For shared-interest communities, guarding the safety and security of residents is of paramount importance. Achieving those goals is more than a matter of key fobs and cameras, however. It applies to all kinds of hazards within communities’ …
From the outside, the structure of a condo, co-op or townhouse building may appear to be monolithic; just pieces of brick, steel, vinyl or wood, punctuated with some glass here and there. That’s an oversimplification, however. A multifamily…
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…
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…
Residential co-op, condo, and HOA board members volunteer to help manage day-to-day life in their building or community, allocating their time to actively participate in decisions that affect the place they call home. They oversee crucial a…