Say that you and your neighbors have been living a quiet, peaceful life on your tree-lined city block for years and years. Suddenly, you see construction workers digging in that vacant lot next to your condo or co-op building. So you go dow…

Every property manager has a horror story or two—or three, or four, or forty-seven—about the sub-zero winter night when the boiler in a 400-unit high-rise went kaput, or what happened when the sprinkler system decided to turn on for no disc…

A few generations ago, even the largest residential buildings had basic electrical needs, such as lighting the building and running some washing machines. Residents back then generally only had a TV, a radio, some lamps and a few kitchen ap…

It creeps in silently and is everywhere at once. It is totally invisible to the naked eye, but often carries potentially dangerous materials. It can cause sickness and discomfort without ever being detected. What on earth could it be? …

Apartment buildings, whether cooperatives or condos, are inherently fragile. When that many units share the same plot of land, and the same walls, the same floors, the same elevators and stairways, standpipes and boilers, lobbies and roo…

Q We are having a few issues with our co-op board and the management company. Since the new management company has been ‘in power’ (about three years) the maintenance payments have been raised more than 20 percent in two increases. The …

Q I’m a board member of co-op building. We have one member of the board who is a real estate broker. He brought one issue to our attention. Our co-op is an owner of a very small piece of land that is adjacent to another building near o…

Q Are shareholders in co-ops entitled to know the names, addresses, phone numbers or other contact information for their fellow shareholders? —Inquiring Shareholder A “The simple answer to the question here is, yes. S…

Q I am a new member to the board of directors for my condo association. We are currently working on the upcoming year’s budget. Could you please provide me some insight into the following question: is it customary the condo association …

Q The board of managers of our upstate condo issued a ruling that any unit owner who is behind in payment of common charges cannot vote at the annual meeting. Our bylaws only say that each unit owner is entitled to one vote. No menti…