It’s no secret that insurance is a necessity for any building or association. Nevertheless, the expense of coverage means that issues of liability and risk are all too often examined only after problems have occurred. Usually, insurance hol…

When it comes to legislation and legal issues that apply to condo associations, co-ops, and other multifamily housing models, the focus is often local—city ordinances, council meetings, and so forth – but there are judgments handed down and…

Q. I purchased my condo unit in 2005 with amenities, including 24-hour security, two pools, a parking lot, and a children’s playground. This past summer, our board destroyed the children’s playground and made it into additional parking sp…

Q. I was recently made aware that a sex offender has moved into my building.  He moved into his girlfriend’s apartment. I made the board aware of this, and even gave them a printout from criminal justice. We have a lot of children living …

Q. What do you do when the president of the board, property manager and super are all one family? I tried waking up the shareholders with memos and flyers about the conflict of interest to no avail. Our beautiful Garden of Eden has become…

Jack and his wife Rachel live in Chicago, happy in a two-bedroom, two-bath condo with a parking spot. Assessments are criminally low, the building is dog-friendly and it is literally a half block from a Chicago train stop. While they have a…

Oftentimes co-op, condo and HOA boards are faced with difficult choices when it comes to enforcing their community’s rules and regulations. Board service isn’t an easy thing, and while board members want to be understanding of their fellow …

Like people, buildings age. Even under the best of atmospheric conditions, dust, dirt and grime accumulate, changing a building’s appearance over time. Often it’s not until a building’s façade is cleaned that one notices how it was dirty to…

Tastes and styles change with the decades—and sometimes with just the seasons—and what is considered fashionable now may seem hopelessly dated in just a few years. (Just look at bell bottoms.) That said, innovations and re-imaginings in res…

With the end of winter comes relief. No more snow or sleet or slush or sludge; it’s sunshine and windbreaker season, baby! But the board of a condo, cooperative or homeowners association cannot be content with simply waiting for April showe…