Pests are a part of life. Wherever there are people, vermin of one kind or another are sure to follow. This is particularly true in urban environments like Boston, Providence and New Haven, where rodent and roach sightings come with the te…
While natural disasters causing catastrophic property damages are on the rise, associations also have to be prepared for other unexpected pitfalls such as a roof repair and replacement project or the installation of a new heating and cooli…
Saving energy: it’s good for the environment and it’s good for your wallet. Researching your options can be overwhelming, though, because there’s a lot of information out there on clean energy, incentives, and paybacks. Where’s a con…
Recycling has become an entrenched part of solid waste management for communities everywhere, and condo managers report that, in general, unit owners have been steadily moving into compliance. Often though, it’s difficult to find a t…
Funny thing about human nature—it’s not impulsively "natural" at all. Despite knowing that 1.1 billion people lack clean drinking water and thousands of children die from the diseases in that dirty water, people living in better circ…
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 analyz…
There’s probably not a condo, HOA or co-op board of trustees that doesn’t worry about money at some point or another, which is why staying on top of the latest money-saving opportunities is vital for any building or community to be success…
Ah, the “dog days” of August—ideal for lounging around the pool, hop-scotching from air-conditioned home to air-conditioned stores and offices, or slipping away for a revitalizing vacation. Unless, of course, you happen to be a community a…
The experts who advise condo associations on insurance matters admit that the basic policies are pretty standardized and often seem to be all the same. Trustees may tend to gloss over the details and assume that anything important relative…
Ahhh, lawsuits. People suing people. Companies suing companies. People suing companies. Residents suing boards. A quick surf of the Internet and you can find many instances across the country where condo boards are sued. You can also find …