Condos and homeowner associations have made headlines over the years for passing all kinds of overreaching and downright silly rules and regulations—everything from forbidding the flying of the American flag to having prohibitions about han…
Condo board membership can be a grind. Board members are faced with tough decisions regarding the betterment of their communities, decisions that often result in criticism and disdain without so much as a complimentary pat on the back. They…
Q I live in a condo community where owners tend to be apathetic and not get involved. The board consists of three people who serve because no one els e will. At issue is the property manager, who does not believe in communication or fo…
Sometimes the future seems like it’s an awfully long way away. If a roof is going to last 30 years, why should we worry about it today? Same with that shiny new air conditioner or that flat, crack-free pavement just poured two summers ago.…
In South Africa, it’s called a “sectional title.” In Quebec, it’s a copropriété divise or “divided co-property.” In Italy, they call it “condominio,” derived from Latin. Regardless of location, a condominium—commonly referred to as “condo”…
Error of Omission? Q Our association recently had to replace a pool safety cover. It was 14 years old and just could not be patched anymore. We got quotes for the cover and selected a vendor. Thinking this replacement would be funde…
Bad neighbors are something that everyone living with shared walls fears—and not without cause; co-op or condo, small or large, chances are there's at least one chronically objectionable person who seems to do his or her level best to anno…
Q When must the board for a homeowners’ association provide the reserve schedules to the members? Can this information be provided at the annual meeting, or does it need to be included with the pre-meeting notice? —Confused in Clearwat…
There are potential dangers all around a condo or co-op that no resident wants to consider a realistic concern: a chunk of hanging concrete above a pool deck can be life-threatening; a section of delaminated stucco—cracked all around—can s…
Can you please tell me if a shareholder has any right regarding the maintenance and upkeep of a building's common area, especially in a case where said area has begun to affect said shareholder's property detrimentally? —No Curb Appeal i…