Page 3 - New England Condominium June 2019

COMING UP Publisher Yale Robbins yale@yrinc.com Executive Vice President Henry Robbins henry@yrinc.com Associate Publisher Joanna DiPaola joanna@yrinc.com Advertising Director Alyce M. Hill alyce@yrinc.com Senior Editor Hannah Fons hannah@cooperator.com Associate Editors David Chiu david@cooperator.com Pat Gale patgale@yrinc.com Staff Writers Michael Odenthal michael@yrinc.com Alan J. Sidransky alan@yrinc.com Art Director Shirly Korchak shirly@yrinc.com Production Manager Aetna Dowst aetna@yrinc.com Traffic Coordinator Victor Marcos victor@yrinc.com Copyright 2019 by New England Condominium Magazine LLC, dba Community Association Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. New England Condominium is published monthly in New York, New York by New England Condominium Magazine LLC, dba Community Association Publishing, 205 Lexington Ave., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016. 508-753-4630. ISSN 1550-946X. Periodical postage paid at New York, New York and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions are available free by request to condominium and homeowner associations. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to New England Condominium Magazine, 205 Lexington Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016. FREE Subscriptions for Board Members, Trustees, Property Managers and Real Estate Decision Makers. To Subscribe, please visit us at: newenglandcondo.com/subscribe TABLE OF CONTENTS THIS MONTH’S FOCUS: LAW & LEGISLATION THE CONDO, HOA & CO-OP RESOURCE CONDOMINIUM NEW ENGLAND NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM -JUNE 2019 3 4 Pulse/Calendar 5 Legal Q&A 14 Legal Directory 17 Maintenance: Video Intercom Systems 22 Marketplace DEPARTMENTS: Legal & Legislative Update 2019 By A J Sidransky Laws, and the legal decisions that support and enforce them, are constantly evolving and can affect every facet of community life in HOAs, condominiums and co-ops. While law and legal cases can emanate from any of our three levels of government – federal, state or local – most of the developments that affect housing come from the bottom up, with local and state law often defining or redefining what co-op, condo, HOA, and even owners of rental housing may and may not do within the law. 8 Governing by the Book By Mike Odenthal Most newly-elected condo or co-op board members aren’t experts in running a multifamily building or development. They may be eager, enthusiastic, and committed to serving their community. But they also probably have little idea of how to do that until they’ve learned a bit more through experience. Fortunately, co-ops, condos and HOAs all have an established set of governing documents laying out the rules that everyone in the community must follow. Board Misconduct By Mike Odenthal Everyone – including the boards and managers of community associations – inevitably makes mistakes, or is guilty of using poor judgment. And while it’s very unlikely that every member of a community will commit outright illegal acts, it’s also not that uncommon. 10 Management: Absent Owners By A J Sidransky Once upon a time, you usually greeted your neighbor in the hallway of your building as you’re coming or going. But you haven’t seen or heard a peep from her in almost two months. You wonder if she is okay. 12 6 July Budget & Finance August Insurance/Board Training September Energy & the Environment October Board Operations November Building Maintenance December Safety & Security January Management