Did you know that March 23 is World Elevator Day? Now you do. (You’re welcome.) On that date way back in 1857, the first passenger elevator was installed in the E.V. Haughwout Building—an upscale, five-story department store in Manhattan’s …
Like people, buildings come in all shapes and sizes. They can range from single-story garden apartments to multi-story high-rise complexes larger than many small towns. What they have in common is some amount of community space, known as co…
When the average American taxpayer (or tax-dodger, one supposes) hears the word “audit,” they’re likely struck with a feeling somewhere between annoyance and terror—usually because being audited means that something has been found amiss in …
First impressions may not always tell the full story of a building (or a person, or a book, for that matter), but in the case of a multifamily building or HOA, the very first experience of a property—its exterior, entry spaces, even how sta…
At the heart of volunteerism is the notion of doing something for the common good. For many, choosing to live in a co-op or condo community is also choosing to volunteer for board service, helping to guide and govern the community they call…
Car owners know that in order to operate their vehicle legally, they must have it professionally inspected every year. An older car might need some relatively minor repairs or adjustments to bring it into compliance with state emissions req…
Last spring, amidst the panic and confusion of the burgeoning pandemic, condominium, co-op, and HOA communities were faced with the difficult task of deciding what to do about their shared amenities. Gyms, pools, clubhouses, and other popul…
Multifamily buildings serve as more than just residential spaces; they’re mini-municipalities unto themselves, where neighbors interact in common spaces, either incidentally (like in lobbies or elevators) or deliberately (like in kids’ play…
For many, birds are a particularly contentious class of animal. Some people are extremely fond of them—admiring their colorful plumage, their melodic calls, or their enviable ability to soar effortlessly above whatever mess we have going on…
If you live in the United States and watch television, you are undoubtedly aware that every January, right before the New Year, the Holiday Season advertising tapers off and the Tax Season advertising begins. From around December 30th to Ap…
Ever since the end of World War II—and the widespread prosperity that brought about a historic baby boom, a healthy middle class, and suburban sprawl—a vibrant, manicured lawn has been synonymous with the American domestic ideal. Even for t…
Living in close quarters can—and often does—lead to conflict. In co-op, condo, and HOA communities, conflict can occur between residents, or between a resident and the board. And to complicate matters, a seemingly isolated conflict between …
Owning a unit in a multifamily co-op or condo carries a great many benefits in the form of shared responsibilities, but it also requires compromises along the lines of control: what your board, management, and building staff can or cannot d…
City life can be hard—especially on plants. You laugh? Well, think about it. There’s limited room to grow, all kinds of pollution, sun-blocked settings…it’s no wonder plant life has to be extra-hardy to make it in city environments. And tha…
With the stock market chugging along and the Great Recession of the late 'aughts in the rearview, the question might occur to some financially-savvy board members: Are our building's cash reserve assets performing at their best? Could they …
For many, the topic of insurance can be a bit overwhelming. Even the terms we use as insurance purchasers differ substantially from the terms industry professionals use when discussing and settling claims—which can leave laymen feeling like…
Even though 2022 started off with a backlog of court proceedings and legislative sessions after months of COVID closures and related scheduling issues, a number of cases and bills of interest to the multifamily housing community have gone t…
This publication spends a lot of time exploring and explaining the duties and purpose of multifamily boards—the benefits and drawbacks of serving on them, and even the difficulty that many buildings and communities have with motivating owne…
As the days get longer, warmer, and more full of outdoor activity, multifamily boards and property managers must consider a whole new list of maintenance and preparation tasks to ready their buildings for the approaching summer. It’s finall…
Appreciation, and the profit that comes with it, is surely a major benefit of home ownership. But that profit does not come without a cost. You can’t hide from the tax collector, and sooner or later he or she will come looking for you to ex…