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 standard…
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residents change—and the world in general changes around the community—yesterday's rules and bylaws can become outdated or no longer su…
Consider this scenario: You just found the perfect home for your family—equipped with beautifully manicured lawns and a great community of people. Unfortunately, the association bylaws state that your children can't play hockey with thei…
Owning a condo or being a member of a homeowner association is a something many New Jersey residents know a thing or two about. In 2004, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) estimated that 970,000 existing co-ops and condos were so…
One of the jobs of a homeowners' association is to make sure there are rules for homeowners concerning maintenance issues, that these rules are spelled out, and that these rules are followed. And the great majority of unit owners realize…
A giant shrub trimmed to resemble a stock car? Shutters painted an eye-shattering fuschia? Eight not-so-tiny reindeer blitzing across the roof? Some people's idea of design heaven is almost certainly someone else's idea of aesthetic purg…
Anyone who has spent time serving on the board of his or her co-op or condo knows that it is a job that no one can do alone. Even if you have the most conscientious group of board members, the job is too time-consuming for a group of vol…