2005 Jun
2005 Jun Vol. 25, No. 6
Focus on...Law&Legislature
A Look Inside New Jersey's Legislature
Throughout its 200-year history, the New Jersey Legislature as an institution has reinvented and adapted itself to provide for the needs and concerns of its citizens and constituents. For all the impact the state legislature has on ordinary citizens, however, few people really understand Trenton's inner workings, or have a good grasp of how proposed bills become the laws that govern their day-to-day lives. Read More
The Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act
Unlike the ordered governance of cooperative corporations and condo associations in places like New York City, New Jersey's community and homeowner associations largely govern themselves, with little oversight from the state and no standardized procedures or best practices. The result is a patchwork of rules and regulations, and occasionally great disparities between how developments—sometimes even in neighboring subdivisions—operate and run their associations. Read More
Using Mediation Before Litigation
When you're a homeowner living in an association environment, it's a good bet that at some point during your residence you are going to take issue with something that a neighbor is doing—or vice versa. Whether it be something small like playing music loud late at night, or something bigger like remodeling a major part of their house, you need to decide what battles to fight and what actually is breaking the association guidelines. Read More
Playing By the House Rules
If laws weren't made to be broken, they at least need to be amended once in a while. As a community's residents change—and the world in general changes around the community—yesterday's rules and bylaws can become outdated or no longer suitable. A condo or co-op may have initially prohibited ownership of pets, but as the years go by more owners may owners may want a cat or dog, so it might be time to change the rules. Read More
How to Run a Successful Board Meeting
In today's litigious society, most volunteers are savvy enough to refuse to serve on a board without the personal protection of liability insurance. Many know that board members can be held liable for the decisions they make. With this in mind, I would like to offer the following tips on running regular board meetings: Read More
New Jersey's DCA
One of the largest and most well connected branches of New Jersey's state government is also perhaps one of the least recognized. Based in Trenton, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), is made up of a host of individual divisions, each responsible for its own array of community outreach, support, enforcement, and betterment programs. Read More
Getting on Your Co-op or Condo Board
Getting on a condo or co-op board requires a significant investment—both in time and sweat equity. As president of my co-op board, I can attest firsthand to the labors involved. Rarely does a day pass that I don't receive a call from a shareholder who wants to ask a question, complain about a neighbor or discuss a pending issue. But to me, it's all worth it, for we board members are watching over and enhancing the values of our most important asset—our homes. Read More
