Category: Building Operations

On October 17, a routine walk past a Morningside Heights cooperative turned into a fortunate act of public vigilance when a pedestrian noticed the smell of gas outside  140 Claremont Avenue  and called 311 to report it. Within about 30 mi…

As electric vehicles (EVs) like scooters, bikes, and cars have become more popular, more and more reports of fires and explosions caused by the lithium-ion batteries that power them have made the news from coast to coast. Any fire in a mult…

Planning for a rainy day is pretty easy. Have an extra umbrella handy or a waterproof coat, and you’re probably fine. Planning for the rainiest day ever, on the other hand, is significantly more daunting. Especially if during that day there…

When it comes to movies or television shows, especially those of the criminal, mystery, or intrigue variety, the rule of thumb is never leave a paper trail. Unfortunately, when it comes to compliance management for your building, the exact …

Multifamily living means sharing spaces with neighbors and, unfortunately, it also often means sharing areas with pests like cockroaches, bedbugs, rats, and mice. Beyond being a skin-crawling nuisance, they can wreak havoc on a building and…

For shared-interest communities, guarding the safety and security of residents is of paramount importance. Achieving those goals is more than a matter of key fobs and cameras, however. It applies to all kinds of hazards within communities’ …

Water is a necessity for living—but it’s also a potential hazard for all types of buildings, on both micro and macro levels. In the form of extreme weather, water can cause serious damage to building envelopes that can lead to leaks that sl…

On October 23, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), commonly known as Freddie Mac, released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey ® (PMMS), showing the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.19%. “Mo…

With inflation still elevated, home prices parked near record highs (despite some recent softening, particularly at the higher end), and insurance costs climbing, more homeowners are running out of cushion—heightening the risk of mortgage d…

As the weather cools and the leaves change, it’s time to make like the squirrels and start preparing for winter. For shared interest communities, in addition to the more in-depth pre-season inspections of roofs, boilers, and other major bui…