The most basic structure of our right to own and enjoy our homes emanates from two sources: legislation, and case law. At times case law is the direct reflection of statutes passed by federal, state, and local levels of our government; at o…
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…
No one likes a lawsuit. Whether filing one or finding yourself on the receiving end of one, they can cause stress, anxiety and an upending of daily life. They can be expensive, take months—even years—to resolve, and often result in hurt fee…
Whether you serve on the board of a co-op, condo or HOA, chances are you and your fellow community administrators are volunteers. Perhaps you’re fortunate enough that you or one of your colleagues has professional legal expertise to bring t…
The legislative season is upon us, and in many states, bills specifically dealing with condos, co-ops and HOAs are wending their way through the legislative process. Even when bills aren’t aimed directly at those forms of home ownership, ma…
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently issued its ruling and order in one of the most important condominium cases ever decided. In Drummer Boy Homes Association, Inc. v. Britton, the SJC held that an association can maintain mul…
Instances of home-sharing have skyrocketed recently due to the rise of websites such as Airbnb.com. For a small fee, these websites connect homeowners with people who want to find a place to stay for one night at a time. Homeowners rent th…
We all hope for good neighbors when we move into a new building or community. The same is true for commercial properties in residential buildings. Making a good match, one that benefits both the commercial tenants and unit owners, can go a …
Condos and homeowner associations have made headlines over the years for passing all kinds of overreaching and downright silly rules and regulations—everything from forbidding the flying of the American flag to having prohibitions about ha…
It’s well known that Massachusetts legalized the medical use of marijuana several years ago, but what exactly the move means for landlords and condominium associations remains largely an open question. In this column, I provide a brief sum…