2007 Dec
2007 Dec Vol. 5, No. 12
Focus on...Safety & Security
What to Keep in Mind
One of the most important things for an urban or suburban dweller to know about his or her condo, co-op or HOA is often the one thing that everyone forgets about—that is, what to do in the event of an emergency. While it's true that the basics of preventing and surviving disasters like fires should be well known to anybody living in an apartment building, condominium or townhouse unit, there is no "one-size-fits all" emergency plan for a multi-family dwelling. Each community is different, with different physical equipment, different building materials and different emergency escape routes. Read More
Fire Safety for Your Building's Employees
The fires this past October in southern California were a sharp reminder of the power and ferocity of this deadly element. Fire can spread quickly and without warning, often catching the people near it off-guard and vulnerable. Sometimes those people are the individuals who care for and protect the buildings and communities in which we live. For co-op and condo employees such as superintendents, janitorial crews, porters and doormen, the risk of fire can be a real one and is certainly something for which they and the board or managers of a building should be prepared, not only for their own safety but for the safety of the families around them. Read More
Caring for At-Risk Residents
New Jersey and New York are famous (perhaps infamous) for their residents' philosophy of minding their own business—dress as a giant chicken, sport a revolutionary haircut…nobody minds. This attitude is great if you're a young person expressing your inner bohemian—but somewhat less great if you're an elderly person or someone with a mental or physical handicap, or a kid with working parents taking care of younger siblings. Who looks out for these folks when there is a fire, flood, power outage, hurricane or other emergency? Read More
Dealing with Fires in Multifamily Buildings
It's a four-letter word that no one ever wants to hear—fire! High-rise and apartment-building fires are, mercifully, a rare occurrence, but they do happen and they can be a real-life nightmare, similar to what's depicted in the 1970s-era disaster movie The Towering Inferno, or the very real tragedy of 9/11. The idea of being trapped by a raging fire hundreds of feet in the air is something nobody wants to contemplate. Read More
Big Brother is Watching
If security and privacy are two seats on a seesaw, the balance, in the last fifty years or so, has shifted towards the former. Federal mandates intended to keep citizens safe—seat belt requirements, gun control laws, smoking prohibitions, sex offender registrations, the raising of the drinking age to 21—have gone on the books, all of them infringing on personal freedoms, for better or for worse. Read More
The Latest in Energy-Efficient Heating Products
With the colder months upon us, staying warm is certainly a top priority for New Jersey's co-op and condo boards and homeowner associations. Operating their properties efficiently will not only ensure that shareholders and owners stay warm over the winter months, but that your community consumes less energy and saves money on heating costs. So before the first snowflakes fall, it's wise to assess your current heating technology and determine if an upgrade is necessary. Read More
Q&A: Apathetic Board
I just attended our yearly condo meeting. The minutes were not read and there was no election of officers. The board claimed that they don’t have to have elections—only every two or three years. Issues that we have had over the last year were not dealt with. An accountant is paying the bills and we have a couple cleaning the building. That is all that’s done on a regular basis. The board does not take care of business, unless I complain to them. What can I do? Read More
Q&A: Parking Waiting List Issues
What does New Jersey state law say about any requirements that a company that leases a garage from a condo play fair with a waiting list? And must such lists be published for unit owners to see? Read More
Q&A: Unnecessary Rule?
Our condo has prohibited the use of doormats. They say they are a hazard. Is this legal? How can we fight this nit-picking rule? Read More
Q&A: Raised Maintenance, No Results
We are having a few issues with our condo board and the management company. Since the new management company has been “in power” (about three years) the maintenance payments have been raised more than 20 percent in (two raises). The past year we had another large six-month assessment for “lobby repairs.” There have been no repairs and no improvements to the building as well as many visible problems that would be simple to repair. We have asked the management company to share the minutes of the meetings and they refuse. The lobbies are dirty, fire extinguishers expired, light fixtures missing covers, broken windows etc., and nothing is being done. Do unit owners have any recourse? Read More
