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Building Ventilation

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By:  Jessica Vail & William Payne, PE

Doors difficult to open.  Strange smells in corridors and lobbies.  Inconsistent temperature regulation.   These are all very common issues in high-rise buildings which are usually due to poor ventilation and building pressurization.  It is in the best interest of the building and its tenants to have a Professional Engineer conduct a property condition assessment to find the root of the problems and make professional recommendations to alleviate the ongoing issues.

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Mind Your Minutes — Best Practices for Meeting Minutes and the Dissemination of Information on Meetings

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By Sherri Hall

Among the responsibilities of condominium and community associations is the obligation to maintain accurate records.  Accordingly, the taking  and keeping of  minutes of board meetings is extremely important to the proper operation of an association. But what is the proper way to do so and what information must be included? We spoke to Attorney Stefan Richter of Clemons Richter & Reiss in Doylestown, Pennsylvania for an expert opinion on the subject of meeting minutes.

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When the Association Becomes Landlord — 
Understanding Rent Receiverships

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 By Michelle Tomko

In a perfect world, associations are not supposed to be landlords. But things happen. People lose their jobs, owners pass away leaving their units in limbo, and global events such as the Great Recession can even impact the financial well-being of owners. These types of events can all cause properties in an association to be abandoned. When this happens, what is an association to do? Often the right move is for the association to request a receivership.

[Read more…] about When the Association Becomes Landlord — 
Understanding Rent Receiverships

Ways to Control the Stress of Being on the Board – 
From a Manager’s Perspective

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By Sherri Hall

Property managers are used to walking around their communities and having residents come up to them with questions, complaints, suggestions and more on a regular basis. However, managers get to go home at the end of the day. For board members, though, home is the community. Oftentimes, board members are faced with these interactions with residents during their “off” time. 

[Read more…] about Ways to Control the Stress of Being on the Board – 
From a Manager’s Perspective

Found a Sinkhole in Your Community? 
Here’s What You Need to Know

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By Sherri Hall

Imagine walking along the grounds of your community when you notice what appears to be a small rabbit hole. You look ahead and see a few more similar holes. Filling them with dirt doesn’t seem to help. In fact, they just keep coming back and getting larger and larger. That’s when you realize, you might just have a sinkhole issue on your hands. But how can you know for sure? And, what should you do about it? 

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Here’s What You Need to Know

Tips for Creating an Association Budget

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By Sherri Hall

Depending on whether your association runs on a calendar or fiscal year schedule, you may be in the midst of working on your budget, just about to start or several months away from beginning the process. Either way, it’s important to ensure that you’re taking the steps necessary to complete the task timely and effectively. We spoke to Michael Pesce, President of Associa Community Management Corp, to obtain some tips for creating an association budget. [Read more…] about Tips for Creating an Association Budget