Attorney Spotlight: Phaedra Howard
In what area of law do you practice and why did you choose this? I practice in the area of real estate law, with an emphasis on community association law. Like most community association lawyers, I did not specifically set out to practice in this area of law and instead fell into it when looking […]
The Dangers of Deferred Maintenance – Lessons to be Learned from the Florida Condo Collapse
Many of us have read and watched the news stories about the recent tragic collapse of the condominium building in Surfside, Florida. As rescue workers continue to look for missing residents, the questions on everyone’s mind are: How did this happen? Who is to blame? Current information reveals that the condo association’s board was aware […]
Open Meeting Requirements – do they apply to Committees?
Under the Minnesota Common Interest Ownership Act (“MCIOA”), which governs essentially all associations formed on or after June 1, 1994[1], as well as older condominiums and any older townhome or cooperative associations that have amended their governing documents to “opt in” to MCIOA, meetings of the board of directors must be open to the members, […]
Is your HOA in Compliance with Fair Housing Laws?
April is National Fair Housing Month. What a great time to review your association’s rules, policies and procedures to make sure you are in compliance with state and national fair housing laws, which prohibit discrimination in housing on the basis of a person’s membership in one or more of the protected classes. Do you know […]
Who Pays for Repairs When Ice Dams Cause Damage to a Unit?
In Minnesota, we often run into issues with ice dams on homes. Ice dams form when snow and ice on the roof melt and then refreeze at the edges and on the gutters, causing large dams of ice to build up along the edge of the roof. This, in turn, prevents melting snow from properly […]
WEBINAR REPLAY: Legal Issues for Real Estate Agents
WATCH HERE During this webinar, Real Estate agents will gain the knowledge and tools to better understand issues they might encounter with buyers or sellers to better serve their clients. Topics: – Title to real estate – Considerations when buying or selling property – Estate planning considerations Course Instructors: – Phaedra Howard – Michele […]
What Community Associations Need to Know about Operating During the COVID-19 Crisis
Please note: This information is updated as of April 10, 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has created a whole new set of issues that community associations must now deal with for the first time. Although the situation is fluid and is constantly changing, here are some things to keep in mind as you try to navigate […]
A Primer on Housing Cooperatives
Most real estate agents have at least a working knowledge of what a homeowner’s association is and how townhomes and condominiums work. However, it has been my experience that very few agents know anything about housing cooperatives. While coops in general may not be as popular here as they are in New York or some […]
What You Should Be Doing with Your Replacement Reserves
Most association governing documents contain provisions requiring the association to establish and maintain one or more reserve accounts that are used to set aside funds for the future maintenance or replacement of components of the property that the association is obligated to maintain, repair and replace. Legal Requirements for Reserves For those associations that are […]
Cooperatives Q & A
Share Certificates and Estate Planning, Monthly Fees and Carrying Charges, and Occupancy Agreements Share Certificates and Estate Planning Q: Most cooperative bylaws prohibit anyone who is not a member from serving on the board of directors. But a growing number of cooperative members are altering the ownership of their share certificates as part of their […]