Page 6 - New England Condominium April 2019

6 NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM - APRIL 2019 NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM Industry Pulse Appointments & Transitions Employees Added, Promoted at Barkan Management Barkan Management Company, head- quartered in Boston’s Seaport District, has announced several new hires and promotions. The personnel changes include: • Bart Steele, CMCA, AMS has joined the company as a portfolio manager based in the Boston office. He will oversee an initial port- folio comprised of four residential condo- minium communities, all in the city: 14 West Broadway, The Penmark Condominiums, The Hill Condominiums, and Back of the Hill Townhouses. Steele also manages the commercial offices at Chestnut Hill Medical Center in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. His background includes serving as a senior regional property manager and assistant vice president at Premier Property Solutions LLC, and as a construction manager and real estate agent. • Sarah Flannigan, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, was promoted to senior portfolio man- ager in the company’s Providence office. In 2018, she achieved Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation, the highest professional recognition in the industry. • Erin Horan has been named human resources manager. Horan brings more than 18 years of experience in the field, most recently as human resources business partner with Ironshore Services, Inc. Prior to that, she worked for American International Group in Lexington, and Lucent Technologies in Cambridge. • Diana Montalbano, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, has been promoted to senior portfolio manager. She also achieved the Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation in 2018. • John Thiboutot, CMCA, has joined the company as a portfolio manager. Thiboutot is based in the Boston office and will oversee an initial portfolio comprised of five condo- minium communities, all in Massachusetts: Newfield Woods in West Roxbury, Medfield Gardens in Medfield, Endicott Woods in Norwood, Hammond Park in Newton, and The Residences at Hooper Mansion in Boston. He brings 12 years of experience in the prop- erty management industry to Barkan, having previously worked at First Realty Management and The Niles Co., Inc. Community Associations CAI Reports Record-Setting Membership Growth The Community Associations Institute (CAI) recently announced its 40,000 member- ship milestone in a news statement. CAI’s total membership of 40,389 includes volunteer homeowner leaders who serve on their association boards in homeowners asso- ciations (HOAs), condominium communities, and cooperatives, as well as community man- agement professionals and business partners serving these communities. The membership increase is a significant gain following the Oct. 1, 2017 announcement of CAI’s new membership dues restructuring plan for its Homeowner Leader member- ship type, which offers community associa- tions the opportunity to sign up to 15 board members for only $250. Prior to Oct. 1, CAI membership totaled of 34,555. Since the Oct. 1 implementation, CAI’s overall membership has experienced a 14 percent increase and a 34 percent increase for homeowner leaders. According to the 2017 CAI Member Needs Assessment Survey, 89 percent of CAI mem- bers responded that they’re likely to recom- mend CAI to their peers. Across all member types, the most important reasons for joining CAI include professional designations and certifications, connection to local CAI chap- ters, networking, and education. Law & Legislation Homeowners Promote Laws Covering Failing Foundations At a public hearing in early March, Connecticut homeowners with failing founda- tions asked state legislators to force insurance companies to cover the peril of collapse and require testing for pyrrhotite at the state’s quar- ries, according to an article in the Hartford Courant. The public hearing was held on nine bills aimed at assisting homeowners, who for a third year implored lawmakers to expand protec- tions for victims of the crumbling foundations. The proposed legislation being aired included bills that would allow condominiums to apply for funding from the Connecticut Foundation Solutions Indemnity Company (CFSIC), and a bill that would require insurance companies to cover the peril of collapse. Insurance companies, the newspaper reported, have denied homeowners’ claims, saying the problem does not qualify for cover- age under their definition of “collapse” — leav- ing homeowners to bear the financial burden of repairs that can run as high as $200,000. Condominium owners were excluded from applying for CFSIC funds because of a loophole in the legislation that defined nar- rowly defined a residential building. The foundation problems have affected at least 41 Connecticut towns, including South Windsor, Vernon, Tolland and Willington. An estimated 34,000 homeowners could be impacted by the issue, caused by the mineral pyrrhotite that was present in the concrete used for the foundations. The breakdowns occurred after the concrete foundations were exposed to air or water. It is believed that most of the faulty concrete came from Becker’s Quarry in Willington and was poured by a now-defunct Stafford Springs company, the Courant reported. Homes may not show signs of damage until 15 or 20 years after the foun- dation was poured. At the hearing, many homeowners expressed concern that CFSIC funds — financed by a $12 surcharge on all homeown- ers insurance policies and $20 million in state bonds — might run out before all the victims are assisted. Energy & Environment Utility, Community Combine to Save Energy at Connecticut Complex CMC Energy Services completed an over- haul of the lighting equipment at Trumbull Gardens in Bridgeport, Connecticut, an income-eligible community, according to the New England Real Estate Journal . The project is expected to help Park City Communities reduce their energy costs, improve visibility in poorly-lit areas, and reduce annual lighting- related maintenance expenses. The work was funded through a partner- ship between the Park City Communities and United Illuminating (UI), a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. Through the Home Energy Solutions-Income Eligible (HES-IE) program, UI contributed $208,000 toward upgrading indoor lighting at two high-rise towers in the 414-unit Trumbull complex. “Replacing close to 1,300 fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient LED bulbs enhances visibility and public safety at Trumbull Gardens and saves money,” said Mayor Joe Ganim. “I thank CMC Energy Services, United Illuminating and Park City Communities for their perseverance in getting this project accomplished and look forward to the weatherization of all the units begin- ning this year. Improving the quality of life for Bridgeport residents, while being more envi- ronmentally conscious, continues our prog- ress forward.” The collaboration between UI and Park City Communities covered the full costs for CMC Energy Services to replace inef- ficient outdoor and common area lighting throughout the Trumbull Gardens complex, the Journal reported. The project is expected to save the community more than $70,000 in energy costs. n Wednesday, May 22, 2019 The New England Condominium Expo Seaport World Trade Center-Exhibit Hall 200 Seaport Blvd., Boston, MA 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Learn about the latest services from more than 175 exhibitors. Attend educational seminars, network with your peers, and get free advice from industry experts. For information and to register, visit www.ne-expo.com. Wednesday, April 10, 2019 CAI: Rhode Island Condo Forum and Expo Radisson Airport Hotel Warwick, RI 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. A program for condominium homeowners, board members and professional managers. The full-day workshop will teach boards and managers how to avoid legal risks, implement risk management strategies, and address building maintenance projects and funding. Register at www.caine.org. Thursday, April 25, 2019 MEEB: Keeping Up with Condo Law Fireside Inn & Suites 10 Saint Laurent St., Nashua, NH 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Marcus, Errico, Emmer & Brooks, PC pres- ents a free seminar on recent changes to NH law, featuring a discussion of three separate topics: condominium document amend- ments, an update on some possible changes coming to the NH Condominium Act, and how to handle reasonable accommodation requests. Reservations: email dpepjonovich@ meeb.com. Friday, April 19, 2019 IREM: Fair Housing and Beyond Training The Simon Companies Office Building 639 Granite St., Braintree, MA 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Offered jointly by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI), the course covers the federal protected classes and discrimination, statutes that govern protections from discrimination against disability at the federal level, and fair housing as it relates to property operations. Saturday, April 27, 2019 CAI-CT: Condo Inc. I JP Maguire Associates, 266 Brookside Rd. Waterbury, CT 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Do you serve on the board of your association? Are you considering serving? Whether you are a seasoned board member, a recently-elected board member, or unit owner wanting to understand more about how an association runs--this is course it for you! Register at www.caict.org. CAL EN D AR Apr-May 2019 PULSE/CALENDAR Please submit Pulse items to Pat Gale at patgale@yrinc.com