Florida, the retirement capital of the world, is home to more than 4.8 million seniors age 60 and older. Approximately one in four suffers some type of physical impairment. When you factor in a climate prone to tropical storms, hurricanes, …
On the roof of a high-rise condominium building, a wall of concrete panels surrounded a large cooling tower, supported by structural-steel I-beams. After decades in south Florida’s corrosive climate, the steel beams had rusted and were almo…
The most important aspect of managing a building is keeping it, its residents, and their property safe. In days past, 'safety technology' consisted mostly of well-lit exits, the installation of panic bars and glow-in-the-dark stripping on e…
One of the benefits of transitioning from renter to homeowner is the knowledge that your space is sacred and belongs only to you. When it comes to association living however, sometimes unit owners have to give building staff or managers acc…
Q. I am trying to purchase a condominium in South Florida, but it seems that the board is dragging its feet and holding up the process based on my financial status. I don't know what the problem is because I have an excellent credit histo…
Q. My question is on the ethics of awarding contracts to relatives or those vendors who are getting preferential treatment because they are familiar to board members. What happens when a board president creates a landscape contract specif…
There is always work to be done on a building, whether it’s a simple lobby repair or a major capital improvement, but finding the right contractor for the job takes some work. If the vetting process is not done properly, the results could b…
Exteriors of buildings aren’t always smooth brick walls. There are all sorts of indentations and protrusions, from terraces to stonework to cornices. There are also items that are not part of the building, but are affixed to it, like scaffo…
Building amenities, like elevators, are often taken for granted, but elevators are for more than just avoiding a workout and creating awkward silences between neighbors; they accommodate residents unable to climb stairs and are critical for…
If you think about it, a multifamily building isn’t that much different than the human body. Both house important complex operating systems and organs. Both take in fuel and produce waste, and both require regular check-ups and a good maint…