Any time you have hundreds or even thousands of people living in close quarters – in a multifamily co-op or condo building, say – certain challenges inevitably will arise. One of the bigger ones is how to maintain the flow of fresh, hygieni…
Planning for a rainy day is pretty easy. Have an extra umbrella handy or a waterproof coat, and you’re probably fine. Planning for the rainiest day ever, on the other hand, is significantly more daunting. Especially if during that day there…
Whether we’re talking day-to-day safety or emergency planning, most multifamily buildings and HOAs have something on the books to address both standard operating procedures and things like alerts and evacuations. And that’s great if you’re …
As cases of the new coronavirus increase here in the US, the crisis has led to a number of questions from condominium boards to the effect of: What should we do to protect the condominium and its members? What is our responsibility for the…
Q. Our board president said that her husband was qualified to perform gutter and minor roof repairs at our community, and would do the work for free. He is not licensed or insured, yet the other board members agreed to use her husband to …
In life two things are assured: death and taxes. In condo and HOA life, there’s a third constant: annual increases to maintenance or common charges – but many shareholders and owners question why this is the case. In times of relative sta…
Saving for a rainy day is a lesson we all learn as children. As individuals, we put away a little something for that ‘just-in-case’ moment; similarly, co-op corporations and condominium associations must keep reserve accounts, not just for…
Insurance is cyclical; there are hard markets and soft markets, and insurance companies typically make money in two ways: underwriting profit, and investment income. When the market is soft, insurance companies are looking for market share,…
One of the unique aspects of life in a co-op or condo is that a building or HOA is in many ways a microcosm of the larger world outside. It can suffer from the same factionalism and partisan bickering as any political entity, only on a much…
If a rental tenant defaults, persists in violating rules, or breaks the law, they can be evicted from their unit. It can certainly be a drawn-out, acrimonious process, but it’s more or less routine. While much more rare – and more complicat…