Regardless of whether you live in a large co-op community with hundreds of units, a small self-managed co-op with a dozen, or a townhome condominium with just a few, board meetings can be both a chore and a headache. From shareholders or ow…
Attractive communal gathering spaces are one of the many perks often found in co-op and condo living – both in the city and in more suburban communities. Rooftop patios, resident libraries, screening rooms, clubhouses – these amenities are …
Supers, building managers, maintenance persons, custodial staff, groundskeeping personnel, porters, doormen, concierges—depending on the size of a community, the staff roster for a condo, co-op, or HOA can be pretty long. The truth is, in t…
Most people go about their days paying little attention to the labor performed by those who make their lives easier. From transit workers to service employees to government officials, how often does one stop to thank the people making every…
A condominium, cooperative, or homeowners’ association elects a board for a specific purpose: to manage the community’s day-to-day business, oversee special projects, and draft and uphold the rules and regulations that keep life orderly and…
Given that a condominium or co-op board is charged with representing the interests of a diverse group of homeowners or shareholders, it follows that boards themselves should embody the diversity of their resident population. In New York Cit…
The amount of time and energy invested by board members in the many decisions and projects surrounding the successful functioning of a building community can demand the kind of commitment and dedication required by a demanding part-time job…
The co-op application process is one of rigor and induced anxiety, whereby aspiring shareholders are scrutinized not only for their finances, but their character and demeanor as well. The length of the review varies by association, but it o…
Lawsuits are expensive endeavors, period. But what about everyday legal costs - contract vetting, sending documents back and forth, assessing prospective purchasers' information, and so forth? How can boards keep a lid on those expendit…
As we’ve recently seen in the news--from the Democratic National Committee email leaks about Bernie Sanders from last year’s presidential election, to the latest in the Trump-Russia brouhaha --emails aren’t always the safest and sec…