There are plenty of reasons why a condominium, co-op or homeowners’ association might see fit to spruce up its common areas. Dated décor, seasonal inspiration, excess cash on-hand, or just sheer boredom with the current look all come to min…
Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, things go wrong. When it comes to a design project in a multifamily building, be it a lobby renovation, a roof deck build-out, or repainting the common hallways, the ‘wrong’ part can involve anyt…
While a board - or their constituent homeowners - may feel their community needs to employ all the latest gadgets and technology to secure their property and safety, the fact is, it's a rare community that truly needs biometric retinal scan…
The trend today is toward a paperless world. Electronic record keeping can reduce costs overall by eliminating the need for physical paper, while also helping to improve our environment and save space. But are electronic records the right …
One of the components that makes co-op ownership unique is its financing structure. Unlike a condominium, the property is owned as a whole, fee-simple estate – and so the entire property can be encumbered by a permanent, long-term loan. Thi…
Overall crime in the 30 largest cities of the U.S. was estimated to be down nearly 3 percent in 2017, according to a recent study by New York University School of Law’s Brennan Center for Justice. For New York in particular, the crime rate…
Attractiveness and so-called ‘curb appeal’ are both vital to a building or HOA’s sense of community pride and overall value. After all, it’s hard to attract prospective homebuyers if your association’s grounds are scattered with litter, the…
While many of the co-ops, condos, and HOAs that struggled to stay solvent during the Great Recession of the mid-aughts have largely recovered, the truth is that regardless of the overall economic climate, there will always be buildings and …
Education, awareness, and cooperation between management, boards, and residents can make a huge difference in deterring crime in and around a building. Some basic behavioral adjustments – such as making sure nobody follows you into the buil…
Cities and suburbs can be dirty places – and unfortunately, getting that dirt off the façade of a building takes more than just a scrub-brush and a bottle of Mr. Clean. How a building is cleaned depends on two factors: what materials the bu…