Posted on March 8, 2010 by Chris Jaglowitz

Best of the blogosphere for February 2010

For a short month filled with Olympic excitement (Yay Canada!), there was still plenty of great condo-related stuff in the blogosphere in February. 

Businesses should learn from 2010 Olympics surveillance camera debate -- Winnipeg privacy lawyer Brian Bowman emphasises the importance of having appropriate policies in place to manage the data recorded by surveillance cameras. If your condo has surveillance cameras, you need to implement proper written policies.

Association Driving You Nuts? – Take Out a Creepy Newspaper Advertisement -- Roger Wood of Arizona law firm Carpenter Hazlewood blogs about the slings and arrows hurled at HOA/condo boards and their professionals and offers some constructive suggestions to the malcontents who give “barbarians at the gate” a bad name.

Would a Condo and HOA Board Member Draft Solve Our Problems? -- Donna Berger debates condo conscription.    She also offers some important negotiation tips for community association members in Association Negotiations 101!

There's No Such Thing as a "Slam Dunk"! A True Story -- California Condo & HOA lawyer Beth Grimm offers an important reminder about condo litigation. Her advice: Don't Get Bamboozled Into A Lawsuit! 

When Homeowners Associations Attack -- Seattle condo and HOA attorney Kevin Britt offers advice to help directors avoid finding themselves the subject of a news headline like "HOA Sues Former Board for $70 Million". 

Warning Buyers about Noisy Neighbours -- Brian Madigan of the Ontario Real Estate Blog offers a realtor’s perspective on one of the most bedevilling situations for anyone trying to sell a property.

Coping with the Demands of an Aging Population -- The estate lawyers at Hull & Hull highlight the most recent reports on the growing cost of our aging population.   Are condos going to be impacted by this demographic phenomenon?   You bet.

ROCs and Civil Rights -- Scott Gordon of the Resident Owned Community law blog shares his experience visiting the National Civil Rights Museum and reflects on the important connection between civil rights and community living.
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Posted on November 4, 2009 by Chris Jaglowitz

See you at the condo conference!

Don’t miss the 13th Annual CCI-T/ACMO Condominium Conference this Friday and Saturday (November 6-7, 2009) at the Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham.

Be sure to come to the Aging in Place seminar (session 1C on Friday morning at 10), where lawyer Denise Lash, property manager Janice Pynn, consultant Sharon Snitman and I will focus on accommodating the needs of aging condo residents. Find out what steps property managers and condo boards must take to accommodate the coming boom of aging condo dwellers and learn what you should do to prepare.

Bob Gardiner will be moderating the Condo Law Update SuperSession on Saturday at noon. Don’t miss it!

Gardiner Miller Arnold is proud to be a sponsor of the conference once again, so all of us from GMA will be there.  Take a moment to stop any of us and say hello!  If you don’t know us by sight, visit this page to view our photos so that you will recognize us.   We look forward to meeting you.

Visit www.condoconference.ca for detailed program, exhibitors list and registration details.

See you there!

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Posted on October 4, 2009 by Chris Jaglowitz

Best of the blogosphere for September 2009

Here are some of the many interesting condo-related items from around the blogosphere last month.  Click the bolded titles to view the original entries.

Virginia homeowner may lose home because of failure to fund reserves – The HOA Legi-Slate blog of law firm HindmanSanchez in Colorado cites a heart-wrenching story of a condo board’s failure to properly fund its reserve leading to a special assessment of $15,000 per unit in order to raise the $2 million needed for emergency repairs. A recently laid-off unit owner stands to lose her home as a result. This piece contains helpful lessons for board members and for unit owners, who should remember that this scenario can easily happen anywhere, especially when directors are elected on the ever-popular (but foolish) "zero increase" platform.

How to pick the right attorney for your community – Florida HOA attorney and blogger Donna Berger gives some pointers on choosing lawyers that will best serve your community association. I say (with tongue-in-cheek) to select the firm with the best condo law blog!

Alzheimer’s Advance: 115-million by 2050 – Toronto trusts and estates lawyers Hull & Hull discuss a recent report pointing to an imminent explosion in Alzheimer’s cases around the world. Start asking how this trend will impact your condo and what you should do to prepare. Consider asking a local estates lawyer to give an info session to your residents on the importance of having their personal care affairs in order.

Illinois Manager Licensing FAQ – Ungated, the blog of the Community Associations Institute, reports that law has now passed regulating the property management profession in Illinois starting in January 2010. An FAQ page is presented. 

Aging in Place: A New Plan for the Suburbs? – In a rather futuristic piece, California lawyer Tyler Berding predicts the coming end of suburban neighbourhoods as we know them and suggests that aging condominiums and their residents may become the building blocks for a new way of living.

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