Q. My HOA has threatened to confiscate my unit because I withheld/escrowed my June assessment soon after I learned the board refused to communicate or cooperate with my insurance company who was to cover other losses. This isn’t in the by…

A democracy fares best when its constituents are proportionally represented. For all intents and purposes, the board of a condominium, cooperative, or homeowners’ association is a democratically-elected entity, and as such, one could argue …

Everyone can use a little help now and again. The residents of condominiums, co-ops or homeowners’ associations are no exception. There are tons of tasks that just cannot be left up to the board or residents, who are busy people themselves,…

People often say, “If these walls could talk...”, when considering the variety of experiences that a room  has absorbed over the years and would now relate if it only could. But while talking walls are a purely hypothetical construct, prope…

Through the ages, architecture and design have been symbols of evolution and change within societies. From the grandeur of the ancient world, to the Baroque and Romanesque masterpieces of the late Renaissance, and to the towering fancies of…

There are plenty of reasons why a condominium, co-op or homeowners’ association might see fit to spruce up its common areas. Dated décor, seasonal inspiration, excess cash on-hand, or just sheer boredom with the current look all come to min…

Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, things go wrong. When it comes to a design project in a multifamily building, be it a lobby renovation, a roof deck build-out, or a repainting the common hallways, the ‘wrong’ part can involve an…

Q. Can a voice recording of an executive closed session of a condo board meeting by one of the board’s directors  be restricted by the board?  —Unit Owner Seeking Transparency A. “The Illinois Condominium Property Act generally requir…

Cities and suburbs can be dirty places – and unfortunately, getting that dirt off the façade of a building takes more than just a scrub-brush and a bottle of Mr. Clean. How a building is cleaned depends on two factors: what materials the bu…

The sun stays up a little longer, the breezes are warmer, and the flowers begin to bloom. The signs all point to the arrival of spring, when we can cast off the dreary grayness of winter and look forward to blissful summer days. It is the p…