In the face of rising water costs, maintenance costs, and a continued depressed housing market, many community associations are finding long-term savings through new landscape strategies that also help our environment. Eco-friendly lan…

 The topics are timely, the advice is free—and it’s all done with a personal touch. Hang up the phone, close the laptop. Come get  the latest information about community association operations at the 2012 New  England Condo Expo !   …

Q I belong to a small self-managed condo of six units. There are two serious  concerns: 1) Recently, I discovered that two of the board members used fund  money to repair their boilers so that they could pass inspection. They led us  to b…

Q I am on the board of directors in a Connecticut leasehold property. For some time, we have wanted to nominate one of our leaseholders but she keeps refusing to be on the board because she says that as a lawyer/ accountant, she holds h…

Q I am looking for information regarding service contractors (i.e., cable, Internet) needing to set up a prior appointment to access the equipment that is installed on owner's terraces. Does the unit owner have to be at home to let the…

Concrete is the most prevalent building material in existence today, though most people probably don’t notice how widely used the material is until it begins to break up in front of their homes, or falls off of their buildings, roads an…

 Nestled in the frothy Atlantic, 12 miles from coastal Rhode Island—its home state — Block Island is a scenic haven that promises rest, relaxation and refuge for  visitors and residents alike.    It’s small—just 21square miles—and o…

Just as families are encouraged to set aside a portion of the household budget into a savings account, so are community associations advised to maintain a reserve fund for capital improvements—repairs and replacements of major common-ow…

 People say “ignorance of the law is no excuse.” In the same vein, ignorance of contractor illegalities is no excuse—and no comfort—when something goes wrong. Association members are well-advised to bone up on  what’s important before they…

 Visions of lounging by the pool on a hot July weekend lure many homebuyers into  the condominium lifestyle. For families, the attraction may include use of  their own, “private,” playground, swing set, tennis court or patio for cookouts. …