2012 July
Focus on... Budget & Finance

True story: a condominium community’s board of directors spent almost $50,000 in legal fees and court costs to evict a corpulent canine that exceeded the weight limit for residents’ dogs...by three whole pounds. In another comm…

 In the tough economic environment that has hit our nation over the past few  years, many condo owners have faced job loss, pay cuts or just financial  uncertainty. Unfortunately, the signs of the times sometimes leads to an owner  not pay…

With millions of Floridians affected by laws pertaining to condominiums, co-ops and HOAs, the upcoming state legislative session will include discussion of bills that touch a large percentage of the state’s population and may well bring…

For a crystal-clear picture of how an association is doing, there are few better lenses than the community's budgets and financial reports. From an investment perspective, they show the association board, property managers, the unit ow…

 With the possible exception of fire, nothing is more damaging to residential  buildings and the property of their occupants as leaks. Whether it’s a torrential deluge from the upstairs neighbor’s overflowing bathtub or a slow, seeping lea…

Despite being surrounded by both salt and fresh water, many cities and towns in South Florida face ongoing water management issues. According to the South Florida Water Management District, more than 7.7 million people—plus the environm…

 Nothing stays the same forever. As community standards, attitudes and  populations shift and evolve, rules and regulations that once made sense or  that reflected the views and standards of their day can become antiquated,  irrelevant, or…

 If your association is thinking about taking a more natural approach to its  landscape, giving up toxic chemicals in favor of organic solutions, consider  yourself special.    According to Ian Orlikoff, owner of Eco Logic Land Care…

Q I am a shareholder of a co-op apartment building. I have a mold problem which  stems from water damage coming through the outside bricks. I had a mold  assessment company take air and material samples. It was determined that there  is e…

Q I have lived in a unit for the past three years. I am planning on having my  boyfriend move in with me in a few months. Are there any community or state  rules or regulations that will prevent this from happening? I own the unit but  wo…

Q I am the president of our condo association and I am in favor of creating  reserves. Over the last 40 years, our residents have voted down the establishment of a  reserve fund. I would like to recommend to the owners a general pool of  …