The coronavirus crisis has forced many unwelcome changes on households around the world—but it has also allowed or inspired some to make lifestyle choices that were impractical or otherwise out of reach before. One such choice has been to a…
Q. I sit on the board of directors of a Nassau County cooperative. The building has a no-pets policy that residents are obliged to comply with. A few residents have cats that were grandfathered in prior to rules changing. On occasion, we’…
The idea that ‘form follows function’ is one of the basic concepts underlying nearly every design discipline—but function for whom? For many people living with disabilities, it often seems that ‘function’ covers a very narrow range of abili…
The coronavirus crisis has brought about many unwelcome changes to households around the world—but it has also allowed or inspired some to make lifestyle choices that were impractical or otherwise out of reach before. One such choice has be…
No matter how well constructed and carefully maintained, no mechanical system lasts forever – and that goes for elevator cabs and equipment just as much as it applies to roofs or boilers. At some point, your building’s vertical transportati…
Q. My 88-year-old mother has just moved into a co-op on Staten Island where I am also a shareholder with a legal parking spot in the building’s garage. My four sisters and I are her daily caregivers. She is unable to walk securely to any …
Q. There is structural damage in a sponsor-owned apartment. The rent-controlled tenants who live there require specific accommodations within their apartment due to a disability. The overall construction is the co-op’s responsibility; how…
Co-ops are infamous for the sometimes-byzantine nature of their rules, regulations and prohibitions. This is particularly true when it comes to pet or no-pet policies. Some buildings restrict pets altogether, others permit only home-bound p…
‘Home sweet home’ can become un-sweet very quickly indeed when the physical environment you’ve worked hard to create becomes a source of environmental toxicity. Chemicals, smoke, pet dander, and mold, along with other allergens and irritant…
If the commercial storefronts in your building have steps, or are not otherwise handicap accessible, be warned: your building may be exposed to liability under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Disabled individuals h…