Q. I live in a condo where there are quiet hours after 9 p.m., and all disturbing noise no matter the time can result in a fine. Two months after I moved in, the downstairs neighbor moved in. It’s been a nightmare ever since. Banging, scr…
Q. Five years ago, an owner who was on the board for a year and was newly in charge of maintenance had his own new patio removed and hired our usual contractor to pour a new, larger patio—which of course meant using common element propert…
Running a community association requires boards and managers to work with people from all walks of life, including those who have unique experiences, wants, needs, and challenges. That requirement also includes residents living with behavio…
There’s a riddle in a popular children’s book that asks, ‘What’s the largest room in the world?’ After much consideration and many incorrect guesses, one of the characters in the book has the answer: “Why, the largest room in the world is r…
It’s that time of year again. Birds are chirping; trees are blooming; property managers and co-op and condo boards are addressing their task lists for the change of seasons. Whether it’s a Wrigleyville walk-up or a Streeterville supertall, …
First-time buyers in condo associations, co-ops, and other multifamily residential communities are often surprised—and a bit confused—by the way in which their new building or HOA operates. Whether they are coming from a rental background o…
Following the tragic partial collapse of Champlain Tower South in Surfside, Florida in June 2021, the Community Associations Institute (CAI) convened a trio of task forces to explore laws and best practices for the community association…
As both a writer about and resident of high-rise residential buildings, I followed the June 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium with a hawk’s eye. I read about the people who perished and the loved ones left to carry on;…
The results of a recent study conducted by digital real estate marketplace HomeAdvisor reveal that Americans relate to and interact with their neighbors very differently today than in decades past. According to the company’s report based …
The continuing war in Ukraine and the accompanying sanctions imposed by the US, EU, and their allies reach into our own backyard. Many Russian oligarchs own luxury apartments and other real estate in New York, Chicago, and elsewhere in the …