2004 Dec
2004 Dec Vol. 24, No. 12
Focus on...Safety & Security
Suburban Security
Whether you live in a gated or non-gated community in the New Jersey suburbs or the city, your home should be a safe-haven and sanctuary in which you can feel secure and protected from crime and other threats. So when it comes to the community you live in, what is being done to make your surroundings and neighborhood a safer, more secure place to live? Association residents, board members, and managers must work together to ensure that your community is safe, and residents' safety, property, and peace of mind are well in hand. Read More
The Power of a Neighborhood Watch
Neighbors helping neighbors. It's a simple adage and one that holds immeasurable power when it comes to keeping communities safe. Over the years, neighborhood watch groups have grown in number, having a positive impact on the reduction of crime in communities throughout the country. Read More
Fire Safety in Homeowner Associations
In January of this year, a devastating blaze ripped through an Edison apartment building in Edison leaving one woman dead, five people injured and up to 100 others homeless. In March, a space heater ignited a mattress causing a fire that gutted one building and destroyed two others in New Brunswick. In May, an unattended cigarette caused a three-alarm fire that destroyed two condominium units and damaged 14 others in East Windsor. Read More
Hiring the Right People
What's a "problem employee?" The guy who corners you at your desk and tells endless stories about his weekend in Maine? The grocery sacker who always puts the canned goods on top of the bread? Or is it the association staff member with a criminal history nobody knows about, carrying on fraudulent ordering practices and posing a potential threat to the safety and security of the community? Read More
Fencing Options for Suburban Developments
The fencing around the perimeter of your community not only helps keep the property secure, but is an aesthetic element that—if designed and maintained properly—can add significant value to residents' homes. Because of the surge in fence improvements and products over the past decade, it's important for condo developments to look at all the options out there and choose a fence that will work best for them. Read More
New Jersey's Common-Interest Homeowners Coalition
While day-to-day life in a suburban homeowners association may seem simpler and less complicated than negotiating the sometimes-turbulent waters of an urban co-op or condo community, association members and directors have plenty of need for a voice, both in dealing with their own boards and management representatives, and in the halls of local and state governance. The Common-Interest Homeowners Coalition (C-IHC) of New Jersey is a not-for-profit group dedicated to gathering strength in numbers and giving voice to the concerns of homeowners in New Jersey's residential associations. Read More
The Board of Public Utilities
The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) is a regulatory authority in New Jersey with a statutory mandate to ensure safe, adequate, and proper utility services at reasonable rates for state residents. The BPU has jurisdiction to regulate the rates and facilities of electric, gas, water, wastewater, telephone, and cable television companies throughout New Jersey. Read More
