The efficient operation of a cooperative or condominium building in New York depends upon unit owners respecting and abiding by the rules contained in the governing documents. Unit owners in cooperatives should refer to their Proprietary Lease, while those in condominiums should refer to their By-Laws. In both cases, the…
In order to prevent discrimination claims brought by members of legally protected classes (i.e. racial minorities), it is crucial that cooperative boards construct rules with legitimate purposes (beneficial to the cooperative without being a means to exclude) and evenly enforce said rules. Federal Law prohibits the unavailability or denial of…
The regulation of smoking by cooperative and condominium owners in New York has become increasingly contentious in recent years. The New York Post recently reported that a condominium owner in New York could not be forbidden from smoking in his apartment. While this particular case was decided based upon the…
The New York Post recently reported the tragic story of a soap opera actor who was so despondent over his building’s pet regulations that he took his own life. The New York condominium building in which he resided enacted rules pertaining to pets that forbid pit bull breeds in the…