Category: Building Operations

 After receiving over 4,200 comments on a proposal that would have eliminated  flip taxes and transfer fees in co-ops, condos and HOA communities, the Federal  Housing Finance Authority (FHFA) has reconsidered its position and will allow  …

 Since first taking office, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has made environmental  protection and preservation something of a personal mission. Eco-advocates have  applauded his ambitious PlaNYC initiative with its goal of cutting the city’s e…

 “Light” and “Air” are probably two of the terms most overused by New York City real estate types,  but even so, every resident wants more of both in their apartment—and one way to get them is via a skylight. Skylights are often found in t…

 Probably ever since the first hominids shared a wall between their adjacent  caves, neighbors have complained about each other. Modern multifamily housing  dwellers are no different. Residents may even sometimes feel like their  situation…

 It’s no secret—living space is at a premium in New York City. Balconies can go a long way  toward providing a little extra elbow room by giving co-op and condo residents  the square footage necessary to entertain, relax or simply enjoy a …

 While recent decades have seen the rise of glass-and-steel as architects'  favorite materials for new construction, the bulk of New York City's facades  remain clad in brick. From last-century red-brick tenement buildings in the  Village …

 Believe it or not, pigeons are related to doves (both hail from the columbidae  family of birds) but to many co-op and condo buildings, the former are not at  all symbolic of peace. Quite the contrary. Although rats, mice, cockroaches,  a…

 Good information and clear communication are crucial for anyone involved with  the administration of a cooperative, condominium or homeowners association—crucial not just to thriving, but surviving in today's challenging economic  times. …

Q Is it legal for the board to take the shareholders’ tax benefit credit every year without their consent, as a special assessment and a second assessment as well, within six months apart? I received the letter about this, contacted …

Q If there is damage to my roof and it leaks into my condominium unit and I reported it to the board three times with no repairs made, can I repair it myself and deduct the cost from my common charges? —Falling on Deaf Ears …