In case you spent January at the gym or fulfilling other resolutions for the new decade, here is our mini-digest of noteworthy condo-related posts from the blogosphere last month.

Enjoy the Family Day long weekend!   

Records Retention: Going Paperless through E-Archives — Paper is so passé! Marilyn Perez-Martinez of the Florida Condo & HOA Legal Blog describes some of the critical considerations in devising an electronic archive process for storing a condo’s records.  The key is in preparing a sound plan.

A Building Component does not become Common Area just because it was placed or built on the Common Area — California HOA attorney David Swedelson blogs on a recent appellate case that sounds strikingly similar to our Court of Appeal’s ruling in Wentworth Condo Corp. 198 v. McMahon.   

Recognizing the Fraud Triangle — Increase your vigilance. Florida condo lawyer Donna Berger highlights some telltale signs of fraud and how to spot them. 

CCAL Seminar — The Case Law Update – Utah condo lawyer Lincoln Hobbs blogged about the presentation of the past years’ top condo/HOA cases at the US College of Community Association Lawyers’ annual law conference. Other seminars were reported, including CCAL Law Conference — The Unauthorized Practice of Law.

The 2009 Home Renovation Tax Credit and CondominiumsIt’s tax season again, and property manager Tracey McLellan offers some suggestions for reporting and claiming the HRTC.  

Dealing With "the Crazies" Within a Homeowner Association — Daniel Zimberoff at the Northwest Condo & HOA Law Blog offers some advice for what is probably a remarkably rare situation that is seldom faced by condo boards and mangers. 

The Sword, the Shield, and the Guide – Working with the Association’s Attorney — Kevin Britt of the Seattle Condominium and Homeowners Association Attorney Blog identifies and describes three distinct roles that a lawyer can fill when acting for a condo or community association.

Make indoor air quality test a standard part of real estate purchases — Bob Aaron notes that people are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of radon gas but that indoor air quality is not yet dealt with as part of real estate transactions. He also describes a number of ways to test for radon.