Q. If a resident in our building tests positive for COVID-19, or is self-quarantined, should we tell the other residents and staff? A. According to Peter Massa, an attorney with Manhattan-based law firm Armstrong Teasdale, "Residents shoul…
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unique and challenging situations to each of us. Our cooperative and condominium clients, and their managing agents, have been working diligently to keep pace as this crisis unfolds. First and foremost, we …
As you can imagine, our office has been inundated with calls and emails concerning proper protocol should a resident or a tenant in a building either contract or be exposed to someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus. This raises…
Any time you have hundreds or even thousands of people living in close quarters – in a multifamily co-op or condo building, say – certain challenges inevitably will arise. One of the bigger ones is how to maintain the flow of fresh, hygieni…
Planning for a rainy day is pretty easy. Have an extra umbrella handy or a waterproof coat, and you’re probably fine. Planning for the rainiest day ever, on the other hand, is significantly more daunting. Especially if during that day there…
Multifamily residential buildings provide both privacy and community. Privacy, because a recluse in New York City can have almost anything delivered to his door and thus never have to leave the sanctuary of his apartment; and community, bec…
Whether we’re talking day-to-day safety or emergency planning, most multifamily buildings and HOAs have something on the books to address both standard operating procedures and things like alerts and evacuations. And that’s great if you’re …
Q. Our building is discriminating against children. The board has just purchased very expensive lobby furniture ($6,000 per chair) with a white rug. It has now passed a rule that children must not play in the lobby. If they are “caught” p…
Q. I’d like to get the opinions of legal experts regarding boards that use the surveillance system to spy on residents they dislike, attempting to “catch” them at some behavior which may be against the building rules. So is it legal to sp…
Q. Our association stated that in compliance with the Radburn Bill, all votes must be read aloud giving the unit number and the vote. Is this mandatory now? —Wishing to Remain Silent A. “The Radburn Bill doe…