Susan Jones wants to join the board of trustees. She’s been a unit owner for a few years and really believes that she can make a difference to the association. When it comes to co-op and condo boards, many members join because they have…
Budgets and financial reports provide a crystal-clear picture of how the association is doing. From an investment perspective, they show how unit owners, managers, tenants, building owners, board of trustees, etc., whether the property…
Imagine your own family, if you will—each person with his or her unique personality, attitude, experience and background. It’s inevitable that occasionally you might clash with sister Susie, brother Bob or even an uncle or an aunt. In a…
Think about this: Nearly two million American workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year and, in the United States, fraud committed by employees costs companies approximately $20 billion annually. Workplace theft…
Months have slipped by, but it’s not easy to forget the damage that last year’s brutal weather brought to the trees in the New England area. In June, severe tornadoes touched down in Massachusetts, leaving total devastation in their wak…
Trick or treat! It’s that time of year when pumpkins are picked and decorated, costumes are chosen and all the children in the association are anxiously waiting for Halloween. But for the association, this is also a time of concern as c…
“Sue” is a retired professional who is well-to-do, rarely eats at home and has lived in her condo for decades. While everything seems perfect from the outside, Sue is the keeper of a dirty little secret. When the unit above he…
The day-to-day costs of running a multifamily residential building are significant. There’s the fuel oil, electric, cleaning supplies, equipment maintenance and service calls for repair and upkeep. Then there are the insurance costs, la…
Years ago, when residents wanted to do their laundry, they grabbed their baskets, a pocketful of quarters and perhaps a good book or their Walkman and headed downstairs to the dark, dingy laundry room. A few hours later, they would ret…
Job losses. Bankruptcies. Foreclosures. These are tough times for everyone, but when homeowners fall on hard times, they are often late paying condo fees. Some can’t even afford to pay them at all. Add i…