  lost; thousands of residents in Lower Manhattan were plunged into darkness after an  electrical transformer exploded on the East River. These events were amo…

Q Does a cooperative board have the legal right to create their own occupancy  guidelines?    —Curious Cooperator   A “The proprietary lease (sometimes called the “occupancy agreement” in certain co-ops) of a cooperative t…