According to a recent investigative piece by the Orange County (Florida) Register , Fannie Mae is keeping a secret “blacklist” of condominium, HOA and cooperative properties which the federal agency has decreed that lenders should st…

Q. I’m the president of a condo association. At time of signing to purchase a unit, we have in our bylaws that only one dog no larger than 18 pounds is allowed. Now we have an owner that has two dogs that are barking, and everyone is comp…

The appeal of multifamily living is not just in the hands-off maintenance and shared general expenses that come with living in a condo, co-op, or HOA. It’s also in the sense of community and the on-site offerings that can be shared among ne…

As more of us become increasingly attuned to and educated about the benefits—indeed, the necessity—of a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, multifamily buildings and residential communities are turning toward new ‘green’ features to up…

City life can be hard—especially on plants. You laugh? Well, think about it. There’s limited room to grow, all kinds of pollution, sun-blocked settings…it’s no wonder plant life has to be extra-hardy to make it in city environments. And tha…

Q. What does an association do when a board member who no longer has a vested interest in the community (having owned two condo units, but sold them both in the past two years) refuses to step down? Voting the individual off the board is …

When it comes to the list of most important systems to maintain—and potentially the most expensive to replace—in a multifamily building, windows are definitely near the top. The useful life of a given window depends on a number of factors, …

Like the skin of the human body, a building’s façade is its largest organ (so to speak), offering structure and protection, as well as a first aesthetic impression. It also takes the brunt of extremely harsh conditions: weather, wind, water…

As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression—which is why the façade of your building should always look clean and in top shape, for both aesthetic and commercial reasons. Important as appearances are, however,…

Q. I have a question about what constitutes a legal vote by the board. What I am seeing at meetings is that a member makes a motion, it is seconded, and then the president declares it passed. Shouldn’t there be an actual vote with a recor…