The ethos of a homeowners association—to be open and welcoming—furthers the collective strength of a community. Therefore, it’s incumbent on trustees, board members and managers to foster a stronger, more cohesive sense of community. This …
Olivia Pope, the main character on ABC’s Scandal, is a professional fixer. If you have a problem—any problem—she can fix it. Over the past two seasons plus, she’s rigged elections, covered up murders, employed professional hit men, exposed…
The amenities found at New England’s condominium communities can run the gamut from glamorous to the mundane. Some of the larger communities are virtual resorts with enough real estate—and revenue—to offer riding stables, golf courses, ski…
Whether change is good or bad often depends on who you talk to, and even a desired change produces a certain level of stress and adjustment. Personal changes are challenging enough, but for condo and co-op residents, a board’s decision to …
With winter rapidly approaching and the memories of last winter’s onslaught of snowstorms still in mind, this is a good time to begin thinking about an association’s duties and obligations to maintain the common areas throughout these comi…
In an episode of the television classic, “Seinfeld,” George Costanza’s father (played by Jerry Stiller) invents “Festivus—for the rest of us” to mold all the holidays into one event. Attorney Frank Lombardi of the law firm of Goodman, Shap…
Property management, in the broadest of terms, is defined as the operation, control and oversight of real estate. Most property managers would agree that this particular definition is just a starting point. There are many facets to t…
In Bolton, Massachusetts, a condo resident owned a truck with commercial license plates and, when it wasn’t in use, he wanted to park it on the property. The previous board gave him approval to do so, but when it came time to produce proof…
Finding the right balance of involvement between HOAs and condo boards and residents can be like maintaining a healthy relationship with a significant other—you want to be compassionate, responsive and attentive, but not too needy, nosy or…
There’s nothing worse than being a unit owner in a building and seeing someone on your board breaking a rule and seemingly getting away with it. Some board members or trustees believe that they are “above the law” so to speak, and se…