Aging condos in Ontario will need expensive repairs in the future, report finds

About 15 per cent of Ontario households currently live in condominiums and more than half of new homes being built in the province are also condominium units.  There are 900,000 condominium units in the province that are managed by 11,000 condo corporations and some units that are more than 30 years old are starting to […]

Tips for Reviewing Construction Contracts for Your HOA

A former construction company executive earned a 15 years prison sentence for his role in a scheme to control homeowners associations and took $58 million fraudulently. Often, homeowners association board members fall into the trap of inadvertently and unknowingly signing biased construction contracts.   Read the article………………………..

High-Rise Maintenance Tips Your HOA Should Follow

High-rise buildings have unique and sometimes challenging maintenance obligations. An essential responsibility of the association is to ensure that the community is maintained to the highest possible standard, focusing on safety and appearance.   Read the article………………………..

“Heading for a Disaster”: Condos Underfunded for Multimillion-Dollar Repairs (ON)

It’s not a “What if?” scenario — it’s already happening. And condo owners need to know big building costs are coming.  There are two problems here, says Lyndsey McNally, Vice President at the Canadian Condominium Institute. One: There’s a very good chance your condominium corporation doesn’t have enough in its reserve fund to pay for […]

New Tilting Prompts Revamp of San Francisco’s Millennium Tower Fix (CA)

NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit has learned that a recent acceleration in tilting of the Millennium Tower has prompted engineers in charge of the so-called “fix” to employ an unconventional strategy to prop up the building so as to stop it from leaning further while the rest of the work gets done.   Read the article………………………….

HOA Roof Replacement Guidelines To Follow

Living in a homeowners association comes with plenty of advantages, such as improved curb appeal and increased property values. But, it also means having to adhere to the community’s rules and seek approval for architectural changes. This includes an HOA roof replacement.   Read the article…………………………

Who is responsible for repairing damaged insulation in a condominium?

Q: My condominium association has repeatedly repaired our roof. It has also paid for repainting parts of the ceiling in my unit on multiple occasions. I live on the top floor of a five-story building.  Whose responsibility is it to replace rain-damaged ceiling insulation?    Read the Q&A……………………………….

Federal Surfside condo collapse investigation enters new phase (FL)

The federal investigation into the deadly Surfside condo collapse is entering a new phase that involves cutting and drilling into concrete and steel to determine what role they played in the disaster, officials said Wednesday.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Federal investigators talk about Surfside condo collapse probe (FL)

Investigators with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) said the point of the probe is to not only find out what happened and who may be responsible for this deadly collapse, but it’s also to prevent similar tragedies at other high-rises.   Read the entire article……………………………….

The New Cond Laws—-Mandatory Inspections—Part One (FL)

If a community association manager or a community association management firm has a contract with a community association that has a building on the association’s property that is subject to s. 553.899, (the Mandatory Inspections statute) the community association manager or the community association management firm must comply with that section as directed by the […]

Condo’s prepare for safety inspections in Boca Raton (FL)

City officials say they are dividing the city into four zones, putting the buildings closest to the ocean with the proper height and age requirements first in line for the recertification program.   Read the entire article……………………………….

How To Prioritize Building Improvement Projects In Your HOA

When it comes to building improvement projects, your HOA doesn’t only need to know what maintenance jobs should be done down the line, but also when they need to be done. Knowing how to prioritize maintenance jobs will not only ensure that issues are always dealt with promptly and professionally, but will keep residents happy […]

At Last, Co-op and Condo Boards Get Something for Free From the DOB (NY)

New York City co-op and condo boards have grown accustomed to the high cost of complying with a never-ending deluge of new city rules — widely derided as “unfunded mandates” — but during May the city is flipping the the script by offering no-cost, no-penalty inspections of decks, porches, retaining walls and business signs.   Read […]

HOA Preparedness: Preventing Water Damage

It’s finally springtime, which means flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and the rain will soon be pouring. And all that rain can lead to one thing: water damage. If you’re an HOA board member, it’s essential to prepare your community association for the rainiest season.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Caution! Flooring Penetrations May Result in Structural Issue (CA)

Many of our multi-story condominium communities are wood framed with wood flooring. Most high-rise communities are concrete structures with concrete flooring. Whether wood or concrete, flooring is an integral part of the structural integrity of the building.     Read the entire article……………………………….

Federal Legislation Supports Condo Structural Repairs

U.S. Reps. Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Broward, Miami-Dade) introduced the Securing Access to Finance Exterior Repairs (SAFER) in Condos Act of 2022 yesterday. The legislation, a response to the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Fla., on June 24 in which 98 people died, allows condominium homeowners to finance […]

Civil Code § 5551 and Complying with Safety Inspection Requirements of Balconies (CA)

On August 30, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 326 into law. This law, which went into effect on January 2020, added §5551 to California’s Civil Code. The added section imposes inspection requirements for “exterior elevated elements” which a common interest development’s association has maintenance or repair responsibilities. This requirement does not apply to […]

City funds come to the rescue of ‘troubled buildings (IL)

The vintage condo building on Crandon Avenue in South Shore is in frightful straits. It needs at least $1.5 million to repair a crumbling facade and upgrade pipes. The homeowners association doesn’t have enough cash reserves to fund needed repairs. And the residents, mostly seniors on fixed incomes, are behind in paying monthly assessments. The […]

Problem Solved: What To Do When the Lone Elevator Goes Down (NY)

When a building’s lone elevator goes out of commission, it can be a nightmare. A big issue can be financing the repairs. You’ve had experience with both of these challenges at an HDFC co-op in Hamilton Heights. Can you tell us about it   Read the entire article……………………………….

Bronx Co-op Board Gets Free Money to Fix Its Building Envelope (NY)

For Peter Morello and his six fellow board members at the Thwaites Terrace House co-op in the Bronx, it was manna from heaven at the perfect time. The five-story, 132-unit brick building near the New York Botanical Garden needed extensive work on its roof, parapets, facades and lintels — about $600,000 worth. How to pay […]

Older Condo Residents Impacted by Stricter Rules (FL)

Virginia Ponce hasn’t been able to return to her fourth-floor condo in Flagami since leaving her home of 21 years in August under a city-ordered evacuation, after inspectors determined the eight-story tower was unsafe due to damaged columns.  Ponce, 77, moved in with her daughter in southwest Miami-Dade. Months later, she’s hoping an overhaul of […]

Maintaining Aging Buildings – Older Structures Have Special Concerns

Nothing lasts forever, even with good maintenance—including most building components. Exterior elements are perhaps most subject to wear and tear in any climate. Their construction and material type dictate their maintenance needs and repair schedules; masonry façades clearly have different needs than wood or clapboard fronts. But with a good care program and a bit […]

Building Inspections – Up & Down, Inside & Out

Car owners know that in order to operate their vehicle legally, they must have it professionally inspected every year. An older car might need some relatively minor repairs or adjustments to bring it into compliance with state emissions requirements, but for most, getting that mandatory approval sticker is a simple, inexpensive, predictable process that takes […]

New Letter Slid Under Doors At Atlantic City’s Ocean Club Condos (NJ)

We have obtained a copy of the latest letter sent to owners and residents at Atlantic City, New Jersey’s Ocean Club Condominiums.  Although the public perception may be otherwise, make no mistake about it … The Ocean Club management has been very transparent throughout all of the various issues that we have been reporting about:  […]

Surfside collapse exposes an overlooked threat: Saltwater rising from underground

Not long after a condo tower collapsed in Surfside, Florida, last June, Randall Parkinson had what he calls an epiphany. Parkinson, a coastal geologist who studies the impact of climate change at Florida International University in Miami, wondered whether rising sea levels had driven saltwater into the ground beneath the tower, corroding its concrete foundation.  […]

Exec: Aging condos like the one that fell in Surfside need financial watchdogs

Aging condos in Florida should be certified as safe every three years, not every 10 and certainly not every 40 as required in current law, said an executive with the finance company that warned of impending disaster before the June 2021 collapse of a 12-story condo in Surfside.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Condo Board Goes in for Early Detection of Water Leaks (NY)

Ask any co-op or condo board member or their property manager to name the biggest headache they get from their building, and the answer is guaranteed: water leaks. Whether it comes through the building envelope or passes from one apartment to another (or many), water is Enemy No. 1. A condo board in Toronto — […]

DCRA cites Homeowners’ Association President for creating a ‘hazard to life and safety’ in SE condos (DC)

Saturday, a resident recorded cellphone video of Homeowners Association President Marcus Little seemingly violating District building code by tearing down a Stop Work Order placed there by housing inspectors last week. Residents said Mr. Little left the building in such disrepair refusing to use their association fees to fix the growing problems.   Read the entire […]