Live Long and Prosper – Life Spans of Building Systems
Nothing lasts forever, and though you can’t predict the moment a piece of building equipment will break down, you can prepare for it. Even the toughest boiler, HVAC unit, or elevator will eventually tucker out and need major repairs, or just give up the ghost and have to be replaced. And with New England’s penchant […]
Now is The Time – Check Today’s Financing Options for Projects
If you’re on a board in a New England condo or HOA, now is the time that you should be talking about making any of the major improvements that you’ve discussed or considered over the past few years. Even if you have a plan in place to do a roofing project or paving job in […]
Do It Yourself: Can You Save Money with In-House Labor – And Is It Worth It?
A small-scale project is pending, and the management company is considering proposals or bids from several local contractors. The job could be as basic as trimming shrubs, staining decks or wiring some new lighting, so it’s no wonder that the perennial question from board members or trustees arises: “Why can’t our guy [the on-site management […]
SuperMen & SuperWomen! – Importance of Superintendents and Chief Engineers
The life of a super is different every day, but it usually goes something like this: arrive at work each morning; check in with security for any possible situations that have come up during the night; review any outstanding work orders and walks the property, making sure that all of the building mechanicals—such as the […]
Deck the Halls — Or Not: Setting Rules for Holiday Decorating Can Be a Challenge
In an episode of the television classic, “Seinfeld,” George Costanza’s father (played by Jerry Stiller) invents “Festivus—for the rest of us” to mold all the holidays into one event. Attorney Frank Lombardi of the law firm of Goodman, Shapiro & Lombardi, LLC in Lincoln, Rhode Island, jokes that Costanza’s concept might diminish conflicts within communities. […]
From Good to Great: Principles for Community Association Success
Every community has its own history, personality, attributes and challenges, but all associations share common characteristics and core principles. Good associations preserve the character of their communities, protect property values and meet the established expectations of homeowners. Great associations also cultivate a true sense of community, promote active homeowner involvement and create a culture of […]
High & Mighty: When Boards Go Overboard
There’s nothing worse than being a unit owner in a building and seeing someone on your board breaking a rule and seemingly getting away with it. Read more…..
Just One Big, Happy Family…? Remedies for Dysfunctional Boards
Finding the right balance of involvement between HOAs and condo boards and residents can be like maintaining a healthy relationship with a significant other—you want to be compassionate, responsive and attentive, but not too needy, nosy or aggressive. Read more……
Rules on Records: Importance of Good Record-Keeping
It’s no secret that helping to run a board of directors or board of trustees for a condo association is a thankless task. There are a lot of issues to take care of, and board members are strictly volunteers Read more…..
Just a Minute! Keeping Good Association Minutes Can Avoid Problems Later
In Bolton, Massachusetts, a condo resident owned a truck with commercial license plates and, when it wasn’t in use, he wanted to park it on the property. The previous board gave him approval to do so, but when it came time to produce proof of this decision to the new board, the resident couldn’t produce […]
Old Man Winter’s Coming: Now is the Time to Prepare for Winter’s Arrival!
A cold, wet spring turned quickly into a hot, humid summer rife with thunderstorms and localized flooding throughout the northeast. As autumn starts to paint the region’s foliage, community association boards and managers are looking at long-range forecasts and, in their annual ritual, wondering what winter will hold this year. Read more……
Insuring Honesty and Integrity: Two Must-Have Insurance Policies for Boards
When you decide to run for a board, you’re usually thinking about all the great changes you’re going to make to your building community, along with all the time and effort that you’re prepared to sacrifice for the good of your home. Read more…….
Contractor Coverage & Liability
All professional contractors and service providers are required by law to carry insurance to cover their activities. Any condo building should also carry its own insurance to cover accidents or other incidents on the property—this could include anything from slip-and-falls to staff injuries to damage from doing electrical work. Read more…..
Understanding Your Insurance Policy’s Fine-Print
Surprise. Surprise. The major storm events we’ve experienced in New England may give condo owners and trustees a very good reason to look at the insurance coverage for all of their association properties. Read more….
Neighbor to Neighbor: A Guide to Alternative Dispute Resolution
Can’t we all just get along? It’s a million-dollar question. When people move into a community, they often look for the friendliness and camaraderie that living in an association brings. But with many personalities often butting heads on everyday-living situations, it can often get tense and things can go awry. Read More……
Building a Better Board: Common Traits of Successful Boards
Working in groups can be a challenge. Working in groups when people’s homes—and possibly their life savings—are involved can be a far greater challenge. It’s one faced every day by those brave souls who volunteer to serve on their co-op or condo board. While there is no sure-fire recipe for building a board that is […]
The Big 10: Top Questions to Ask Your Landscape Pro
Part of the job of a condo board is to keep your association’s grounds or lawn looking healthy and attractive. After all, curb appeal can do wonders when it comes to appraisals and even the morale of your community members. But most condo boards—whether urban or suburban—are populated by volunteers, few of whom are likely […]
The Insurance Puzzle: Making Sense of Premiums and Policies
Insurance sounds like a simple concept: you pay a premium to your insurer, and then when you file a claim, your insurer pays you. Simple. Insuring a condominium or association property shouldn’t be much different than insuring yourself—just on a bigger scale, right? Read More……
What’s in Your Wallet? The Importance of Healthy Reserves
Just as families are encouraged to set aside a portion of the household budget into a savings account, so are community associations advised to maintain a reserve fund for capital improvements—repairs and replacements of major common-owned features, infrastructure and facilities. And just as American families are notoriously lax about saving money, so are condo boards […]
Involved & Invested: Volunteers are Still the Backbone of Community Associations
It’s a problem as old as community associations themselves: How do managers increase interest in the possibility of board service? “You know, it’s very common,” says Lynne Kelly, president of Kelly Property Management in Burlington, Massachusetts. “People who move into condominiums just want to go to their annual meeting, if that, and pay their condo […]
Following the Golden Rule: Drafting Rules and Making Them Stick
Every condo association has its own house rules—rules and regulations (hopefully) based on common sense and aimed at protecting residents’ safety and quality of life without undue disruption or inconvenience. Read More……
Aging In Place: Naturally Occuring Retirement Communitites and Alternatives in New England
Citizens over the age of 65 comprise nearly 13 percent of the U.S. population—just under 40 million seniors. By 2030, it is estimated that 72 million Americans will be over the age of 65, nearly doubling those numbers. Where this volume of seniors will live and how, is a question facing not only the individual […]
So Now You’re On the Board
The first steps to superior board performance are clarifying your board’s job and then following through with appropriate plans, actions and evaluation of results. The checklists presented here are intended to assist you in those tasks. They cover a significant number of your responsibilities. The checklists will apply to virtually any association. To use them, […]