In addition to their boards, common interest communities are governed by a set of foundational documents. In a condominium, those documents are the declaration and bylaws; co-ops also have bylaws, as well as a unique document called a propr…
If you picture a specific American city in your head, what do you see? Its buildings, most likely. Cities come to be known and represented by their iconic buildings, one part often standing in for the whole: think the Empire State or Chrysl…
It’s little surprise to many that the residents of luxury apartment buildings spend less time in their apartments than their less well-off neighbors. Second and even third homes are the reality for many wealthy shareholders and unit owners—…
When conflict erupts in a multifamily community, be it between neighbors, between a resident and the board, or between board factions, it has the potential to cause real problems beyond just the immediate parties involved. Feuds between nei…
According to a recent announcement by Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, by 2060 one in four Americans will be over the age of 65, and two in five adults over 65 live with a disability. In …
According to a recent investigative piece by the Orange County (Florida) Register , Fannie Mae is keeping a secret “blacklist” of condominium, HOA and cooperative properties which the federal agency has decreed that lenders should st…
Since their appearance in the early aughts, home-sharing and short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and others have been a polarizing issue - particularly in co-op and condominium communities. While many apartment owners may choose …
Perhaps you’ve watched an episode of Law & Order , or one of the many other shows shot in and around the New York City metro, and wondered how the producers select buildings for location shoots. Maybe you’ve even wondered whether your …
A legal battle is ongoing between a New Jersey condo association and a conservation group over public waterway access via private property. New Jersey state law provides for some very specific rules when it comes to waterway access. The sta…
In many ways co-op, condo, and HOA living represents the most basic form of representative democracy. Like the ancient Athenians, we gather periodically to elect a small group from among us to represent our joint interests and to oversee th…