Co-op / Condo News: Dogs, Property Taxes, R.E.M. and a Tortured Peacock
New York, NY, Jan. 24, 2011 — Recent news for co-op boards and condo associations.
A co-op / condo homeowners forum demands more board transparency and responsibility. And the illegal / unauthorized perks some board members give themselves in this week's news will even leave you howling for their heads. Plus, a condo board wants to demolish a church it owns, where R.E.M. played its first gig. And we've much ado about dog disputes, secondhand smoke, title insurance, owners who don't pay maintenance and, oh yeah, the condo-owner who killed a peacock after the board said to leave the bird alone. And this 70-year-old grandma type didn't just kill the peacock, mind you — she brutally tortured it first. You thought your co-op / condo board had issues? Read on!
Read all the latest co-op board and condo board news in Habitat's weekly Monday News Roundup! Also included: Permanent archival links. If a link ever goes dead, you'll still be able to read the backup at WebCitation.org.
- "Some Queens Co-Op Boards Said to Fear 'Inflammatory' Forum for Owners" by Teri Karush Rogers (BrickUnderground.com)
- "Steep Property Tax Hikes to Hit Co-ops, Condos" (TheRealDeal.com)
- "Bronx Couple Fights to Keep their Co-op and for the Right to Listen to Singing 'Therapy Dog'" by Kevin Deutsch (New York Daily News)
- "Bark-Free Zone" by Richard Thompson (Realty Times)
- "Does Your [Co-op or Condo] Building Need a Creative Director?" (BrickUnderground.com)
- "The Cons of Condo Board Membership" and "From The Archives: The Pros of Joining Your Condo or Co-op Board" by Michele Lerner (UrbanTurf.com)
- "Approval, Schmoovel! Renovation Perks for Board Members" by Teri Karush Rogers (BrickUnderground.com)
Buying, Selling, Living...
- "Don't Get Stuck Paying for Damage Caused by [Condo] Neighbor['s Washing Machine]" by Benny L. Kass (Chicago Tribune)
- "It's a Mistake to Yawn about Title Insurance" by Malcolm Carter (Service You Can Trust blog)
- "Why Your Next [New York City Condo] May Cost More" by Vivian S. Toy (The New York Times)
- "Family Sues Cigar-Smoking [Co-op] Neighbor over Secondhand Smoke" by Kathianne Boniello (New York Post)
Board Issues from Around the Country...
- "Service Dog Dispute Highlights Common Housing Association Issues" by Matt Tomsic (Wilmington, N.C. Star-News)
- "Delinquent Condo Dues Force Out First-timers" by Carl Medford (Castro Valley Forum, California)
- "Home Once Valued at $460K Bought by HOA for $1,900: Non-payment of maintenance fees can lead to foreclosure, eviction" by Daniel Vasquez (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
- "No Dues, no HOA Amenities: Homeowners in Arrears Still Have Responsibility to Neighbors" by Rhonda Swan (The Palm Beach Post)
- "Steeple Coming Down?," about a condominium-owned church where R.E.M. played its first show in 1980, by Julie Phillips (AthensOnline.com, Georgia)
- "'Case Is Ridiculous,' Says Lawyer for Peacock Killer" by Nelson Daranciang (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
WebCitation archives:
"Inflammatory" • "Bronx Couple" • "Bark-Free" • "Creative Director" • "Cons of Condo" • "Pros of Joining" • "Renovation Perks" "Don't Get Stuck" • "Title Insurance" • "Why Your Next" • "Family Sues" • "Service Dog" • "Delinquent" • "Home Once Valued" • "No Dues" • "Steeple" • "Peacock"