Running a community association can be – and often is – stressful enough without the added issue of people in a position of power in the community using that position for personal gain in the form of kickbacks. Whether the offender is a sup…
Co-op, condo and HOA communities are a property manager’s bread and butter. Ensuring that their client buildings and associations run smoothly everyday provides managers with both purpose and pay. Therefore, it stands to reason that a dedi…
Community associations are microcosms of democracy, run by an elected board of volunteers trusted to make good decisions on behalf of the community as a whole. Boards make the call on every large and small issue for their constituency. So i…
The board of a building or community association has a fiduciary duty to uphold its community’s governing documents, act in good faith, and advance the interests of the community at large. Occasionally, boards fail to carry out this duty – …
There are few things upon which most people agree, but a general dislike for paying more today for something that cost less yesterday is pretty universal. This goes for taxes, consumer goods, healthcare, and of course for monthly maintenanc…
Many co-op shareholders and condo unit owners arrive in their respective communities after a history of living as renters. Often they carry with them certain ingrained assumptions and expectations from having lived under a landlord. These a…
Security is always a primary concern for homeowners. In a multifamily building without a doorman, the first line of defense is the front entrance – which more often than not features some sort of intercom system to enable visitors to announ…
Once upon a time, you usually greeted your neighbor in the hallway of your building as you were coming or going. But you haven’t seen or heard a peep from her in almost two months. You wonder if she is okay. So you ask the super one morn…
Do you remember when you were a kid, and the closest thing you had to a cell phone was two cups with a string pulled taut between them, speaking into one cup to see if your friend holding the other could hear you? That long-ago game worked …
It’s been a long time since most people have felt comfortable just leaving their front doors unlocked. For better or worse, security has become the order of the day – and technology follows security needs. Today, that path leads to electr…