Whether living in a crowded high-rise or a sprawling suburban community, when it comes to condos, co-ops and homeowners’ associations, safety is paramount. From management to the board to fellow residents, it falls to everyone to show conce…

In many ways co-op, condo, and HOA living represents the most basic form of representative democracy. Like the ancient Athenians, we gather periodically to elect a small group from among us to represent our joint interests and to oversee th…

In the world of co-ops, condos, and HOAs, management plays a slightly different role than it does in the rest of the real estate world. For example, in many rental buildings, the landlord or property owner often acts as de facto manager as …

Like any profession, property management has its moments. Managers often feel a sense of great achievement when they’ve done a good job for a client community, sorting out a seemingly intractable problem, saving them thousands of dollars, o…

Building owners - as well as co-op and condo boards - are facing the challenging task of complying with NYC’s array of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) laws, which are intended to measure, track, and report the energy efficiency of buildings …

At this time of year, it’s customary (and just good manners) to show your appreciation for the work your building or association staff does for you and your neighbors by giving year-end holiday tips—but how much to give, and how to give it …

Even before the pandemic, the part of the tech sector specifically serving apartment dwellers was evolving fast. Virtual doormen, package and delivery tracking, online portals for work orders, document access, and other resident business we…

October marked the beginning of heating season in New York City.  For those of you who have cast iron radiators to heat your apartments, here’s a helpful tip: Radiator valves will turn your radiators on and off. Simple right? But did you k…

Q. Why are co-op board minutes so sparse that others who read them—shareholders, lawyers, brokers—have no real idea what goes on at meetings? This is because minutes are routinely ‘sanitized’ to leave out any troublesome issues, any comme…

Q. I live in a condominium that consists of seven individual buildings, all three- to four-family, that is co-joined by another condominium on the same block. We are sharing a private sewer line with one connection out to the city sewer; …