Changing the percentage of ownership in a condo association. This reader says the value and square footage of certain units isn't accurate in the governing documents. Q: I have enjoyed your many articles in our local paper for some time. I am on the board of a condo association and it was brought to our [...]
Enforcing no smoking rules in condos. Condo boards can amend the rules and regulations to prohibit smoking, but how can they enforce the new rule? We continue to receive questions and comments about our recent columns on smoking (here and here) as well as the rules that condominiums and other associations are putting into place [...]
Coronavirus 2020: Will pools open this summer? Social distancing regulations could make it difficult for pools to operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Q: Our 100-unit condominium has a small private locked outdoor pool that usually opens from Memorial Day to Labor Day. With COVID-19, what do we do this year? Should we open the [...]
Interpreting no smoking rules in condos. It’s up to the condo board to interpret and enforce rules and regulations about smoking for the association. Q: I live in a condo with four smokers living below me. They continually blow smoke out the windows and it rises and enters my unit. Our revised Rules and Regs [...]
How HOA fine schedules work. This reader wants to know why the condo association board fined homeowners different amounts for the same violation. Q: Can a condo association charge different fines for exactly the same infraction? Some of us broke the same rule in our association. We took matters into our own hands in making [...]
Can condo associations ban cannabis smoking in units? This reader wants to know how cannabis smoking can be prohibited if cigarette smoking isn’t. Q: I recently received a letter from my condo association about a proposed amendment to our condo declaration to ban cannabis smoking in our units. The letter states "The Condominium Act states [...]
What are the responsibilities of a condo association? This reader says rodents are all over the property but the homeowners association board won't act. Q: Are there laws that govern rodent control for condos? My neighbor feeds birds 50 pounds of bird food at a time and now I have squirrels in my unit. Mice [...]
What can you do about a nightmare condo owner who refuses to follow condo rules? Start with a review of board rules, then call a lawyer. Q: Our condo building has had a problem with one particular owner ever since he purchased his unit in the building and moved in. Initially he didn’t get permission [...]
Is the condo board responsible for enforcing association rules? You’d expect your HOA to maintain the rules, but what happens when they make special arrangements for a new owner? Q: What is the condominium board's responsibility for enforcing our condo homeowner’s association's rules/regulations? For example, our association limits the number of dogs to no more [...]
What to do when your building won’t fix the heating problem. Thinking outside the box for solutions could help you avoid the need for legal action. Q: About 20 years ago, I purchased a condominium unit in an older high rise building in Chicago. From the start, it was freezing cold in the unit each [...]
