Category: Association Operations

Community associations are microcosms of democracy, run by an elected board of volunteers trusted to make good decisions on behalf of the community as a whole. Boards make the call on every large and small issue for their constituency. So i…

The board of a building or community association has a fiduciary duty to uphold its community’s governing documents, act in good faith, and advance the interests of the community at large. Occasionally, boards fail to carry out this duty – …

There are few things upon which most people agree, but a general dislike for paying more today for something that cost less yesterday is pretty universal. This goes for taxes, consumer goods, healthcare, and of course for monthly maintenanc…

Many co-op shareholders and condo unit owners arrive in their respective communities after a history of living as renters. Often they carry with them certain ingrained assumptions and expectations from having lived under a landlord. These a…

Security is always a primary concern for homeowners. In a multifamily building without a doorman, the first line of defense is the front entrance – which more often than not features some sort of intercom system to enable visitors to announ…

Once upon a time, you usually greeted your neighbor in the hallway of your building as you were coming or going. But you haven’t seen or heard a peep from her in almost two months. You wonder if she is okay.   So you ask the super one morn…

Do you remember when you were a kid, and the closest thing you had to a cell phone was two cups with a string pulled taut between them, speaking into one cup to see if your friend holding the other could hear you? That long-ago game worked …

It’s been a long time since most people have felt comfortable just leaving their front doors unlocked. For better or worse, security has become the order of the day – and technology follows security needs.  Today, that path leads to electr…

While children are most certainly the future, in the present they can often be a bit of a handful. In buildings and associations where residents live in close quarters, it’s inevitable that unit owners without kids will cross paths with the…

When a community association enters into a contract with a professional management company, board members may feel a sense of relief. After all, much of the burden of running the community’s daily operations has now been transferred to (hop…