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Ensure You Are Insured Generally, every condominium association has a Master Policy to cover the structures on the condominium property, not only the units, but for such things as pools, clubhouses, playgrounds, etc. But Owners should (and should be required to) have their own policy, commonly c...

Ensure You Are Ensured or Better Safe (and insured) Than Sorry As promised in the last column, what follows are some tips/suggestions on what to look for in an HO6 Policy. Home Based Business - If you run a business from your home, (either full time or part time), make sure the Agent/Company i...

Commit to Committees - Part II “If you live in a country run by committee, be on the committee.”  ~ Author Unknown Now that, hopefully, we understand why committees can play an important part in Condo World, and how they can extend the mental health of Board members, how does an association go a...

Commit to Committees “Com·mit·tee - kəˈmidē/noun - a group of people appointed for a specific function, typically consisting of members of a larger group.” and “A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours.” Milton Berle All too often, at least with regard to committees, Mr. Berle w...

Discrimination at the Condo - Part II Last column was a very legalistic and technical one that laid out the new possibility that condominium associations which normally do not fall under the guidelines of the Federal Housing Administration (the “FHA), now may be subject to discrimination claims ...

Discrimination at the Condo - Part I I am fortunate in many ways, and one way is that I know of no association which I am fortunate to represent that knowingly discriminates against owners. So the point of this article is to be proactive, rather than reactive with regard to discrimination issues...

An Emoji is Worth a Thousand Words “Being a Millennial is like inheriting a burning house only to be told it's our fault we can't handle the heat.” @just-shower-thoughts Let's ease up on Millennials a bit. Last Column I wrote about the impact of Millennials on life in condominium associations...

An Emoji is Worth a Thousand Words This column celebrates those who are most often underrepresented at condo associations, Millennials, i.e. those born between 1981 and 1997. For those who can't add quickly, or at all, like me, Millennials are those who will be between 21 and 37 years of age in ...

The Common Purpose I spend a fair amount of time reviewing and updating condominium documents, including declarations, bylaws and rules. Times change, frequently requiring updates to condo docs. But as often, if not more, changes are necessary because when condominiums were created in New Hampsh...

Emptying the Condo Closet Column space is limited, and sometimes not everything or particular interest or importance can fit into the word limits of a particular column. So what follows are a few supplements to earlier columns. A previous column has given guidance on how to look for a managemen...

Pay it with a Smile Perhaps the most common complaint heard in condominium association meetings is about the condominium fee. Even when it is very low, such as $200.00 or less, people get upset when it goes up. After all, no one wants to pay more for anything, a condo, a car, a divorce. Everyone...

Condominium Commitments Most of the columns to date have been about the duties of the Board of Directors, such as holding proper meetings, sending out notices, handling maintenance issues and the like. But often overlooked are the duties of the non-Board member Owners. Too often, especially in A...

Condo Shorts As we near the end of the year, it's time to clean up some things. So, what follows are a few short tidbits, too short for a full column, but too important to ignore. Hire an attorney once every year or two to come to a Board meeting, review your Declaration and Bylaws, and give yo...

Policies and Procedures Following up on the last column, it's crucial to constantly remind oneself how important communication is in life generally and in condominium associations in particular. This becomes even more important as we transition from one age to another. While many may like attend...

The Condominium Conundrum - Social Media at the Association One would think social media, particularly the use of a website with, for instance a space to post comments or blog, would be perfect for community association living, and it can be. But as with many other things in life, it is a dou...

Caught in the Web The Use of Websites in Condominium Associations Admittedly, I am not the most proficient or efficient user of social media. I don't tweet, use Facebook or LinkedIn. I use a pen and paper. But I also use my computer an awful lot. (Perhaps the most descriptive phrase of all time...

Cousins, but Nothing More Too many times people think condominium associations and homeowners associations (HOAs) are the same. Those who think this would be wrong. They are cousins in the world of land use, but nothing closer than that. Understanding some of the differences between them can avo...

Condo Transitions Transitioning here refers to the process of the Declarant (Condo World language for “Developer”) transferring control to the Owners. This can be a bit daunting both because most Owners are not developers and know little to nothing about whether the construction is adequate, and...

While it takes a mere two to tango, it takes a lot many more than that to operate an association. Boards of Directors, with the help of management companies, attorneys and other contractors, operate the Association collectively volunteering hundreds of hours each year. Yet too often, way too ofte...

The Condominium Owner's Bill of Rights A column or two ago, I took a look at how Owners should behave in a condominium association. It's equally important Owners know their rights. Freedom of Religion - You certainly have the right to practice whatever religion you wish. Just do so quietly, s...

All I Really Know About Condominium Life I learned in Kindergarten1 Life in condominium associations is usually so much easier that some make it. From the Owner complaining about the maintenance responsibility of doors and windows without any knowledge of the boundaries, to the Owners who believ...

2017 Condominium Legislative Update - Part II “Congress: A place where there are too many Democratic congressmen, too many Republican congressmen – and not enough U.S. Congressmen.” - Anonymous (likely for good reason) Continuing on from the last column, the Legislature passed two additional bil...

2017 Condominium Legislative Update “We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex, but Congress can.” - Cullen Hightower Following last year's multitude of changes to the Condominium Act, like a person who suddenly remembers halfway out the driveway that they forgot to ...

Emotionally a Mess More and more condominium associations are facing the issue of what to do when an association that has a “No Pets” policy and has someone who claims a need for an Emotional Support Animal(aka an ESA). Before going further, it is important to note these situations are different...

Ethics at the Condo - Part II Last time I spent the entire column talking about properly, i.e. ethically, amending your Declaration and Bylaws, a lot of column space and words because it truly is really important to do things the right way. This time, the points are shorter, but no less importan...