Talk to anyone familiar with common-interest community governance anywhere in the country, and they will tell you the same thing: apathy is rampant among residents of co-ops, condos, and HOAs. Not only is it difficult to get owners and shar…
Few people really enjoy co-op or condo board meetings - they often drag on for hours, get bogged down in back-and-forth debates, and meander off track. But it doesn't have to be that way! Board meetings are where the vital business of your …
Regardless of whether you live in a large co-op community with hundreds of units, a small self-managed co-op with a dozen, or a townhome condominium with just a few, board meetings can be both a chore and a headache. From shareholders or ow…
When it comes to the subject of meetings—specifically monthly board meetings or annual unit owner meetings in condos, co-ops, and HOAs—there seem to be no neutral opinions. A few folks actually like these exchanges, but most dread them. S…
It happens in business, government, and industry every day: employees learn the rules of a new job, and before long they know those rules so well, they start going around them or taking short cuts. Rarely is this done with malicious intent.…
My association's documents say that the board must consist of five total members. This past election, only four people ran and got elected. Does the new board then have to appoint another member? If they choose not to for some reason, can a…
My association's documents say that the board must consist of five total members. This past election, only four people ran and got elected. Does the new board then have to appoint another member? If they choose not to for some reason—can an…
What happens when there is no quorum at a shareholders meeting and therefore there is no election for new board members? The same board has remained in my co-op for many, many years without a chance for us to vote them out. Isn't there a la…
Freelance photographer Jocelyn A. lives in a charming, post-war brick townhouse community of over 1,600 units and a $3 million annual budget. She receives a monthly newsletter with over 20 pages of everything to keep residents informed,…
On a classic episode of the TV show The Simpsons, the town read its founding charter only to discover that the mayor of Springfield was supposed to get two pigs every year. While there are probably no co-op or condo documents in eff…