CooperatorNews Chicagoland, The Condo, HOA & Co-op Monthly

Management

Taming the Annual Meeting

How to Keep Yours On-Task, On Track & Over On Time

When it comes to running effective annual community meetings, the battle is often won or lost before the meeting is even…

Management

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2026 October

Running Hybrid Meetings

How to Keep Them Legally Legit

2026 Summer

Property Management Tales and Takeaways

Pest control guy exterminating home insects. Male contractor in white protective workwear sprays toxic gas on floor and furniture inside house. Close up disgusting cockroaches trying escape under sofa

2026 May

Multifamily Pest Management

From Rodents to Roaches

Salary negotiation, money compensation or job wage income, career performance reward, benefit or pay rate, employment incentive, job offer, business people manager negotiate salary with new employee.

Winter 2026

Understanding Management Fees

Minding the Bottom Line

Finance

Pink piggy bank, desk calendar and stacks of gold coins on a wooden table. Illustration of the concept of financial planning and retirement preparation

Drafting the Annual Budget

Your Association’s Financial Roadmap

Preparing the annual budget for your condo or HOA isn’t the same as figuring out a budget for a couple, or even a large …

Finance

3d illustration of raising chart with dollar texture, over white background

2026 May

Fannie Mae Raises the Bar for Reserve Funding

What Buyers Need to Know

Miniature colorful house on stack coins using as property and financial concept

2025 Fall/Expo

Increasing Homeowner Resale Values

Top 10 Ways Boards Can Help

Graduation hat on piggy bank with stack of coins money on wooden background, Saving money for education concept

2024 Fall/Expo

Money Mindfulness

Tips for Keeping Your Association Financially Healthy

Partners hands together teamwork group of business people meeting in firm company office. Diversity Hands join empower partnership teams connection community. Success Mergers acquisitions partnership

2024 Fall/Expo

Fiduciary Duty Explained

One for All - Not All for One

On The Board

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Board Meeting Owner Forums

How to Keep Them Productive—and Civil

I am often asked by the board members and property managers of my condominium and community association clients to atten…

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2026 Summer

Welcome to the Board… Now What?

What to Expect in Your New Role

Abraham Lincoln statue in front of the Illinois State Capital Building in Springfield, Illinois

Winter 2026

New & Proposed Legislation Your Board Should Know About

An illustration features a businessman calculating expenses or taxes with a giant calculator, emphasizing the importance of accounting and financial management. The playful yet professional style makes it suitable for use in content, business presentations, or tax related campaigns.

Winter 2026

Yes, Associations Do Pay Federal Income Tax

…and How You File Makes a Big Difference

2025 Fall/Expo

Boards & Boundaries

How ‘Available’ Should You Be?

No Spaces Anywhere

The State of Parking in Chicago

It’s 6 pm. on a Tuesday night when the Chicago Cubs are in town and it’s game night in Lakeview’s Wrigleyville neighbor…

2014 January

Knowing When to Call Your Manager

Response to Calls is an Essential Part of the Manager’s Job

2014 January

Secrets of Successful Managers

Communication, Accommodation, Cooperation

2014 January

Managing Amenities

Coping with Changing Trends

2014 January

Changing Managers or Firms?

Don’t Overlook the Details!

Neighbor Noise

When Enough is Too Much

Noise is an acknowledged part of urban life - particularly apartment living. Some of it - traffic, garbage collection, …

Secondhand Smoke Complaints

Bad Smells, Hard Feelings

Handling Harassment

When Trash Talk Turns to Transgression

Communicate...and then OVERcommunicate

Tips for Getting Residents Involved, Engaged, & Informed

2014 February

Keeping Track of Paperwork

Properly Managing Association Records

Maintenance

Petiquette - Tips for Multifamily Pet Owners

A majority of American pet owners report that they regard their pets as family members, right alongside the humans. And …

2026 May

Multifamily Pest Management

From Rodents to Roaches

A residential ceiling showing severe water damage with bubbling, discoloration, and stains, likely caused by a leak. The affected area highlights the urgency for repairs to prevent further structural issues. Ideal for illustrating water damage restoration, home repair services, or property maintenance needs.

2026 Spring

The Battle Against Leaks

Inspection, Detection, Correction

Upscale Urban Living in Chicago: A picturesque row of red brick buildings with modern and traditional architectural details, showcasing luxury apartments and a vibrant city lifestyle.

2026 Spring

Local Façade Law Overview

It’s About Safety

Janitor use floor scrubber machine on the floor hallway office building or walkway after school and classroom work job with sun light background. Wet floor or cleaning service house maid concept.

Winter 2026

Sprucing Up for Spring

Seasonal Walk-Throughs & Maintenance

Local Façade Law Overview

It’s About Safety

Most municipalities in the U.S. have laws on their books governing how exterior building façades must be inspected, main…

Winter 2026

Sprucing Up for Spring

Seasonal Walk-Throughs & Maintenance

Two construction workers install a black waterproofing membrane and asphalt bitumen shingle on a flat roof, while another worker stands nearby on top of the building

Winter 2026

Responsible Roofing

A Proactive Approach to Making Your Roof Last

Modern brick row houses with bay windows along a fenced paved path on the side of a public park. A high rise block of flats is in background. Chicago, IL, USA.

2025 Fall/Expo

Navigating Chicago’s Façade Ordinance

Know What’s Going on Up There

Waterproofing and insulation at construction site, waterproofing membrane preventing water penetration. Exterior vapor barrier for roof.

2024 Spring

Waterproofing Your Building Envelope

Protecting Structure & Health

Multifamily Developers Experiencing Pandemic-Related Delays

Construction Resuming - Slowly - as States Open Up

According to a recent press release, the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) reports that more than half (53%) o…

2014 November

Your Building’s Plumbing

Plumbing the Depths

2014 November

Boiler Maintenance Basics

The Heat is On

2014 November

Your Building's Anatomy

Systems That Keep Your Co-op or Condo Building Running

2013 November

Where's the Money?

Alternative Funding for Capital Improvements

Insurance

a red up arrow and wooden house. The concept of the rising price of real estate, high demand for real estate, growth of rental rates and mortgage sales of apartments. Population grows.

Rising Insurance Premiums

High Costs Force Tough Decisions for Boards

Adequate Community Insurance Coverage

How Much Is Enough?

Insurance in the Multifamily Setting

Knowing Who Covers What is Key

Protecting Board Members from Claims

A Look at Liability & Insurance Coverage

Loss, Insurance, and Claims

A Primer

Design

Close-up of hands cutting upholstery fabric with large scissors while restoring vintage furniture in a workshop.

Updating Your Lobby Furnishings

Reupholster, or Replace?

Lobby Décor

Trendy or Timeless, Your Building’s First Impression

Grey is Gone in '24

Fresh Trends in Common Area Design

Current Trends in Multifamily Design

Quality, Durability, & Texture Reign Supreme

Capital Design Projects

There’s Always Room for Improvement

Organizations

IREM Foundation Establishes COVID-19 Relief Fund

27 Chapters On Board So Far

A Look Inside IREM

Serving the Management Profession

The National Fire Protection Association

Working to Stop Fires Before They Start

SOARing High in Chicagoland

The Streeterville Organization of Active Residents

Keeping it Cool

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engnieers

News

10/7/2026 Northmarq provides $24.7 million in financing for 93-unit apartment building in Chicago - RE Journals

Northmarq’s Chicago Debt + Equity team led by Kevin McCarthy successfully arranged $24.7 million in refinancing for Reside on Jackson, a 93-unit Class A multifamily property located at 1241 and 1245 W. Jackson Blvd. in Chicago.
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9/24/2026 70-Unit Condo Building Approved For Vacant Lot Near Mary Bartelme Park - Block Club Chicago

A 70-unit condo building will fill a long-vacant lot near Mary Bartelme Park after years of back and forth between residents, the alderman and the developer.
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9/22/2026 ‘City’s Worst Landowner’ Ran Shell Company Scheme To Pay For Maserati, Luxury Condo: Attorneys - Block Club Chicago

A Maserati. A luxury condo. These are a couple of the indulgences Chicago landowners Suzie B. Wilson and her sister Swedlana Dass allegedly paid for with millions of dollars illegally raked in from more than 1,000 neglected and distressed properties they owned throughout the South and West sides, according to a new complaint filed by the city against the mega-debtors.
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9/16/2026 $8 million condo at One Chicago is city’s highest-priced home sale of the year - Crain's

A high-floor condo at the One Chicago tower on Superior Street sold for $8 million, the highest recorded price for a home in the city so far in 2026.
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9/10/2026 First office-to-apartment conversion in city’s $250M push to remake the Loop opens - Crain's

The first completed project in the city’s nearly $250 million push to convert underutilized Loop office buildings into housing has opened to residents.
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8/31/2026 Buffalo Grove man with degenerative disease hasn't left condo since April because of broken elevator - CBS

A Buffalo Grove man with a medical condition that impairs his mobility says he hasn't left his condo in more than four months because his building's elevator is broken and hasn't been fixed.
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8/28/2026 Condo buyout specialist Yitzy Klor defaults on $51M in loans backed by units in Chicago towers - The Real Deal

Yitzy Klor’s future condo buyout plans are under threat. A portfolio of 137 units across seven Chicago condo towers face foreclosure over a default totaling nearly $51 million, with the debt personally backed by Klor, head of Strategic Properties of North America (SPNA), according to documents obtained by The Real Deal from the Cook County Circuit Court.
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8/21/2026 New rules could complicate Chicago condo sales - Axios

Some condo owners could find it harder to sell their units under tougher new Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lending standards.
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8/17/2026 Condo Adviser: When it comes to allowing dogs, condominium declaration has the final say - Chicago Tribune

Q. I am a unit owner in a condominium association. Our condominium declaration states that dogs are not allowed to be kept in units, and a maximum of two cats are allowed per unit. However, successive boards have chosen not to enforce the restriction prohibiting dogs. Two years ago, the board of directors approved rules and regulations regarding allowed dog breeds and imposing dog weight limits. How can the rules and regulations allow dogs when our declaration prohibits dogs?
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8/14/2026 Northwestern dropout teams up with father to fix Chicago's apartment hunt - Chicago Star Media

Every North Sider who has ever hunted for an apartment knows the dread of Chicago's rental market: chasing down leasing agents, hunting for hidden lockboxes and getting ghosted by online brokers. Bella Campise, 21, is using her deep Chicago real estate roots to rewrite the rules.
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8/12/2026 Ex-Blackhawk Richard Panik selling Loop condo - Crain's

Hockey pro Richard Panik, who skated for the Blackhawks for three seasons in the 2010s and later came back to Chicago for a season with the Wolves, put his State Street condo up for sale.
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8/4/2026 Got cash? With few properties on sale, Chicago homebuyers are having bidding wars - WBEZChicago

Michael Mutz has been ready to move out of his parents’ home in Lincoln Park. But after nine months of trying to buy his first home, he’s starting to feel worn down.
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7/31/2026 Optima Lumina development begins condominium sales - Urbanize Chicago

Condominium sales have begun for Optima Lumina, a condominium development planned for downtown Wilmette on Chicago’s North Shore. Planned by Optima, Inc, the 133-unit for-sale condominium community is designed, developed, built and managed by the integrated real estate firm. The development will replace the former Imperial Motors car dealership and is located immediately north of Optima Verdana, a 100-unit rental community that Optima opened in 2023.
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7/27/2026 Condos in Chicago’s Lakeshore East are selling faster than a cold beer at Wrigley - Chicago Star Media

Sales at Cirrus Condominiums in Chicago’s Lakeshore East have more than doubled in the first half of 2026 as shrinking inventory and steady demand draw buyers back downtown, according to Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty and The Real Deal. The 47-story tower at 211 N. Harbor Drive closed on 46 units and had 15 more under contract, for a total of 61 sales in the period, the report confirmed. That compares with 24 units sold in the same stretch a year earlier and 13 units in the first half of 2023, per Jameson Sotheby’s data.
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7/24/2026 Full building permit issued for 1282 W. Washington - Urbanize Chicago

A full building permit has been issued for a condo development at 1282 W. Washington in the West Loop. Planned by ZSD Corp and Corwin Partners, the development is being planned for a midblock site along W. Washington Blvd between N. Elizabeth St and N. Ada St. The one-story structure that currently occupies the site will be demolished.
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7/22/2026 The North Shore’s condo boom approaches the $5 million frontier - Crain's

The launch of sales at a Wilmette condo building this week will set a new high for condos in suburban downtowns, with an asking price of slightly under $4.6 million — lifting the existing top by more than half a million dollars.
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7/20/2026 East Lake Shore Drive condo sells for millions below its 2006 price - Crain's

A condo on exclusive East Lake Shore Drive sold for $5.2 million, which is millions of dollars below its past two sale prices, from 2015 and 2006.
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7/16/2026 Deconversion at 200 North Dearborn turns heated as Yitzy Klor threatens legal action - The Real Deal

The potential buyer and sellers in a condo deconversion negotiation at 200 North Dearborn Street are both alleging the other side is blurring legal lines as condo owners mull over a $98 million offer for a bulk purchase of the building.
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7/14/2026 This $11.5 Million St. Regis Penthouse Combines Sleek Italian Design With Sweeping Chicago Views - Robb Report

This is not a standard developer unit. Instead, it’s a custom-crafted home in the sky that took over a year to finalize. Set on the entire 76th floor of the 101-story St. Regis Chicago—an undulating hotel and residential supertall designed by Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang—the sprawling sanctuary commands panoramic views of Lake Michigan, Navy Pier, Monroe Harbor, and the Chicago skyline beyond.
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7/10/2026 Condo in rare Art Moderne building Theophil Studios up for sale - Crain's

Longtime owners are putting up for sale a nicely preserved unit in a one-of-a-kind building in Old Town, with its graphic art glass, porthole window and other distinctive finishes intact.
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