Repairs & Maintenance

When owners volunteer for their associations’ boards of directors, they probably don’t expect that their responsibilities will include dealing with mental health issues, but they can and increasingly do — for example, when an owner appears to be a hoarder. While your clients may prefer not to get involved in such situations, that would be…

Hoarding is more than just fodder for reality TV fans. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has formally recognized it as a disorder that affects an estimated 2 to 6 percent of the population. According to the APA, sufferers excessively save items that others may view as worthless, leading to clutter that disrupts their ability to…

The importance of solid governing documents may never become clearer than when an association or its manager is sued. That was certainly the case after a new owner in a condominium complex was brutally attacked when his key fob access failed. The owner sued the manager, and the court’s ruling hinged on language in the…

As the coronavirus pandemic heated up this spring, community association managers dealt with an onslaught of calls from clients. People were feeling out of control and ramping up their expectations for protective measures from their associations. One particular area of focus? The risk of contagion in common areas. Managers and boards of directors owe a…

As the coronavirus proliferated across the globe, community association managers have been reminded of the critical role they can play in containing the spread of germs. Whether during the COVID-19 crisis or future public health emergencies, their clients need help making some tough choices, particularly when it comes to managing the common areas in their…

In early April 2020, a Manhattan co-op prohibited the brother of one of the building’s owners from staying in his unit. According to the New York Times, the brother, a physician, had traveled to the city from rural New Hampshire to volunteer his services in the battle against the coronavirus. This incident may have struck…

In early April 2020, a Manhattan co-op prohibited the brother of one of the building’s owners from staying in his unit. According to the New York Times, the brother, a physician, had traveled to the city from rural New Hampshire to volunteer his services in the battle against the coronavirus. This incident may have struck…

The idea of DNA testing to get to the bottom, so to speak, of dog droppings left around a community struck many as absurd when it first came on the scene. The practice remains far from widespread, but more associations’ boards are giving it a second look as they and their managers struggle to cope…

You’re not alone if you have hard time getting your clients to remember that community associations are businesses — and businesses need document retention plans. Yet many associations take an ad hoc approach (at best) to managing their paperwork. “This can become a problem because community associations are required to keep a great deal more…

From governing documents and vendor contracts to communications with owners, community association boards of directors may feel like the constant deluge of paperwork is drowning them. “This can become a problem because community associations are required to keep a great deal more documents than any individual director is accustomed to in their personal lives,” says…