New Jersey’s condo communities and homeowner associations might vary in their architectural styles, but over time every exterior—from suburban vinyl siding to turn-of-the-century urban brick—experiences exterior wear due to the elements …
When condo-dwellers think “catastrophe,” it’s usually something dramatic, like a fire or huge storm laying waste to their HOA. There’s another, far more insidious enemy of urban and suburban condo buildings, however: H2O. Water damage m…
Q I reside and own shares in a co-op in Edison, New Jersey, which is experiencing many problems, including serious maintenance issues, due in part to poor service on the behalf of the current management company. A group of res…
It’s a time-worn pattern that plays out in workplaces, classrooms, and residential buildings everywhere: rules are set, and enforced strictly for awhile. Over time however, enforcement wanes a little—the rules are bent, then broken. Even…
Even in the most well-run, harmonious building or association, problems occasionally arise. Sometimes it’s a truculent resident who seems determined to alienate and annoy everybody within a half-mile radius, sometimes it’s a managing ag…
When it comes to running a building or community association, all board members are not created equal—at least not when it comes to administrative ability and skill. Some bring experience in construction or backgrounds in law, finance, …
Every co-op or condo has rules and regulations that have been put in place to define the board’s authority and limitations of power, as well as outline the rules for the community, residents or shareholders. And although the governing d…
Turn on daytime television and you might get a false impression that people like to go before a judge to work out their differences. There are so many cookie-cutter court shows like where they make the process look simple and quick. Th…
Failure to Distribute Minutes Q I was newly elected to the board of a small (32-unit), self-managed cooperative, where traditionally there has been little transparency between the board and shareholders. The board has been st…
Q Last year, a board member discovered other directors have allowed our association secretary to be 10 months delinquent in his assessments. No action was taken. Other unit owners have been in the collection process for the same violat…