Q I believe that owners have a fiduciary responsibility to the association, as  they are held in a public trust of that association just like board members.  The responsibilities and duties of owners in a homeowner association are  outlin…

Q We are having a major problem with our board president and vice-president. We  have a seven member board, in which one of the directors has asked to see a  list of bills paid to date and other board inquires. He was told that he is not …

 There are a number of consultants out there that are “pretending” that they can prepare the energy audit and energy efficiency reports required  by Local Law 87.    Local Law 87 of New York City's Greener, Greater Buildings Plan re…

 Recently, the Appellate Division First Department, in Fletcher v. Dakota, Inc.,  involving a shareholder in The Dakota, a historic luxury co-op on the Upper  West Side, held that the business judgment rule does not protect individual  con…

 While residents may breathe a sigh of relief when winter and its piles of snow,  slushy puddles and blasts of arctic air finally exits the scene, co-op and  condo buildings can’t always shake off the ravages of the season so easily.   …

 As the old adage goes, one bad apple can upset the apple cart. The same theory  holds true for residents who choose to ignore bylaws or house rules, even if  they are well-intended and in place to serve the greater good of the community. …

 While a building’s facade might draw the eye initially, it’s usually the first employee a visitor encounters that forms a lasting  impression. And for many condominiums in New York City, the resident doorman  holds this coveted, all-impor…

 Time was, if you said that a co-op or condo building was 'going to the dogs,' it  was a bad thing. These days however, that's not always the case. According to  the American Pet Products Association, 39 percent of all U.S. households own …

 It’s the same dilemma that single-family households across the U.S. are facing:  What bills need to be paid immediately and what bills can wait? And should we  stretch ourselves thin, taking more out of our bank accounts to pay for privat…

 With multifamily buildings, who is in charge of the property and how well those  people are trained are critically important factors in the successful operation  of the community. Board members are a part of this management class, which i…