Over the past few months there have been several interesting and insightful court decisions. Here are a few legal cases that provide some helpful lessons. Vassi v. Salem House Condo Bd. Lesson: Condo boards need to make…
Q I live in a co-op complex of a few hundred apartments. After 60 years without apartment insurance the present board suddenly decided that all shareholders must carry insurance. This translates into an additional expense of approxim…
Q “My building has recently turned co-op and we are trying to create a contract for a new super. I would like to know if there is some type of guideline that I can follow to specify what the super's duties will be. We would feel more…
Every day, New York's court system hands down verdicts and decisions that impact the day-to-day operation of co-op and condo buildings. Some decisions are far-reaching, precedent-setting game-changers; others affect building administra…
Q I am the vice president of our co-op board. Just recently we found out through a real estate ad that the president of the board is selling his unit. Does this pose a conflict of interest? In effect should the president remain the …
Consider the (fictional) couple, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. They love their co-op apartment, and have lived in their comfortable and convenient New York City neighborhood for the last seven years, moving in when Mr. Smith took a job as editor…
While not everyone who serves on his or her co-op or condo board needs to be an attorney or have an encyclopedic knowledge of the law, it never hurts to be aware of the important, often precedent-setting legal decisions being handed do…
Q I have been a shareholder in my Brooklyn co-op since 1986, and am facing a problem that has come up since my husband’s death almost 18 months ago. My husband was an active participant on our board of directors—past president, vice pre…
Several interesting court decisions regarding co-ops and condos were made during the latter part of 2005. The decisions received some commentary, but perhaps not the attention that they deserve. In a condo case, the Appellate Court tha…