Big or small, disasters most often strike out of the blue. They catch us unaware, flatfooted and feeling helpless at their impact. This is especially true when these disasters hit us at home or within our shared co-op or condo communities.…

As the holiday season approaches in the Windy City, many Chicagoans may be preoccupied with choosing gifts for picky family members, finding a parking spot downtown, or snagging that coveted new smartphone. Those who live in multifamily bu…

Property managers know that whether they're running a small, contained walk-up building, a multi-unit high rise, or a sprawling condo development in the suburbs, materials, capital and personnel all fall under their administrative jurisd…

Of all the modern conveniences we take for granted, perhaps none is as profoundly basic—and indispensable—as indoor plumbing. Carrying fresh water into our homes and taking waste water away, the pipes in our buildings are the fine line tha…

The rarely stated—but all too well understood—Murphy’s Law for Boilers—asserts that if your boiler quits working, it will do so on Christmas or New Year’s Eve, or at 4:45 p.m. on the coldest day of the year. With some planning, though, tha…

From the outside, the structure of a condo or co-op building may appear to be monolithic; just one big piece of brick and steel, punctuated with some glass here and there. That's an oversimplification, however. A multifamily building is pe…

My condo board recently voted to approve an audit for the association, but I found out our own CPA—who has handled our finances for five years—will be conducting the audit. Is that a sound decision? Are there any legal issues with conflict …

Q I believe as a board member that since shareholders are lessees/renters, and the corporation is the lessor/landlord, the corporation should bear responsibility for the maintenance and repair or replacement of the entire facade of the bu…

The building blocks of all homeowner’s associations are the community's respective bylaws, administrative documents and house rules. Equally important are legal documents that define critical information and other action items, such as ter…

Whether you’re managing or governing a suburban condo development or an urban high-rise, operating costs are a constant concern. No matter how hard you plan, there are always unexpected expenses, and you have to plan for them. This is true…