The Community Associations Institute (CAI) estimates that 74 million Americans live in communities managed by homeowners associations, of which condos account for 35% to 40%. That’s a lot of people - many of whom may be in for a nasty shock…
The recent flash flooding resulting from Hurricane Ida and other torrential summer storms around the nation has come as something of a wake-up call for homeowners and local governments alike. The real-world effects of climate change are upo…
The reality of climate change is upon us. Weather patterns have changed, and seasons have been altered. We experience more intense heat, more frequent, destructive storms, wide-ranging wildfires, and more destructive cold. Tornadoes—the spa…
In the wake of a tragedy of the size and scope of this summer's building collapse in Surfside, Florida, many board members in condos, co-ops, and HOAs have concerns about what liability they may assume in their administrative role. This con…
There is no overstating the dire situation that the planet finds itself in after two centuries of industrialization and the broad unwillingness of its biggest perpetrators to mitigate its devastating effects on climate, not to mention on hu…
In the beginning … there was light. And all this time later, we are finally harnessing light’s energy to power our cities, our buildings, and our everyday devices—mostly because all of the energy sources we’ve used until now emit incalculab…
After the devastating and deadly collapse of the Champlain Towers condo in Surfside, Florida, high-rise dwellers throughout the country are wondering how their cities’ building and inspection codes will prevent such a tragedy where they liv…
In light of the catastrophic, deadly condo building collapse in Surfside, Florida, at the end of June, boards and residents in multifamily buildings across the country are taking a hard look at how their own properties measure up to the str…
For many, the topic of insurance can be a bit overwhelming. Even the terms we use as insurance purchasers differ substantially from the terms industry professionals use when discussing and settling claims—which can leave laypeople feeling l…
In a world where the cost of services and goods are generally rising, even in the absence of any substantive inflation, co-op and condominium boards and management are always looking for ways to hold the line on increasing monthly costs. T…