2015 June
Focus on... Law & Legislation

Law & Legislation Legislative Round-Up
2015 June Legislative Round-Up

It’s an annual rite, as predictable as winter storm warnings and spring apple blossom festivals. Legislators in state houses throughout New England begin slogging through piles of bills filed by politicians and requested by constituents th…

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Law & Legislation The Condo as a Legal Entity
2015 June The Condo as a Legal Entity

Despite a long history and presence in cities and towns around the globe, condominiums are, too often, misunderstood by prospective buyers—which can translate to a source of conflict after buyers become owners. Regardless of its location a…

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Law & Legislation Avoiding Litigation
2015 June Avoiding Litigation

With dozens—sometimes hundreds—of people living in a community governed by neighbors, acquaintances and friends, it should be no surprise that disputes occasionally arise in condo buildings. The possibility of disagreements among residents…

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Management Liquid Assets
2015 June Liquid Assets

Some lucky condos offer the benefits of an indoor or outdoor swimming pool for their residents; it’s a splashy amenity that many people request when looking for a home…but there are many drawbacks, issues, and liabilities that come with ma…

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Law & Legislation Medical Marijuana and the Law
2015 June Medical Marijuana and the Law

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…

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Board Operations Spring Training
2015 June Spring Training

No more pencils, no more books…unless, perhaps, you’re elected to your condo community’s board of trustees. Then you might want to spend time getting some training specific to your new role. You have to learn the ropes somehow, right? …

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Q&A Q&A: Reservations Required
2015 June Q&A: Reservations Required

Q I seek your assistance with understanding a regulation recently implemented by the Board of Trustees at the Esplanade in Hudson, MA, where my husband and I reside. Specifically, the Board of Trustees is requiring that unit owners pro…

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Q&A Q&A: Hey, Wait a Minute
2015 June Q&A: Hey, Wait a Minute

Q Our management posts the minutes of its last board meeting on a website that unit owners can access, but they're often released several months after the meeting took place, and sometimes after the subsequent meeting has already happe…

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Q&A Q&A: Common Spaces Subject to Maintenance Increases
2015 June Q&A: Common Spaces Subject to Maintenance Increases

Q My question relates to maintenance increases for common spaces. For example, my condo board has notified all the owners that there is going to be a maintenance increase this year after a five-year assessment. So, if an owner has seve…

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The New England Condo Expo
2015 June The New England Condo Expo

Once again this spring, the New England Condo Expo drew thousands of trustees, board members, managers and service providers from all over the New England region to the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston for a full day of networking, edu…

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