2007 Feb
2007 Feb Vol. 27, No. 2
Focus on...Board/Shareholder Relations
Neighbor vs. Neighbor
Disagreement and conflict between neighbors is something people have had to contend with since the first two Paleolithic human families decided to set up house in adjacent caves. While serious problems may be rarities in the suburbs and exurbs where there’s ample space between houses, New York City’s vertically stacked living quarters can give rise to points of contention that would be non-issues in other communities. And if those points aren’t handled quickly and fairly by building administration, they can fester into serious problems. Intra-building feuds can create big headaches for boards, managers, and anyone living around the warring parties. Read More
Who Goes There?
Who is in your building? Do you know? And most importantly, do you care? Read More
Maintaining Housing Diversity
In 1974, a group of New York City residents banded
together to preserve affordable housing in the city and the push resulted
in the creation of the advocacy group, Tenants & Neighbors. Since that
time the nonprofit group has been working to preserve lower-income housing
by organizing and educating residents of such housing across the city and
the state.
Read More
No Longer a Man's Castle
In the past several years, the real estate market has
seen an increase in the number of women purchasing homes. Some of these
women are first-time homebuyers entering the market on their own, while
others are moving up or downsizing from a property they already own. The
State of the Nations Housing: 2004 report, compiled by the Joint Center for
Housing Studies of Harvard University, found that “social and
economic trends have given women a more powerful presence in housing
markets. Between 1980 and 2000, the number of households headed by
unmarried women increased by almost 10 million.”
Read More
That's Hot
If New York City is a melting pot, then Hell’s
Kitchen is the part of the cauldron that is closest to the fire. At least,
it used to be. This section of Manhattan stretching from West 34th Street
to 57th Street and westward from Eighth Avenue to the Hudson River is in
the process of a dramatic transformation. Historically a haven for gangs,
violence, and some seriously unsavory social elements, the new face of this
neighborhood is the sleek, sexy, expensive high-rise condo building.
Read More
Whose Place Is This Anyway?
People like to think that they can do anything they
darn well please within their own walls so long as no laws are being
broken. Want to paint your walls purple and your ceilings green?
Who’s gonna stop you? In the mood for loud music and a long evening
of cigar smoking? It’s no one’s business but your own. Or is
it?
Read More
Was it Something I Said?
Historically, co-op boards in New York City
haven’t been required to provide much of an explanation to applicants
about why applications for co-ops are rejected.
Read More
Not Written in Stone
Co-op boards and homeowners’ associations maintain building-specific bylaws, rules and regulations, and are responsible for making sure they are enforced. The certificate of incorporation, the proprietary lease and the bylaws are like a contract among shareholders, certifying that they will behave in a certain manner and adhere to certain regulatory expectations. Read More
Conversation of a Lifetime
Unless you’re a Broadway star, the thought of
having a spotlight pointed at you probably is not that appealing. No doubt,
most prospective co-op buyers feel that kind of “center of
attention” pressure when it comes time to go before the board of
directors for the traditional building approval interview.
Read More
Reaching Out
Crowded together though they may be, most co-op and
condo buildings seem to operate as little communities or villages unto
themselves. They have their own individual boards, residents, managers, and
even their own doorman and/or security staff. What else do they need?
Read More
Them's the Rules
The house rules outline the do’s and don’ts
of every co-op and condo community. By and large, these regulations are
common sense directives aimed at protecting the safety of residents and
generally keeping order without stepping on peoples’ toes. Few would
argue with most house rules; ones that keep residents from setting up
skateboarding tournaments in the lobby, for example, or testing the limits
of high-end stereo equipment at three o’clock in the morning
generally enjoy widespread support.
Read More
Dealing with the Difficult
As an attorney and an apartment dweller, Michelle
Freudenberger has seen it all when it comes to living with difficult
residents.
Read More
Hello...Hello?!
We all know the feeling—whether we encounter
it trying to navigate the city bureaucracy, dealing with a far-flung credit
card call center, or trying to resolve an issue with our cable box: the
feeling that we’ve got a legitimate problem, and the people who
should be listening simply aren’t.
Read More
Under the Microscope
Admission requirements for co-op buildings in New York City are typically pretty stringent. A board has the authority to require prospective purchasers to provide extensive financial documentation along with social and personal reference letters, to interview with the board and/or an admissions committee of the board, and in many cases, to undergo criminal and financial background checks.
Read More
