In the world of owned residential communities like HOAs, condo associations, and co-ops, the issue of leased or sublet units is often the elephant in the corner of the communal room. Most owners choose to buy homes in shared-interest commun…
‘Tis the season for visitors, packages, and festive gatherings. Along with the good cheer, the end-of-year flurry of activity also highlights the challenges of keeping multifamily buildings and their residents safe and secure. In addition …
The proximity to neighbors that comes with living in a high-rise or townhome HOA can sometimes amplify situations that might seem less urgent in more spread-out communities. Along with things like noise and odors, residents’ behavior can al…
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…