Q. Given the recent disasters on both the East and West Coasts, from flooding to fires, it seems obvious that property insurance is important. But it’s also getting very expensive. Owners who have mortgages are required by their banks to carry insurance, but if you own your property with no mortgage, is it still required? Read […]
How Self-Managed Communities Manage Their Business: Staying Smart & Solvent
One of the certainties of living in a condo, co-op, or HOA is that despite all having an equal stake in the financial and administrative success of the building or association, only a small percentage of residents choose to take an active role in the governance and management of their communities. In addition, many buildings […]
Clear Communication From Digital Portals to Personal Connections
In multifamily communities, transparent and open communication helps ensure smooth operations and leads to greater resident satisfaction. When it comes to property management, both traditional and more tech-savvy communication approaches, from personal interactions to digital portals, can help a building team operate successfully. A carefully considered full-spectrum approach keeps the lines open for residents, board […]
Understanding Management Fees: Minding the Bottom Line
Among the many factors necessary for multifamily residential buildings to achieve financial stability, proper budget planning, compliance, and trust among shareholders, effective fee management is one of the most important. Understanding the billing structures property management companies use with different client communities can help determine which one is the best fit for your particular building […]
Handling Mismanagement: Clear Expectations Are Key
The right property management team can make or break a building. While basic day-to-day maintenance and financial oversight often take priority when managing a multifamily property, comprehensive property management also includes building security, legal compliance, and resident satisfaction. Read the article…………………………….
Q&A: Dealing with a Rogue Board
Q. I was a member of our three-person association condo board for about one year. I resigned after I realized the other two people were having secret meetings and making decisions without my input, and bringing their two-to-one vote to the full board meetings. Read the Q&A………………………………..
Responding to Litigation: Be Discreet, Be Professional, Be Timely
There’s an old joke about business partners on the outs. The punchline is something like, “my lawyer is bigger than your lawyer!” Punchlines aside, though, who can you sue, when, and for what? In our litigious society, the short answer is nearly anybody, pretty much anytime, and for just about anything, depending on your resources. […]
The President’s Role: Communication, Leadership, & Commitment
What is the role of a board president in a shared-interest community? Is he or she more like a CEO, an administrative custodian, or a figurehead? Depending on the community and the needs and expectations of its members, the answer could be a combination of all three in different measures. Regardless, leading a community of […]
Access Control & Securing Your Building: Who Goes There?
Technology and communication are advancing and evolving rapidly in today’s fast-paced world. Multifamily buildings—home to residents with diverse needs, expectations, and preferences—present unique security challenges. These buildings must manage a stream of visitors, multiple entrances, and all the everyday complexities of community living, where trust and awareness among neighbors can vary widely. Boards and associations […]
Multifamily Fire Safety: Prevention, Detection, & Communication
Among the many hazards that can threaten any multifamily building, fire ranks right at the top. Local news is replete with stories about the property loss, structural damage, and even death that a fire can cause. While horrific in small properties, fire can be even more dangerous in multifamily buildings. High-rises in particular can pose […]
Successful Social Programming: The Value of Building Relationships
Fostering a sense of community in multifamily buildings and HOAs is essential —not only for the health and happiness of residents, but also for the overall well-being of the property itself. As we navigate our fast-paced, post-pandemic world, nurturing relationships has become vital. Creating connections through social programming helps engage residents, enhances their day-to-day living […]
Exterior Safety Inspections: Why They Matter for Your Building
Among the most important elements of building maintenance is inspecting and securing the facade, whether it’s brick, stone, stucco, glass, or some other material. Improper installation, neglected maintenance, and plain old natural deterioration over time can all destabilize your building’s exterior, posing a serious risk to both residents and passers-by in the form of falling […]
The Role of the Board President: Your Community’s Chief Administrator
Just as a ship cannot steer without its captain, a board cannot function effectively without its president. Serving as the administrative head, this volunteer position is vital for ensuring the smooth operation of a condo, co-op, or HOA board. The president’s leadership is essential for fostering collaboration and aligning the board’s decisions with the community’s […]
Essential Pre-Winter Maintenance for Buildings & HOAs: Battening Down the Hatches
As autumn sets in and we savor the crisp air and vibrant foliage, it is time for co-ops, condos, and HOAs to focus on the essential maintenance tasks that can help protect their properties during the winter months. Winter, especially in regions like New England, can be harsh and unpredictable. Proper planning now not only […]
Managing Aging Residents: Adapting to Changing Needs
Homeownership is a long-term commitment for most. In the context of a multifamily community like a condo or co-op, it’s not unusual for many owners and shareholders in the building to have purchased their units around the same time in early adulthood or middle age, raised their families there, and stayed put after the kids […]
Fiduciary Duty Explained: One for All – Not All for On
As members of co-op corporations and condominium associations, we often hear the term fiduciary duty bandied about. But what does it really mean to be a fiduciary? Stated simply, the term ‘fiduciary’ means trust. When a person managing the finances or property of another person or group is acting as a fiduciary, that means they […]
Amending Bylaws and House Rules: When & Why
A community’s governing documents, including its bylaws and house rules, are like a country’s constitution and laws. They are—or at least they should be—‘living’ documents that like our state and national laws and constitution, occasionally need review and amendment in order to remain relevant, meaningful, and respected. The question is how often, and how much? […]
Multifamily Energy Conservation Tips: From Audits to LEDs
Energy efficiency and reducing emissions has become a hot topic (no pun intended) in recent years across New England, with more and more gadgets and devices coming on the market specifically designed to use less energy and save money. Saving energy does a lot more than just reduce your building’s carbon footprint and toxic emissions—and […]
Climate Change vs. Multifamily HVAC Systems: Hotter Summers, Wetter Winters Demand Adaptation
The impacts of climate change are vast and interrelated. While natural factors like solar variations, the planet’s orbital shifts, and volcanic eruptions occur cyclically and have nothing to do with people, human activity adds significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these influences have driven average winter temperatures […]
New Energy Technology: A Look at What’s Here, and What’s Coming
Perhaps the most pressing long-term issue for our society and the planet as a whole is the threat posed by climate change. While some may still deny the established facts, the reality remains that the world is warming at an unprecedented—and unsustainable—rate, with the blame for this resting squarely on human activity based around fossil […]
Rising Insurance Premiums: High Costs Force Tough Decisions for Boards
Over the past few years, operating expenses for everything from fuel to labor to the cost of cleaning supplies have been steadily rising—and disrupting co-op and condo association budgets—all over the country. The premiums for properly insuring our homes, which for many is their most important investment, are among the most alarmingly steep increases. Unfortunately, […]
Smarter, Greener Landscaping: Friendly to the Planet— & The Community
Any community looking to create and/or maintain a landscaped area these days ought to consider integrating smarter, greener practices and products to maximize environmental benefits, minimize overuse of resources, and sustainably provide beauty, respite, and outdoor activities to members. Today’s multifamily landscaping is not only about aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces; it also plays a vital […]
The Headless HOA (or Co-op or Condo): Can a Common-Interest Community Exist without a Board?
New England Condominum recently received a question from a reader along these lines. The individual is the current president of her association in an unspecified city. She and her current board colleagues all plan to step down this year, but no one from her 20-unit building submitted their candidacy paperwork when the notice to do […]
Everybody Hates Assessments: Handling the Unpleasant Inevitable
Ahh, the pleasures of home ownership; a space to call your very own, to arrange and enjoy as you see fit, all while building equity. It’s a key component of the American Dream—but when the faucet leaks in your condo or co-op unit, there’s no more calling the landlord. You’ve got to fix it yourself. […]
Respecting Rules & Rights: Strategies for Dealing With ‘Problem’ Residents
Everyone wants to be a good neighbor—at least that’s what we’d like to believe. But, living in small spaces and sharing common areas can (and unfortunately does) lead to occasional conflict. That’s the unintended but inevitable consequence of shared interest community living. What one resident considers normal or acceptable may not be seen as such […]
Financial Literacy for Board Members: Knowing More = Governing Better
When a condo or co-op resident runs for a seat on their board, the decision to do so generally comes from a desire to ‘step up’ and participate in the governance of the place they call home, and the building or association community as a whole. Often, the residents willing to serve on their board […]
Q&A: Regulating Risk
Q. During the warmer months, owners in our condominium building have noticed a few e-bikes/scooters with lithium batteries around our community. At night these e- bikes/scooters seem to be housed in owners’ or renters’ dwellings. Based on some news stories we’ve seen (although I’m sure they are pretty isolated incidents), we have concerns that these […]
Holding Orderly, Efficient Annual Meetings – It’s Not as Hard as It Seems!
Talk to anyone familiar with common-interest community governance anywhere in the country, and they will tell you the same thing: apathy is rampant among residents of co-ops, condos, and HOAs. Not only is it difficult to get owners and shareholders to run for their boards of directors, but it’s a struggle to even get them […]
Boards & Boundaries: How ‘Available’ Should You Be?
In multifamily residential communities, where neighbors share common space, amenities, and maintenance—if not actual walls—establishing and maintaining boundaries can be a bit tricky……Non-physical boundaries are yet another thing. Living in close proximity to one’s neighbors requires a certain tolerance of other people being in one’s business, as well as (one hopes) a certain restraint in […]
Tree Care & Maintenance: Keeping Your Biggest Landscaping Elements Healthy
Trees provide us with many benefits, from the obvious to the not-so-obvious. Whether your community is an urban high-rise surrounded by hundreds of others, or a sprawling suburban development with acres of grounds, its trees are an integral part of the landscape—one that we often take for granted, but which requires specific, dedicated care and […]
Aesthetic Rules Balancing Community Value with Individual Rights
In the world of single-family homes, property owners can do pretty much whatever they want when it comes to the look of their place. They can paint their house bright purple, for instance. Or display Christmas or Halloween decorations that are so bright or scary they may keep the neighbors up at night. Clearly, the […]
The Finer Points of Fining Condominium Owners
Condo association rules provide a behavioral road map for owners, explaining what they are allowed and not allowed to do. But creating effective rules is only half the challenge for boards; enforcing the rules is the other arguably more challenging half of this equation. When it comes to enforcement, boards don’t have many tools. They […]
Replacing Board Members
Problem: One member of our seven-member board has resigned, leaving us with only six members. The association’s documents require a seven-member board, but the next election, at which a new board member might be elected, is several months away and there don’t appear to be any owners willing to fill the vacant position. Read the […]
Roof Replacement 101: A Project Too Vital to Put Off
Nothing lasts forever, not even your roof. While roofs have a relatively long life compared to other building systems and components, at some point they will need either partial or full replacement. Here are the facts and factors you and your community need to know when your roof’s useful life starts winding down. Read the […]
Tree Care & Maintenance: Keeping Your Biggest Landscaping Elements Healthy
Trees provide us with many benefits, from the obvious to the not-so-obvious. Whether your community is an urban high-rise surrounded by hundreds of others, or a sprawling suburban development with acres of grounds, its trees are an integral part of the landscape—one that we often take for granted, but which requires specific, dedicated care and […]
Holding Orderly, Efficient Annual Meetings – It’s Not as Hard as It Seems!
Talk to anyone familiar with common-interest community governance anywhere in the country, and they will tell you the same thing: apathy is rampant among residents of co-ops, condos, and HOAs. Not only is it difficult to get owners and shareholders to run for their boards of directors, but it’s a struggle to even get them […]
Boards & Boundaries: How ‘Available’ Should You Be?
In multifamily residential communities, where neighbors share common space, amenities, and maintenance—if not actual walls—establishing and maintaining boundaries can be a bit tricky. Read the article…………………………….
Emergency Preparedness in the Era of Climate Change: Preparing for the Unpredictable
The acceleration of global warming and the accompanying climate crisis is affecting shared-interest residential communities all over the United States and around the world. This past September was the wettest ever recorded in the eastern United States, with nine times the normal rainfall. Scientists warn that excessive rain and wind, extreme heat and cold, as […]
Powering E-Devices Safely: There Are Fires … And There Are E-Device Fires
All over the news, from coast to coast, reports of fires and explosions caused by lithium-ion batteries describe blazes that are out of control, difficult to extinguish, and excessively smokey. Tragically, many have resulted in fatalities and serious injuries, and certainly all have caused extensive damage to properties and the environment. Read the article………………………..
Holding Elections: Every Board’s Duty
Shared residential communities such as condos, co-ops, and HOAs are modern examples of classic Athenian democracy: citizens governing themselves through active participation in governance. The key to that governance is the regularity of elections to the community’s leadership—which in this case is the board of directors. Read the article………………………………
Maintaining Your Elevators: Regular Care Can Help Avoid Huge Replacement Costs
The elevator is one of those inventions—along with running hot and cold water and indoor plumbing—that have been around for so long we take it for granted. But elevators obviously weren’t always a part of the architectural landscape. Without them we’d still be living in a world of six-story buildings (maybe seven for the strong-legged), […]
Effective Committees: Maximizing Use of Community Volunteers
In a typical condo, co-op, or homeowners association, residents have a lot to say about how their building or community is or should be functioning … but few actually step up to run for and serve on the board that does the actual governing. One reason is that board service can be a heavy lift, […]
Amending Your Governing Documents – Why, When, & How to Make Changes
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 proprietary lease. In addition, both condos and co-ops have a set of house rules that can vary […]
Litigation in Your Community – Lawsuits Can Have Long-Term Impacts
When seeking a place to call home, potential co-op and condo buyers are seeking a place of peace and quiet. No one wants to live in the midst of a tempest. And peace and quiet can be both literal and figurative, of course. The constant din of discord and disagreement caused by endless litigation, for […]
Resources for Multifamily Boards Where Communities Go to Stay in the Know
The Community Associations Network (www.communityassociations.net) is an online resource that aggregates news and information related to co-ops, condos, and HOAs. There, boards and service professionals can access the latest on legislation, events, and issues pertaining to association living and governance throughout the U.S. and Canada. Read the article………………………..
Website Accessibility: The ADA and FHA
In recent years, and trending more frequently as of late, we have heard about businesses, big and small, receiving demand letters related to their website accessibility, alleging ADA noncompliance, and threatening to file suit and seek damages on behalf of the people with disabilities they represent. Here we will cover what web accessibility means and […]
When It’s Time for an Audit – Covering the Basics for Multifamily Boards
When the average American taxpayer (or tax-dodger, one supposes) hears the word “audit,” they’re likely struck with a feeling somewhere between annoyance and terror—usually because being audited means that something has been found amiss in their filing. For businesses that rely on the accuracy and timeliness of their financial records, however, including condominium and homeowners […]
Updating Bylaws & House Rules: Keeping Pace With Tech & Culture
The governing documents of a condominium, cooperative, or homeowners association spell out the rules, regulations, and administrative policies that all residents and board members alike are obligated to follow as a condition of their residence. Read the article………………………..
Insurance Premiums Skyrocket – 90% of Multifamily Communities Report Paying More – What’s to Blame?
Inflation has hit the insurance building insurance industry in a big way. And according to a recent survey conducted by the Foundation for Community Association Research (FCAR), skyrocketing premiums are putting serious financial pressure on condo and homeowners associations nationwide. Read the article………………………..