Historically, co-op boards in New York City haven’t been required to provide much of an explanation to applicants about why applications for co-ops are rejected. Many applicants with good financial portfolios, good references and …

Co-op boards and homeowners’ associations maintain building-specific bylaws, rules and regulations, and are responsible for making sure they are enforced. The certificate of incorporation, the proprietary lease and the bylaws are like a …

Unless you’re a Broadway star, the thought of having a spotlight pointed at you probably is not that appealing. No doubt, most prospective co-op buyers feel that kind of “center of attention” pressure when it comes time to go before the boa…

Crowded together though they may be, most co-op and condo buildings seem to operate as little communities or villages unto themselves. They have their own individual boards, residents, managers, and even their own doorman and/or securit…

Disagreement and conflict between neighbors is something people have had to contend with since the first two Paleolithic human families decided to set up house in adjacent caves. While serious problems may be rarities in the suburbs and exu…

The house rules outline the do’s and don’ts of every co-op and condo community. By and large, these regulations are common sense directives aimed at protecting the safety of residents and generally keeping order without stepping on peopl…

As an attorney and an apartment dweller, Michelle Freudenberger has seen it all when it comes to living with difficult residents.     “I lived next door to twin toddlers whose parents were both attorneys,” says Freudenberger, prin…

We all know the feeling—whether we encounter it trying to navigate the city bureaucracy, dealing with a far-flung credit card call center, or trying to resolve an issue with our cable box: the feeling that we’ve got a legitimate problem, an…

Q My co-op is about to engage in a multi-million dollar energy upgrade project.  The board president has decided to not allow me—a newly elected member of the board— and any shareholders access to review the documents on this project. How…

Q If a building decides to adopt a transfer tax, can they impose a tax when an apartment is sold to an outsider but exempt from the tax when selling to an insider? The apartments that have been combined with other apartments, (three …