Few things in life are as precious yet underappreciated as clean air. We take it for granted. Breathe in, breathe out—we rarely even notice the action. Ensuring that the air we breathe is clean, fresh and safe is one of the myriad respons…
Sustainability is the watchword these days. All over the country, businesses and residences are being encouraged to go green, and condominiums, cooperatives and homeowners’ associations are no exception. But not all condos/co-ops/HOAs are…
In the business world, benchmarking is a management tool that is commonly used to analyze where one business stands in comparison to others in the same industry. For example, a doctor’s office might want to benchmark the practice to analyze…
While Flint, Michigan may have been the highest profile case of water being contaminated with lead in recent years, lead is an issue that water systems across the country have to navigate and monitor closely. Earlier this year, elevated le…
Q. I live in a 4-unit condo, with two members on the board. The president is demanding, tyrannical, and always does things her way. When work needs to be done, she hires friends and relatives, without bidding the project, and the workers …
Q. I own a unit and live in a medium-sized condominium in the Beacon Hill area. Recently, a few strangers have been found lurking the hallways of the building. One of my neighbors who lives across the hall from me is very nervous about th…
Q. One of the members on our condo board appears to have run for the position just for the sake of getting his name on the ballot — and to his own surprise, it seems, he won! Since he took office, he attends meetings only occasionally, an…
Community managers wear many hats in their business relationship with the associations they manage. They act as a liaison, a resource, and a consultant to help the association boards they serve to make decisions. Community managers have the…
I wish someone had told me the nuances of trying to cultivate a community while also trying to manage a business,” said Pat Burke, the current president of the Fieldstondale co-op in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, when asked what he wi…
Like beauty, what constitutes an 'amenity'—particularly a 'luxury' amenity—may well be in the eye of the beholder. Young families may want indoor and outdoor play equipment, while professionals may appreciate a well-appointed gym, and senio…