I would check the bylaws to see if renters or anyone else rather than shareholders and sponsors are allowed to serve on the board. Also, board service is unpaid, and the board should not be ordering food for anyone, including themselves, paid for by the building.

The previous tenant above me bought a unit and was promptly rewarded with a board seat.

This happens regularly in our Coop: who ever is the latest Coop owner (who bought directly from the Sponsor, the only one still selling units here), gets immediately selected and seated on the Board by "acclamation". It's the standard procedure in Sponsor-dominated boards, so that he, the Sponsor, can continue with the domination forever, running the Coop as an unregulated rental business (for transients). Our sponsor has been in charge (total undisputed and unchallenged control) for more than 25, since the creation of the Coop. This phenomenon is very common here in Riverdale-Kingsbridge area of the Bronx, and is called "The Sponsor in Perpetuity Syndrome": it is the root of all evils in the Coop calamity. It has been outlawed since the Jennifer case ruling, but it continues unabated. These people are outlaws, subverting the American system of home ownership, grabbing enormous ammount of equity, demolishing our basic Constitutional civil and human rights. We need a Class Action. Please write to me. g5grosof@msn.com - 1 347 321 8009

If they are stealing food, they are stealing much more. You should get a forensic auditor and try to make a deal to give them a percentage of anything recovered.

At Towers on the Park, in Manhattan, our board gets free pizza, salad and drinks every meeting, paid for by the condominium. When I was on the board, this practice bothered me, so I reimbursed the condo for anything I ate. I was only board member ethical enough to do so.

We have one board member who has a bike in the bike room, and with her cronies refuses to entertain any effort to raise the annual bike-room fee, which has been the same since the condo opened 25 years ago: $25 ... roughly $2.08 a month! I find this corrupt and self-serving.

At least one and possibly other board-members here also jumped to the head of a nine-year waiting list for storage bins earlier this year.

Hi Frank,
I frequently hear about self-serving board members and am not surprised at members not wanting to increase bike storage fees due to self-interest. I am also not surprised at board-members jumping ahead of storage waiting lists. What I don't understand is why wouldn't you try to do something about it.

We recommend to take over the board and start running the building like a business. We have helped shareholders straighten these types of things out, at the same time as reducing expenses.

My building's board used to meet in restaurants, bars and pubs. When I got elected, it all stopped. On the other hand, I pushed to enlarge our bicycle storage space and charge a minimal fee of $2 month. The basement space is not conducive for other use, and by keeping the bikes out of the elevators, hallways and apartments, the reduction in scratched walls, paint chips, etc. is worth losing a few dollars. The bike room and basement exits directly to the exterior of building.

The coop corruption is a plague which needs to be eradicated. We have no protection for our home under the law. Housing neither Bankruptcy courts protect us. We need to work together to stop the abuse. Check COOPABUSE.COM to see coop horror stories and register by leaving your email. We are meeting with politicians to make them aware of our problems and pass legislation to protect our coop home. You can also email me at ROSA.NAZAR@GMAIL.COM

I have see the same happen in a building I managed. How fitting that the landscaper that takes care of the common areas is the same one that takes care of the board Presidents terrace. It goes on and on (management look the other way as they do not want to ruffle any feathers) Unfortunately it happens all too often. These people need to ask themselves why am I on the board to serve the building needs or my own? Best of luck
Bob

They are on the board obviously to serve their own needs since they saw a good money making opportunity. Even before the sponsor left, our board manipulated and strategized getting their group on the board, they slandered anyone who could help and don’t allow anyone, except for the most dense, to run for office.

I have read that the average board meeting is two hours, yet our board meets monthly for five hours. I suspect the time is spent manipulating and strategizing how to reward followers and punish detractors also how to manipulate elections, etc. One example is that the board’s contractor while working on an adjoining unit cracked my patio in half. They have refused to fix it as I am a whistleblower owner. Yet they recently fixed the patio of a renter who, I believe, was responsible for his own damage as he continually left his door open with his air conditioning running and I have seen other air conditioning units damaged by doing this. They never look beyond who they like or dislike, therefore, are not bright enough to establish liability in these situations.

Monthly five hour board meetings are certainly a cause for concern. Do you check the minutes??