As any manager, board president or building administrator rightly knows, protecting your building community against a man-made catastrophe, natural disaster, act of God, or just basic negligence, is not a trivial task. Property casualty in…
For over a century, states have had laws, rules and regulations in place to ensure that employees who are injured while performing their jobs are adequately taken care of. An uninsured employer that finds itself embroiled in a workers' comp…
Probably the biggest point of tension for any condo, HOA or co-op board is a pet ban. Enacting one can be a heated affair, leading to fights and arguments throughout the building community, but maintaining a ban on pets can also result in a…
Like beauty, what constitutes an 'amenity'—particularly a 'luxury' amenity—may well be in the eye of the beholder. Young families may want indoor and outdoor play equipment, while professionals may appreciate a well-appointed gym, and senio…
I wish someone had told me the nuances of trying to cultivate a community while also trying to manage a business,” said Pat Burke, the current president of the Fieldstondale co-op in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, when asked what he wi…
Community managers wear many hats in their business relationship with the associations they manage. They act as a liaison, a resource, and a consultant to help the association boards they serve to make decisions. Community managers have the…
Q. One of the members on our condo board appears to have run for the position just for the sake of getting his name on the ballot — and to his own surprise, it seems, he won! Since he took office, he attends meetings only occasionally, an…
Q. I own a unit and live in a medium-sized condominium in the Beacon Hill area. Recently, a few strangers have been found lurking the hallways of the building. One of my neighbors who lives across the hall from me is very nervous about th…
Q. I live in a 4-unit condo, with two members on the board. The president is demanding, tyrannical, and always does things her way. When work needs to be done, she hires friends and relatives, without bidding the project, and the workers …