The homeowners association is, in theory if not always in practice, democracy in action. Once elected via popular vote by the members of the association, the board members—again, in theory, if not always in practice—represent the organiz…
Whenever an HOA resident has a burning question about policy, rules or procedure in their association community, chances are the answer doesn't lie in some obscure legal document or under lock and key somewhere in the depths of the assoc…
All too often, a disagreement between neighbors, or between a board and a resident, goes from minor to heated to nasty—and then turns litigious. Our culture seems all too ready to sue at the drop of a hat, but lawsuits are not only expen…
Members of co-op, condo and HOA boards often give a great deal of their personal time to make decisions in the best interest of their association, cooperative or condo community. These volunteers are charged with protecting the community…
The drawbacks of being on a board are legion. For one thing, it's a lot of work. Hours and hours and hours of work, of poring over spreadsheets, of talking to property managers and vendors and residents and tenants when you could be watc…
Q What happens if board members consistently miss meetings, or don’t attend, messing up the voting process for a board? What recourse do we have? --Attentive Board Member A “Removal of a member of the board of directors…
Q I live in a condo and have issues with the board. I have had an attorney send them a letter and they have NOT responded. According to the bylaws they are required to have regular monthly meetings. They don’t. Can they do this? I don’t…
Q How do we start a reserve fund? Where does the money come from? What can we or can’t we use the money for? Must we get approval from shareholders/owners in order to spend the reserve fund? —Board Member at a New Condo …
Q Our building has two rooms immediately off the ground-floor lobby that are also opposite three occupied apartments. One room is used for building meetings while the other currently holds some storage. Several unit owners wish to make …
There is little doubt that what started as a green building trend, with all of its energy efficiency measures and renewable energy options, has evolved into a rational way to add value to your property. In fact a recent Roper survey show…