2003 Oct
2003 Oct Vol. 23, No. 10
Focus on...Board Operations
The "Secret" of Interior Windows
Installing an interior window system can be like music to the ears of a typical shareholder or unit owner living in the city that never sleeps. The annoying inherent noises of the city - street, bus and truck traffic, sirens, car alarms, jack hammers and the like - have either been eliminated or significantly reduced from penetrating the sleeping, living and working environments - just by using the right type of window. Read More
Housing Development Fund Corporations
In order to get from one side of the Hudson River to the other, one would need to cross a bridge, get in a boat, or be able to jump a very long distance. Since not many people want to attempt the latter, most people utilize tools like bridges or some sturdy method of transportation when they want to get from Point A to Point B. Read More
Fall Fashion Preview
Looking back on the past summer, there is good news and bad news to report. The good news is that the rain gods have responded to our desperate rain dances after last year's prolonged drought - and the bad news is that someone, somewhere, is still dancing. (Please stop!) Spring sprang a leak and summer is a soggy, foggy memory, but that doesn't mean that we New Yorkers can't salvage some quality time outdoors, and those of us that are lucky enough to have an outdoor space can still make the best use of it. And there's potentially more good news. Some say that lots of moisture during the summer months means that foliage colors will be more intense. The rationale is that plants are more lush and produce more leaves. These leaves are not as stressed when they are hydrated and even though cool temperatures trigger the color change, the plants hold on to their leaves longer. If this is true, then we are in for a long, colorful fall - and along with glorious colors to enjoy, autumn is a very busy time of year to prune, plant and plan. Read More
Helping Your Co-op or Condo
Navigating the finances and ensuring the fiscal stability of your cooperative corporation or condominium association has never been an easy task. Certainly, New York's residential community has been through some challenging times, and looking immediately ahead, the coming 12 to 18 months are likely to be among the most challenging for the city as a whole - and for residential co-ops and condos in particular. Read More
Manpower vs. Machine
Ever wonder what goes into getting rid of the garbage in your building, or what happens to the hundreds of bags we throw away every day? Probably not. But how well your building is equipped to process the tons of trash New Yorkers throw away each year can have a direct effect on your pocketbook. Read More
Post 9/11 Security
After September 11th, one of the first things on most people's minds was beefing up security. Almost immediately, the presence of police and guards became much more visible in public places, and many buildings considered investing in tougher security measures of their own. But two years later, how much has security actually changed? Read More
The Once-Forbidden City
Of the many distinct neighborhoods in New York City, a select few have established their reputation to such a degree that they've become urban entities of literary proportion. Greenwich Village is one, Harlem is another. Manhattan's Chinatown - a two-square-mile area loosely cordoned off by Kenmore and Delancey Streets on the north, East and Worth Streets on the south, Allen Street to the east, and Broadway on the west side - is a third. Read More
I Just Really Need Some Space Right Now
For much of his stand-up comedy career, humorist George Carlin has joked about "stuff." How much stuff we have, how much stuff we accumulate, and the often-insane ways we have of keeping track of - and losing - our stuff. Today's co-op and condo owners can readily identify with Carlin's comments, since one of the biggest needs for the legendary tiny Manhattan apartments is more space for all your stuff. Read More
When Owners Fall Behind
A common problem facing condo associations, boards and managers is how to compel unit owners who fall behind in their common charges to pay their arrears. In a condominium association with only a few units, if even one unit owner falls behind in common charge payments, the building may have trouble meeting operating expenses. When unit owners in larger condominium associations with many units fall into arrears, although the impact may not be felt immediately, eventually the shortfall will have to borne by the other unit owners via increases in common charges or assessments. Read More
Pullman, Six Months Out
In May, in a decision that has confused - and alarmed - some New York co-op shareholders, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that co-op boards had the right to apply the business judgment rule to vote so-called "objectionable tenants" out of their buildings for ongoing, objectionable behavior. Read More
And the Winner Is...
No matter how a building's governing documents are worded, co-ops and condos have to hold board elections at regular intervals. More importantly, every effort must be made to let shareholders know when and where the elections will be held, how to participate, and what the results are. Running an election and tabulating the results, however, aren't the simplest things in the world. Read More
Surviving the Rough Patches
Even among the closest friends, conflict is inevitable. It's no surprise then that the relationship between shareholders and boards can sometimes be contentious. Problems can range from small-scale squabbles to multi-million dollar lawsuits that seem to drag on forever. When conflict does occur, however, there is usually a solution to solve just about any problem. Read More
