Even if your condominium or homeowner's association (HOA) is a fortified castle atop a hill and surrounded by a moat, one day, someone will hit it with a really big rock, and thus it’s inevitable: work will be done, repairs will be made, th…

Even after the rain is gone, you may still not be able to see clearly—if your windows haven’t been washed lately, that is. Even if you have the greatest views in the entire complex and your windows are dirty, your views might as well be a b…

A building’s roof serves as the first line of defense against whatever the skies throw at its inhabitants—wind, rain and blazing sun, even snow and ice in some climates—so it’s crucial for that roof to be sound and well maintained. All it t…

Q. At the most recent open board meeting some seven contracts were approved by the HOA board.  Some of the contracts were not put to competitive bid.  The board indicated that these (including snow clearing) were “renewals” and the board …

Q. Our new condominium association contains, as part of its common elements, an atrium and courtyard. What do I need to know about instituting rules and regulations for these common areas in light of the fact that the board would like to …

Gone are the days when a treadmill and a set of dumbbells in a fluorescent-lit basement room passed for athletic amenities in condo buildings and HOAs.  Today, the size and scope of sporty offerings—be it basketball courts, pools or saunas—…

Pests are a part of life. Wherever people go, vermin of one kind or another are sure to follow. This is particularly true in urban environments like Newark and Jersey City, where rodent sightings come with the territory, but smaller cities …

Volumes of research have been conducted on the practical and aesthetic applications of color. For better or worse, color—in private and public spaces—affects human behavior; it can manipulate mood and perception. A board planning to redecor…

It’s cheaper for two families to pool resources and share a house than for the same two families to buy two houses. This underlying concept has been around since people starting building houses. As a report by the National Cooperative Law C…

One of the biggest political buzzwords of the past 10 years or so is 'transparency.' Transparency in meetings of elected bodies in local and state governments, transparency in the proceedings of both public and private organizations, such a…