One of the unique things that sets co-op, condo and HOA living apart from living in a single-family home, or even a rental, is the buyers’ choice to live in a community-within-a-community. By purchasing a unit in a particular building or de…
The board of a condominium, cooperative or homeowners’ association has a fiduciary duty to make decisions in the best interest of the community as a whole. But individual board members may have different ideas as to what those decisions mig…
Aside from yourself, who exactly may live in your condo or co-op unit? While you as the owner might believe you have the sole authority to make that decision, most (if not all) condominium and co-op properties today have policies spelled ou…
Did you hear the one about the Florida family that was about to be kicked out of their HOA because the wife had just had twins? The family already had one child, and the arrival of the twins would put them over the two-kids-per-unit allowed…
Q. Is it illegal for members on the HOA board to also hold a position on the board of directors of the property management company that the HOA hires and oversees? —Conflict of Interest? A. “While t…
*Editor's note: In anticipation of Hurricane Irma's possible landfall in Florida later this week, The South Florida Cooperator is featuring a selection of past articles on storm preparation, emergency planning, and post-storm clean-up. Fl…
Everyone is right to be concerned with the safety of their communities, whether they live in an area highly susceptible to crime or a sleepy Mayberry-esque hamlet. Condominiums, cooperatives, and homeowners’ associations are no exception; i…
While most often the exception and not the rule, fires in high-rise buildings do occur. Whether it’s a scary-but-manageable kitchen fire or a four-alarm blaze involving multiple units or even floors, smoke alarms, sprinkler systems and flam…
Rule enforcement can often be a point of tension in a condo, co-op or HOA—but when it comes to the potential for sheer acrimony, nothing beats a pet ban. Enacting one can be a heated affair, leading to fights and arguments across the commun…
Bill and Martha Jensen bought a new condominium in Miami in 1995 and lived there for 19 years. In 2014 they sold the apartment to Max and Rita Diaz. A year later, the condominium association’s board of directors voted to replace the buildin…