Q In order to raise our reserve fund and provide further amenities to our co-op, the board is exploring the possibilities of converting our roof-top into both private and common decked areas. The plan is two-fold: a) sell a portion of t…

Q I serve as secretary on my co-op’s board of directors and would like to know if it is common practice for the secretary to write down everything said at a given meeting word-for-word. My board seems to think so, but I feel that paraph…

I am a woman who owns a single-family suburban home, but I came about the process of home ownership the traditional way. First, I rented an apartment during college and my early working years. Then I met my then-future husband, we got marri…

For most of us, it's hard enough managing our own households and maintaining our duties within our co-op or condo community—we may not think about our neighbors outside the association itself. For many New Jersey co-op and condo residents, …

What would it be like if today's society was governed by laws set forth centuries ago and never updated? While some fundamental rules about not stealing things or hurting people might not change much, others would be in dire need of a facel…

Conflict and disagreement among neighbors is something we all must face, whatever the living situation. As long as people have different viewpoints and varied lifestyles, they will argue and bicker and call each other names. And, add to tha…

As a member of board, you've volunteered your time to serve your building or homeowner's association with the best interest of your community in mind. But as every board member knows, even with the best of intentions, your board may…

Requests that go unanswered, records that cannot be found, meetings that happen behind closed doors, an opaque veil of non-communication. Unresponsive boards are the bane of HOA members—they seem to operate behind an iron curtain of inacces…

Kermit the Frog thought he had it right when he sang, "It's not easy being green," but in Monroe Township, it's not only easy being green—it's their priority to keep as much green in their community as possible. As the largest commu…

Although New Jersey real estate has long been viewed as a male-dominated world, it's no longer just a boys-only club. Many women have carved their own paths to success in the industry, rising through the ranks as property managers, accounta…