As August progresses and summer draws to a close, many communities are entering into a crucial time of transition for their properties and residents. While temperatures may still be still be hovering comfortably in the 80s, August is a perfect time to assess your HOA and prepare it for the fall and early winter seasons. […]
6 Tips about Proper Pool Maintenance for your HOA
It’s midsummer now, and HOA pools everywhere are open. The pool is a high maintenance community feature. When it comes to proper pool maintenance for your HOA and money-saving tips, what you don’t know might just surprise you. The following are six tips on pool maintenance and on saving on the operating costs of your […]
How Condo and Co-op Communities Take Advantage of Outdoor Environs
Most people don’t usually think of New York City for its ample greenery. Crowds, traffic, and tall buildings–there’s a reason why it’s usually referred to as a “concrete jungle”. While the Big Apple has its lovely parks, including the most famous one Central Park, there are actually myriad lovely outdoor spaces throughout the boroughs waiting […]
Insurance Basics: Protecting Your Community Pool
Swimming pools are one of the most common, and most desirable, amenities in managed communities. Whether your pool is an Olympic-sized fitness lover’s dream, a resort-style oasis or a rooftop paradise, your pool is an important feature for your residents that enhances their lifestyles every day. Pools are also, unfortunately, an accident-prone area. In the […]
Why Are HOA Reservations Such a Pain?
Common amenities are the reason many home buyers choose to live in common interest communities. they have visions of relaxing by the pool, family reunions at the park pavilion, and movie night with friends in the clubhouse theater. But sharing these common facilities with hundreds of neighbors can be challenging. That’s where HOA reservations come […]
Pool Safety: Don’t Let an Amenity Become a Liability
According to the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP), there are 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools in the United States. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an agency that is independent of the US government, states that despite the numbers being down 11 percent nationwide since 2010, “Between 2013 and 2015, […]
Maintaining ‘Niche’ Amenities: Special Amenities May Need Special Care
Once upon a time, when someone purchased a condo or co-op, their ownership came with the privilege of using the building’s amenities. Those who lived in a building with a fitness room equipped with treadmills and weights considered themselves fortunate, and those whose building had a swimming pool were downright envied. Fast forward to today […]
Playground Innovations: What’s New in Fun
Most kids these days have never had more options when it comes to fun: video games and electronic entertainment of every kind are ubiquitous, and all sorts of mobile toys, too. But amid a national childhood obesity epidemic, the need for children to play and exert the energy that builds up in fast-growing little bodies […]
Avoid the Summertime Blues, Swimming Pool Do’s and Don’ts
Summertime is right around the corner and associations everywhere are getting ready to open their pools for the season. However, along with the sun, fun, and endless splashes, pools come with potential risks and liabilities for an association. Outlined below are some things to think about and implement to avoid the pool summertime blues. […]
10 Residential Amenities That Rock
Gym, spa, blah blah blah. Sometimes the hit list of residential amenities sounds like the same old broken record. Any condominium or residential complex can offer an Olympic-size swimming pool. But a swimming pool aquarium? That would be extraordinary (if it actually existed). We’ve heard of the Porsche Design Tower’s automated car elevator. Now that’s […]
Swimming Pools: Summer Fun or Summer Burden? (IL)
Many communities have swimming pools for residents to enjoy. A lot goes into maintaining a clean, healthy, safe and fun swimming pool facility. These community facilities can add great value to the properties, but are they fun, or a burden for those who are responsible for maintaining all necessary expectations for smooth operation? Below are […]
Preparing for Pool Season
Summer is quickly approaching, which means pool season is just around the corner! If your community is fortunate enough to have a pool, boy are you lucky! To ensure that the pool season goes smoothly, you want to make sure that residents and the community are properly prepared. Below are ways you can get your […]
Aging Condominium updates for an Aging Population
Condominiums are not just for young people, there are many elderly condo residents that bought their units in the 1980’s. Many early construction condo buildings are now facing challenges of providing amenities to owners who are 65 years or older. These buildings often lack accessibility and safety features now common in new buildings. Read […]
Party On? Third Party Liability and a Condo’s Party Room
For St. Patrick’s day weekend we have a post about alcohol! Daniel Brockenshire, a law student at Sutherland Kelly LLP, greatly assisted with the research and writing of this post. Thanks, Daniel! Condominiums are required to have insurance coverage for liability claims related to property damage or bodily injury suffered by others on common […]
Amenities — Make Them Pay for Themselves!
Adding amenities to HOAs, Coops, and Condos can actually pay for themselves while increasing property values. The question is: what amenities work best for your association? Also, how should they be structured in order to pay for themselves? This takes a lot of planning and may require the need to bring in experienced consultants. Here […]
Outsourcing Services: Getting the Most for Your Community’s Dollar
In the perennial struggle to control costs while still adequately maintaining a building or HOA’s physical plant, grounds, and other day-to-day business, some boards and managers are opting to hire superintendents, custodians, and other staff on a temporary, as-needed basis, or to partner up with neighboring associations to share one super or groundskeeper between them. […]
Service-Based Amenities: Adding Value, But at What Cost?
In major US cities these days, the decision to live in one co-op or condo building versus another often hinges upon the style of living afforded in a particular property. Whether it is defined partly by a full-scale gym and spa, a children’s study room/library, a community room or another common space, the physical amenities […]
What Your HOA Board Needs to Know About Maintaining Playgrounds
Some associations have extra space for various amenities. Some have parks, tennis courts, or even lakes and water features. One amenity that’s a feature in some associations is playgrounds for children. There are many different types of playgrounds and play apparatus for associations to choose from. Whether your association has had a playground from the […]
Eliminating Amenities: Know When to Walk Away
When buyers purchase apartments, they also purchase access to the condo or co-op’s shared amenities. Depending on the scale and financial demographics of the building, those amenities could be substantial; during the real estate boom of the early 2000s, free Continental breakfasts and in-house pet spas weren’t unheard-of. Even in more modestly appointed co-op and […]
Community Associations Suspending Use Rights for Common Elements, Amenities (FL)
In 2010, at the height of the recent foreclosure crisis, community associations in Florida gained an effective tool to aid them in their efforts to collect upon delinquent assessments. It was at that time that the legislature amended Florida law to authorize community associations to suspend the rights of unit owners and their tenants to […]
Avoiding Discrimination Under the Fair Housing Act
Your condo association would never dream of turning away potential condo owners based on their race, religion, or familial status, but did you know your pool rules could put you in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA)? Read the article………….
Insuring Amenities: Don’t Make Luxury a Liability
Like beauty, what constitutes an ‘amenity’—particularly a ‘luxury’ amenity—may well be in the eye of the beholder. Young families may want indoor and outdoor play equipment, while professionals may appreciate a well-appointed gym, and seniors might gravitate towards card rooms and social halls. All of those and more are examples of what may be considered […]
Hosting Guests in Your HOA
Inviting guests into your HOA for a private or community party may seem like a simple idea, but it can quickly get out of hand if rules aren’t followed. If you or your HOA will be throwing a party, check out these three tips. Read the article……………..
What Community Associations Should Know About the Fair Housing Act and its Impact on Pool Rules and Regulations
With the summer heat wave in full force, it is nice to enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool to cool down. Also, pools are not only good for cooling down but also provide numerous other benefits, including family time without the distractions of today’s technology, fitness training, stress relief, therapy and helping to keep […]
How to manage shared facilities in condos without getting into a war
Unlike squabbles over who gets the last scoop of ice-cream (summer is here!), conflicts over shared common facilities between multiple communities can’t be easily resolved through just a game of rock-paper-scissors. We’ve seen how ugly it can turn out to be, but the good news is, there’s a better way to put a smile on […]
The New Architectural Renderings: Marrying Technology and Smart Design
In the past, when it came time to do a remodeling project, no one really ever had much of an idea as to how things would turn out. Architects and designers would come by with blueprints or swatches of color and fabric and ask you to just imagine how it would look when finally complete. […]
Designing Common Areas: What Works Best?
In the past, developers would throw a few chairs and tables into a large room and call it a common area or a recreation room and leave it at that. Today, however, there’s more to designing, maintaining and upgrading a successful common area than just sweeping the floor and making sure the Nespresso machine is […]
Incorporating Safety into Play Time: Recreational Playgrounds in Co-ops, Condos and HOAs
One universal truth on which we all can agree is that kids like to play. They love little more than getting together and having a bang-up good time. And in almost any cooperative, condominium or homeowners’ association, there is likely to be a gaggle of youths who need to burn off some energy. A board […]
Wi-Fi Safety Around Pools, Public Buildings
Many homeowners associations offer free Wi-Fi around public areas such as pools and clubhouses. In order to make use of it, members will need to agree to the terms and conditions of HOA policy. Read the article……………
Top 3 Condo Gym Complaints and Tips to Overcome Them
When it comes to condominium amenities, one of the first requirements residents expect is a gym. Not just any gym, but a well-equipped, spacious, well-maintained gym. According to a RentShare study, the biggest pet peeve of the modern resident is not having access to quality services. This is one of the responsibilities of condo property […]
Pool Season Is Over: Tips for Closing Outdoor Pools
As the weather gets colder, no one wants to go swimming in a chilly outdoor pool. If you or your community has a pool, it’s time to shut it down for the fall and winter seasons. Check out these tips on how to properly winterize your pool, so it will be good to go when […]
Community Storage Areas
Everyone loves tons of storage. It’s even one of the things people look for when buying a new house. Put your community above the rest by offering community storage areas, so residents have more storage options.
Swimming Pool Etiquette for Courteous Condo Tenants
Just like any community location, manners go a long way in helping everyone get along. Swimming pool etiquette is every bit as important as laundry room etiquette or keeping the noise down at night. And it goes far beyond not peeing in the pool. Read the article………
How to Establish Your Community’s Pool Rules
A community pool is a great perk for any neighborhood, and it may attract many potential residents. However, a pool without rules is a serious danger. When establishing your community’s pool rules, use these five guidelines to help you. Read the article…………….
Liquid Assets: Maintaining a Safe Community Pool
Some lucky condos offer the benefits of an indoor or outdoor swimming pool for their residents; it’s a splashy amenity that many people request when looking for a home…but there are many drawbacks, issues, and liabilities that come with managing a pool. Read the article……….
Pools and Pool Safety
Does your board have a resident or vendor who likes to “prop open” the pool gate to make access to the association pool easier? Read the article………
The Community’s Hub: Clubhouses and Community Rooms for HOAs
Co-ops, condos and HOAs draw prospective residents with a wide variety of appealing features, from proximity to an office or family member to amazing views, to the concept of having someone else mow the lawn, fix the roof, and maintain the property. For certain residents, however, the biggest appeal of co-op and co-op living is […]
Unique Amenities: What’s New in Today’s Market?
The latest boom of luxury real estate development in New York City seems to have sent seismic waves across the Northeast. In the past five years, luxury buildings in Boston and other East Coast cities have installed almost any amenity they can think of, from rock-climbing walls to driving ranges and pet concierges. Read the […]
The Community Hub: How HOAs Can Make the Most of Their Clubhouse
Condos, co-ops and HOAs draw prospective residents with a wide variety of appealing features, from proximity to an office or family member to amazing views or the concept of having someone else mow the lawn, fix the roof, and maintain the property. For certain residents, however, the biggest appeal of co-op or condo living is […]
Up on the Roof: Roof Decks and Gardens Provide Urban Retreats
When space is a commodity, where can condominium associations put their gardens, their social spaces, even their hot tubs? “On the roof,” says Jack Carr, licensed engineer and senior vice president of Criterium Engineers in Portland, Maine. Read the article……….
Pool Season: Is Your Association Ready to Take the Plunge?
Many Community Associations prepare to open their neighborhood pool by adding chemicals and performing maintenance to ensure the health and safety of the Owners. But just as HOAs take care in measuring chlorine and skimming leaves, Boards of Directors are well-advised to take care in preparing the Association’s Pool Rules. This blog post reviews the […]
Cannon Ball! It’s Pool Season!
Swimming and summer time – the two are inseparable. If your community is fortunate enough to offer residents this simple summer treat, let’s make sure your HOA is prepped and ready for some poolside fun! We’ll start with the obvious and most important: pool safety. Despite their innocent appeal, pools can be dangerous if they […]
Unique Amenities – What’s New in Today’s Market?
These days, buying a new condominium might mean access not only to your dream home but also to the kind of high-end amenities that can transform a beautiful home into a spectacular one. At least that is the goal of developers and boards seeking to draw new buyers and keep current unit owners happy. […]
Programming for Every Age – Recreational and Social Programming
When it comes to offering social programs and amenities to a community, residents’ wants, needs and preferences can run the gamut. For board members and property managers, having programs in place that cater to the collective—toddlers to octogenarians and those in between and beyond—can be a challenge. Read the article……….
Making the Most of Common Spaces
There are many reasons why people choose to live in a condo building or homeowner’s association. It might be the building’s close proximity to a job or family, or maybe the resident would prefer for someone else to mow the lawn, fix the roof and take care of the property. For some residents, the biggest […]
Pool Rules – A Confusing World
With warmer weather, we’re getting our usual barrage of pool questions. Many deal with appropriate pool rulesand pool signs. Without question, pool issues are one of the more confusing areas of our practice in that there are few absolutes. That’s particularly the case when it comes to dealing with Fair Housing Act issues. […]
What’s In? What’s Out?
Forget gates and golf. Today’s homeowners and buyers want something else. Adapt your amenities and community events or get left behind. In the not too distant past, simply having a gatehouse, golf course and swimming pool were a sure-fire way for a community association to attract residents and boost property values. By most accounts, that’s […]
Government, federal court complicate HOA pool rules
Most swimming pools have a list of rules posted somewhere on the premises. We’ve all seen them. The rules contain common sense prohibitions against dangerous pool activities, such as having glass in the pool area and diving into the shallow end. Read more……….
Government, federal court complicate HOA pool rules
Most swimming pools have a list of rules posted somewhere on the premises. We’ve all seen them. The rules contain common sense prohibitions against dangerous pool activities, such as having glass in the pool area and diving into the shallow end. Read more………
Feds complicate HOA pool rules
Most swimming pools have a list of rules posted somewhere on the premises. We’ve all seen them. The rules contain common sense prohibitions against dangerous pool activities, such as having glass in the pool area and diving into the shallow end. Read more……….