Water is a necessity for living—but it’s also a potential hazard for all types of buildings, on both micro and macro levels. Whether it’s the result of extreme weather or an internal plumbing leak, water can cause serious damage to building…
Managing a residential building or association of any type is no small feat. Whether you're a trustee entrusted with fiduciary responsibility or a community manager tasked with keeping everything running smoothly, you’re doing it all: balan…
Q. It seems like electric vehicles are all over the roads these days and our board has been getting more requests to install electric vehicle chargers. Does the board have to allow unit owners to install chargers and if so, who pays? Also…
In a typical condo, co-op, or homeowners association, residents have a lot to say about how their building or community is or should be functioning … but few actually step up to run for and serve on the board that does the actual governing.…
Humans have been grouping ourselves into communities for almost as long as we’ve been walking upright, from loosely organized kinship groups to planned subdivisions containing hundreds, even thousands of families. Condominium and homeowners…
Ideally, the board members of condominiums, co-ops, and HOAs are conscientious, level-headed folks committed to doing the job they were elected to do, treating everyone fairly and equitably, and not using their position to push a personal a…
The topic of insurance can provoke fear in the most steadfast of board members. It’s both terrifying in what its purpose implies, and yet at the same time mind-numbingly boring. It’s also one of the most important components in protecting o…
The elevator is one of those inventions—along with running hot and cold water and indoor plumbing—that have been around for so long we take them for granted. But elevators obviously weren’t always a part of the architectural landscape. With…
Everyone wants to be comfortable in their home, but as every resident knows, that comfort comes at a price. Boards and managers know this too; with rising energy costs, climate change-related weather fluctuations, and looming fines on the h…
Reducing energy waste and saving money go hand in hand. In addition to helping the planet, using energy more efficiently can save time, lower bills, and improve daily life. In fact, according to a joint report by the American Council for an…