Whenever a resident, board member or building owner gets frustrated by inaction or the process of wading through the bureaucratic red tape of board politics, it's hard to know where to turn for a solution. Hostility accomplishes li…
It is not uncommon for a precious commodity such as season tickets to the Yankees, Giants or Knicks to be handed down from father to son or from grandfather to grandson. So, in today's marketplace, it's easy to see why an apartment owner…
All too often, individuals hastily volunteer to become a member of the board of directors in their condo or co-op building. Although these people should be commended for their effort and enthusiasm, often lost upon the typical board mem…
Smoking, a purchaser's pets, personal habits, and even cooking with the flair of Emeril are only some of the touchy aspects that a board may take into account when considering a new resident's application for admission into a building t…
In the post 9/11 world, building owners and managers have to feel a little bit like "Big Brother" the tyrannical, all-seeing, all-knowing holographic presence that George Orwell chillingly wrote about in his classic sci-fi novel 1984. …
There’s no question that the Internet has revolutionized the way the world communicates. E-mail has become such an integral part of our lives and work, it’s hard to imagine how anybody got anything done without it. Fast and convenient a…
More than 100 board members, residents, and guests recently gathered to hear a workshop seminar on how boards can avoid discriminatory practices when approving applications from prospective purchasers. The seminar panels were held in conjun…
Although the US economy appears to have been in a steady decline for some time, it would seem that financial fraud and abuse are, unfortunately, "growth sectors." In 1996, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) published i…
When I was growing up in the ‘60s, our large rental building in Queens was like a village. My mother played mah jong once a week with several neighbor ladies, and Tuesdays were Dad’s poker nights. We kids played freely in the halls, practic…
New York is an expensive town–on that point there can be little debate. Regardless of your means, sometimes it can feel as though everybody from the waitress at your favorite coffee shop to the person who sacks your groceries is trying to g…