While it's pretty much impossible for a co-op or condo board or employee to commit fraud on the scale of a Bernie Madoff or any one of the herd of shysters who have tromped through the news in recent years, building boards and managers cert…
The first of the month rolls around and it’s time to pay the bills that keep your building operational. Repairs might need to be made, staff salaries paid, maintenance done to keep all the common elements running, and supplies reordered. Th…
Preparing the annual budget for a condo or HOA isn't quite like figuring out a budget for a couple, or even a large family. The board of a multifamily building or association has to consider all the angles—past, current, and future—when for…
Over a thousand board members, managers, building owners and exhibitors packed the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on Wednesday, May 18th for The Cooperator Expo-Chicagoland’s Spring Expo in Rosemont. The one-day event which ran from 1…
In this challenging economy, many co-op and condo buildings are struggling to pay their bills while planning for future needs. Still, most building boards and HOAs are loathe to raise maintenance fees or levy special assessments on their re…
Q: We have a small condo association and it is difficult, as I assume it is for most, to get people to serve on our board. The idea we came up with is to have one person serve as the treasurer/secretary. In Illinois, is this legal? Is it …
Q: I live in an 18-year-old, 40-unit townhome association in the community of Des Plaines. It seems that, according to our declaration and bylaws, the association owns and maintains the entire shingle roof system including the skylights a…
Q: Some years ago, I purchased a two-bedroom condo in downtown Chicago. It was advertised as having two parking spaces. They are piggy-back spaces, as the first car cannot get out until the second car is moved into the spot. From what I u…
Let’s imagine that your boss invites you to a group dinner to celebrate her recent promotion. At dinner, you have a tasty salad and one glass of the house red, but your colleagues all have multiple cocktails; somebody orders the surf-and-tu…
Whether you serve on the board of a co-op, condo or HOA, chances are you and your fellow community administrators are volunteers. Perhaps you're fortunate enough that you or one of your colleagues has professional legal expertise to bring t…