Shared residential communities such as co-ops, condos, and HOAs are modern examples of classic Athenian democracy: citizens governing themselves through active participation in governance. The key to that governance is the regularity of ele…
If you live in a condominium, cooperative or HOA, you’re participating in a small-scale democracy run by an elected group of volunteers. As in any democracy, those affected by the board’s decisions are encouraged to get involved in the proc…
Q. We have a president of our co-op board that has been president for almost 30 years because he collects proxies from the shareholders who will not attend the yearly meeting and uses them to either reelect himself or others that side wi…
Q. I need to know if the president of the board (co-op) is allowed to collect proxies from other residents? The president stands in the parking lot and asks everyone if she can have their proxy. Then the night of the meeting to vote for b…
If you live in a condominium, cooperative or HOA, you’re effectively acting as part of a participatory democracy run by an elected group of volunteers. And as with any democracy, those affected by the board’s decisions are encouraged to get…
Q. I live in a HDFC co-op building. I was asked to present my certificate for management and the board to view. My response was that I will produce my certificate when everybody else in the co-op produces their own certificates. I know fo…
Q. At a regular monthly meeting of a seven-member HOA board where four members present constitute a quorum, can one of the absent members give her proxy to one of the four attending members to vote on specific issues on the board’s agenda…
Every co-op, condo, and HOA must elect a board of directors to oversee the community’s finances, physical maintenance, and other day-to- day operations. While board elections don’t rise quite to the level of a state or even local election i…
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,…
Q “The current president has mailed proxies to owners indicating he would vote on their behalf and included information that stated “the proxy-holder will cast votes as he/she determines” for the annual board election. The current presid…