2013 September
Focus on... Energy & The Environment

Energy Conservation New York City Takes the LEED
2013 September New York City Takes the LEED

There are two ways—and only two ways—to balance a budget: increase revenue or decrease spending. Whether you’re the treasurer of a co-op board or the President of the United States, those are the only two levers at your disposal. Ene…

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Energy Conservation Garbage Can Be Gold
2013 September Garbage Can Be Gold

It’s hard to believe that recycling was a pretty novel concept not too long ago, especially for municipalities. In the 1970s and ‘80s, local governments started to establish recycling programs due to rising energy prices and a growing conc…

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Energy Conservation Investing in Green
2013 September Investing in Green

With today’s condo and HOA residents much more conscious of their impact on the environment and looking for ways to reduce it, smart boards and property managers are looking to help. Simple tasks like turning down thermostats, shutting off…

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Board Operations When Snowbirds Fly
2013 September When Snowbirds Fly

Every year the cycle repeats itself in co-ops and condo communities in New York City: as temperatures drop and snow begins to swirl, flocks of empty nesters and others fortunate enough to own a second home in a warmer climate pack up and h…

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Management Old Man Winter's Coming
2013 September Old Man Winter's Coming

A cold, wet spring turned quickly into a hot, humid summer rife with thunderstorms and localized flooding throughout the northeast. As autumn starts to paint the region’s foliage, building community and association boards and managers are …

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Finance The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
2013 September The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

With natural disasters causing catastrophic property damages becoming more common, associations must be prepared for unexpected expenses, such as a major roof repair, or the installation of a new heating and cooling system. These major cap…

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Management Drip by Drip
2013 September Drip by Drip

Stretching from upstate and leading all the way down to the Big Apple, New York City’s water system truly is a modern marvel. The system, which includes huge supply tunnels, makes it possible for millions to live and work in New York City.…

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Design Design for All
2013 September Design for All

Of all the responsibilities that come with being a board member or manager of a residential building, few are as important as ensuring the safety of your residents. Making and clearly communicating emergency plans, marking entrance/egress …

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Finance Common Sense Budgeting
2013 September Common Sense Budgeting

Running a co-op, condo or HOA is a business, and like most businesses, proper budgeting is the key to financial health. Just like businesses, associations usually have two separate yet vitally important budgets. The first budget is the day…

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Maintenance Waterproofing Residential Buildings
2013 September Waterproofing Residential Buildings

Residential buildings are constantly under attack—not by barbarians or marauding bandits, but by a force far more subtle and insidious. The most tenacious enemy of a residential building is not fire or structural collapse—though a building…

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Real Estate Trends Condo This!
2013 September Condo This!

When most people think of a buying and owning a co-op or condo apartment, they're picturing a unit in a mid- or high-rise building, or possibly a townhome in a suburban development. While that's certainly the most typical format for apartm…

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Energy Conservation Green Myths
2013 September Green Myths

Mom was right. Her admonition to “Turn out the lights when you leave the room!” is as valid today as it was a generation ago. And yet many co-op and condo buildings, while energy-conscious in so many ways, seem to feel it’s better to just …

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Management Having Too Much Stuff
2013 September Having Too Much Stuff

In March 1947, a group of nearly 600 onlookers gathered on the sidewalk in front of the home of bachelor brothers Homer and Langley Collyer on Fifth Avenue and 128th Street in Manhattan. Residents of the neighborhood had speculated and gos…

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Energy Conservation Making the Switch
2013 September Making the Switch

Saving money is always a top concern of any co-op or condo board, but with tough economic times and high fuel prices, saving on energy costs can be a challenge. Thanks to deregulation of the New York energy market a little over a decade ag…

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Organizations SEIU Local 32BJ
2013 September SEIU Local 32BJ

Going about the course of our busy lives we may take for granted the sense of safety and security we have when we enter our office building in the morning or our apartment building when we arrive home at night. We don’t think twice when so…

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Insurance Contractor Liability
2013 September Contractor Liability

There has been much discussion recently about the antiquated New York Labor Law 241 and its effect on the availability and cost of insurance coverages for contractors. The fear is that smaller contractors will get priced out of purchasing …

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