As we enter the 21st Century, issues of equality continue to be a problem in the United States. As such, government has created a complex set of laws to protect people from discrimination, but the problem has still not gone away. The respon…
Last month, the New York Association of Realty Managers (NYARM) hosted a seminar on a somewhat new phenomenon known as "NORCs." Short for "Naturally Occuring Retirement Communities," the acronym has come to mean much to many seniors through…
Over two decades ago, an amendment to the New York City Civil Court Act transferred enforcement proceedings connected with housing to the Civil Court. This amendment established what we now know as housing court, where residential landlord …
Annual shareholders’ meetings are in our midst. It takes a lot for a board to prepare for the spring occasion, but if thoughtfully planned by a building’s board and managing agent, it can become a successful forum for board elections, the d…
Peculiar as it may sound, the union of a building and management company can be likened to a marriage: the mate that suits you best might be incompatible with your friend. Likewise, a management company that works well for one building migh…
Owning your own home is a huge commitment, but imagine being accountable for your neighbors’ homes as well. It’s a commitment hundreds of individuals throughout New York’s condo and co-op community make each year as members of their buildin…
After Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau handed down indictments against dozens of New York property managers in 1994 for taking kickbacks from contractors, New Yorkers, including the D.A.'s office, thought there would be at l…
You can't walk down a Manhattan street these days without passing under one or more sidewalk sheds erected to protect pedestrian and vehicular traffic from pieces of building exterior that might fall. Local Law 10 of 1980 and the recently-e…
If you think you can't make a difference, think again. One very important benefit of membership in local and national organizations for co-op and condo residents is that they get your voices heard by city, state and federal law makers. The …
Your co-op or condo is your home but it's also a business with vendors, contractors and a board of directors that sets guidelines affecting everyone. As in any business, there exists the potential for theft and fraud. While there are no …