When you say common space... is it?
coop or condo?

co-op

Sounds like what Ted is saying holds true for you also...
The cooperative "common" space, unlike a condo, belongs to the corporation, not the shareholder or unit owner. Therefore the space allotted for bikes, cars, storage, etc... does not have to be divided in any equitable fashion (as long as it is not biased).
so if the building space only allows for 58% of the SH to have bike space and they are saving the other space for some other future use, unfortunately for the other 42%, they have to wait for a space.

~AR

While I cannot answer your query directly, I can provide some anecdotal thoughts.

In our co-op there are but 250 storage bins with 500 units, so we allocate storage bins/cages to the next unit on the waiting list (one per unit) upon departure of a shareholder.

We have 500 units and there are 700 parking spaces. But with two and three car families, we restrict parking to only residents of the building. Thus a family member who is not a resident cannot park in an assigned space, and all are assigned. We do permit overnight parking by a visitor to a resident in the resident’s assigned space as a temporary expedient.

We have a bicycle room. As we restrict residents from transporting their bicycles via the elevators, we ensure that all can be accommodated. Non residents (visitors or family members) may not employ the bicycle room.

So the bicycle room rules depend on the building’s rules as well.

Every building is unique in its goals, resources and its conduits to reach those goals. These should always be predetermined by management and the Board.
The answers will vary depending on the aforesaid state of your building.
If there are no goals, that’s worse!

Anyway... I have come up with a general rule of thumb for most of my buildings. It costs about $500 per unit, per year for capital expenditures. What that means is that if I have a 100 unit building, every 5 years I will have to undertake a $250K capital project.. be-it roofing, pointing, interior work, etc... This is not to be confused with the regular maintenance and operating repairs.

Now, knowing this, I have several choices... finance, budget and pay from capital reserves, take from existing reserves, assess... and so on. The answer for me is always simple. Why pay interest if you do not have to? it is a waste of SH money. What I do is take my per unit figure and put it into the budget and place that mostly into a special capital account, only to be used for these purposes. If it is a building where i did not have the opportunity to do this, then the amount currently in reserves must be analyzed in conjunction with the making of a well designed 5 year capital plan.

You also want to look at when your existing mortgage terminates, interest, the cost of the funds, time value of the money, etc... If you are financing, you want to have the P&I to be paid from your newly established capital account until you can roll it into your mortgage, or pay it off. But do not do this unless you are making provision for the annual capital average expense going forward; because, you will only be adding debt and never paying down.

Either way you are increasing maintenance for this. A separate 5 year capital assessment may be the best way since it separates the funds for accounting and in the minds of residents... it makes operating increases easier.
As long as you do not run your reserve dangerously low (and you will have a good gauge of this because you will have done a 5 year plan), you are OK. A separate line of credit (not being used) may be prudent just to have and hold in case of emergency and until the increase/assessment pays it back. If you are well planned, there is no harm, or less attractiveness to banks with the temporary lower reserve. Some uneducated buyers may frown on a low reserve until the plan is explained to them.

So, in short, only use the credit if there is a plan in place to pay back and simultaneously get financially ahead.

Hope that helps?

~AR

This is great, thanks so much. What is unique about our building situation is there is a perception that using our credit line and paying minimum amount of interest due monthly --couple of hundred bucks-- is in lieu of ever paying back at all. Becuase these are short term owners-3 years is the average. We hava a 20 year old elevator and roof and there is no projected budget that includes these things. It's a small building and the transients just want to pass the debt on to the next owners. The minority of us are looking to own for a 10 year time frame. So how does the fiduciary duty of the Corporation impact this failure to plan responsibly for major capital repairs? The answer we get from flippers is to use the credit line and don't worry because the mortgage is small--$150,000 $ and the value of the building a few million?

That is just what it is.. perception and illusion. in the end, you are paying more than you should.

Unfortunately, the transient mentality is all too common. everyone is looking for short term satisfaction (this is why we have the highest personal debt rate also). It is not prudent. However, if the corporation believes they are acting within the best interest of the shareholders, there is no illegitimacy in their duty.

You need to run for the board, or show where they are wrong via an accountant or professional letter, as to make them accountable to their fiduciary duty.

With a mtge of 150K, I would suggest to make a plan for debt elimination and capital all in one. Have your managing agent assist, or do this for you.
One of my buildings are in a similar situation (only 14 units) and we owe 148K and have some repairs, but the plan will allow us to be free of debt in 6 years, while performing capital improvements at the same time.

~AR

AR, I am on the Board, sadly, I don't have a lot to work with. What you are suggesting is what I believe in too. Are you a managing agent in the NYC area?

Yes, I am...

Feel free to email me directly if you would like off line assistance.

~AR

Thanks for all this information. How may someone contact you?

One must separate maintenance income from capital income (assessments), else the IRS will treat all as maintenance.

But, if there is a clear delineation of capital income (assessments, e.g.: accrued over ten months and kept in a separate account), then the shareholder upon the sale of a unit, can take the original price of the coop and add to that number the sum of all capital assessments as well as any self initiated capital improvements to generate an updated cost basis for tax purposes, e.g.: sale price (less expenses) – cost basis = tax burden (if any).

Great point..

We have a yearly assessment (collected over ten months) to ensure that for IRS purposes the income is truly segmented from ordinary (maintenance income). Our assessment (forty-five year old building that needs more capital improvements each year) garners about $900,000 each year.

Our expenses, given a building of our size, are always substantial, e.g.; $500,000 for roof replacement next year, $1,000,000 for our elevator overhaul and upgrade a few years ago, $400,000 a year for window replacement as we are changing 15% to 20% or our windows per year.

We have a multi-million dollar line of credit.

We use the line of credit only in anticipation of the assessment income and then pay down the line of credit each year. Thus, by definition, the line of credit is not for long term borrowing.

Elsewhere herein these forum postings, I and other have discussed capital improvements, capital reserves, assessments, etc. Suggest a search as there may be ideas that your facility can adopt.

And, we have eliminated our original mortgage of $7,000,000 incurred at the time of conversion without ever refinancing the principal or taking on a second mortgage. In the same period of time we have expended $15,000,000 for capital improvements.

The current $900,000 in assessments is because we did not lower charges when we retired the mortgage. We moved the mortgage amount (about $450,000) from maintenance income to assessment (for IRS tracking purposes) and maintained our original assessment amount of $450,000. The combination of the two streams (now one assessment) produces $900,000 a year.

Net net. the shareholders are paying the same amount as they did when the mortgage existed, save the yearly maintenance increases that we all face.

Our long term capital improvement plan, as required by the AICPA, shows that over the next fifteen or so years we have another $15,000,000 to expend.

answers:
1. Above Ground Storage Fuel Tanks are by code need to be:
a) vissually inspected daily (super)
b) a recorded of inspection and Fuel consumption and delieveries made need to be kept.
c) For number six oil, Storae Fuel Tanks are to be cleaned at least once every 5 years.

Now some one Super or Managing agent should know this. Again SHOULD KNOW but in reality most don't.

2. Who opens the bids are as a mater of customary up to the board to decide. In our building MA opens the bids. For large projects and an engineer is hired, then the engineer receives and opens the bids.
Its up to the board to decide who gets and opens the bids.

3. DEP regulations require that any fuel oil spill is reported to the spill desk at DEP. That's the law.

4. This question is beyond my relavent experience.
Pgrech

Pgrech wrote:
". . . beyond my relevant experience."

Thanks a lot, though, Pgrech; already very helpful.

GK

Pgrech wrote:
"1. Above Ground Storage Fuel Tanks by code need to be:
a) visually inspected daily (super)
b) a record of inspection and Fuel consumption and deliveries made needs to be kept.
c) For number six oil, Storage Fuel Tanks are to be cleaned at least once every 5 years."

One more question, Pgrech: you say "by code"--what code? Sorry if that's a stupid question. I'm just trying to find the exact wording so that I can bring it to the meeting.

Thanks.

DEP codes/ regulations.

Ah, thank you. I guess you sort of said that in your first response, huh? Duh. Sorry, I'm just not used to dealing with these things.

Thanks again.

If the problem was at time of delivery, your super should have contacted immediately the managing agent, the board and the fuel company for immediate action.

Spills less than 5 gals may not have to be reported, but needs immediate action for removal.

AdC

Thanks, AdC.

Somewhat vague accounting of the situation at this evening's meeting. Apparently the super did contact the managing agent immediately to report "a little spill"; the managing agent subsequently told the board VP that the boiler room was "ankle deep" in fuel oil. The VP asked the MA when the spill was reported to the state and got only the vaguest of responses. However, I spoke with someone at the DEC this afternoon and it seems like finding out when (indeed, if) the spill was reported will be straightforward. The DEC gave me the number of another office to call; I'll do so tomorrow.

you mean had an approved tenant for two years - right? the dilema is: should the board ban this shareholder from any more subletting now that they are caught and also charge them backfees for the period of illegal sublet?

WE NEED IT ALL.

We just went through something similar... First: Read your house rules. Do you allow sublets?

We are now enforcing our house rules. Which, basically does not allow sublets -- except on a one year basis, for owners with serious needs (temp work transfers)

We are allowing legal sublets to run out and giving notice that they will not be allowed to renew the sublet. Some, that have sublet for years -- are going to be allowed six more months -- BUT ONLY -- if they pay past fees. So far, the prospect of having an empty apartment, trying to sell, as oppose to continueing the sublet -- everyone is paying up, and the ones who are not returning, are putting the apartments on the market.

A healthy coOp is owner occupied.

owners of multiple dwellings (3 apartments or more) in New York City to provide, install, and maintain window guards when a child (or children) ten years old or younger lives there. Tenants with no children - or none living at home - may also request and receive window guards if they want them for any reason.
(this is applicable to condo/cooops also)
the owner is responsible and may charge up to $10 for labor reimbursement. But is is the buildibngs responsibility to comply with the law.

You can read more here:
http://www.dhcr.state.ny.us/ora/pubs/html/orafac25.htm

So is it the owner of the unit who pays for them or the co-op? I'm sorry but I'm not clear on what you're saying here. The link you provides mentions owners and tenants in rent stabilized apts. In the co-op, the shareholder is the owner, right?

If I were you I'd put those bars up and then work out the co-pay arrangements with the shareholder.

Braverman & Associates http://www.braverlaw.net/article_12.htm and

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3601/is_n13_v40/ai_14636973

Richard Siegler, a partner with Stroock, Stroock & Lavan said the law is crystal clear....under city rules co-ops are treated as multi-family residential buildings, the board of directors acts as owner and is required to send out annual notices and supply window guards to anyone who requests them.

Mary Ann Rothman, executive director of the Council of New York Cooperatives, explained if a violation is placed on the building it would be joint responsibility. "A co-op has the full gamut of responsibilities that any other owner has," she said.

Simply put, the building (coop or condo) pays for the purchase and installation of child guards in all apartments. The owner or share hold of that apartment that is geting the guards is charged $10 per guard installed.
Pg

Thanks for the clarification.

Why don't you contact Wayne Bellet and ask them for a reference of the last three projects they completed and then contact the buildings board of directors for a reference.

Good Luck

I agree with Mike. Furthermore, you can call the BBB as well as NYC Chamber of Commerce. But, keep in mind most likely the references given to you, by any contractor, will be there best ones, which may or may not give a true and total picture of who the company is. Ask for 10 and then choose 3 or so and go to the building and check it out. Dont forget to call and make an appointment before going.


Pg

We just did a large project with them on the UWS and did not have a good experience.

~AR

The BP is also your managing agent? AND a RE broker as well?

What percentage of shares does he/she control?
How many members on the board?

Are you a new shareholder or been there awhile?

Other than your opinion, and the "look" of things, do you have proof the board is corrupt?

RLM-

Below are answers to your questions, thank you!

Yes, I said managing agent as well as BP.

There were seven board members, the same people obviously. That is last year when I attended the annual shareholder meeting, although anything is possible and it could have dwindled down to 5.

This person owns their apartment, but controls the voting of many shareholders, some absentee, so things like proxy voting? Oh, it's a big mess with no accountability.

The Pres/Manager is NOT a licensed RE broker BUT has "brokered" out apartments, both sales and rentals. There are self-dealing, conflict of interest issues (sale of one apartment to children of an employee of BP/Mgr/Brkr's managing company (as person also manages a "market value" coop outside the building) also rentals to business associates, etc.

I am a longtime tenant/shareholder in a low-income HDFC coop, one of many formerly NYC owned buildings sold to us by the city at a very low price. These coops are rife with corruption.

I have served on the board on and off throughout the years.
A few years ago, I returned to the board upon several board members request and began to question “authority” and ask for transparency from this person. I became the lone voice of reason. Since then I have been punished. Two years ago I got frozen out of serving altogether, so now I am an “outsider”. The same people (one is VP) who beckoned me back, rolled over to the BP/Manager/Broker (out of fear or favoritism) and have backed his/her bullying, slandering, etc. against me. I have become the “disruptive shareholder” (the truth can be disruptive, I guess), ostracized and dealt with as if I am a crazy and physically threatening person. This one person has turned the whole building against me through their lies.

Yes, I have a paper trail that indicates that the board (most specifically this BP/Mgr/Broker) has violated their fiduciary responsibilities and sought to get me back for being a “troublemaker”. Board meeting recordings that indicate fraud. I have had to be my own investigator, legal researcher and advocate. The City of New York (Housing Preservation and Development) says there are hundreds of low income (HDFC) coops warranting a financial audit and yet they drag their feet.

Have gone to all the appropriate agencies, it's a vicious cycle. At one point tried to interest the BP/Mgr/Brkr in mediatiing with me.

The bottom line is that there is no accountability to be found in my coop and no advocacy from the outside. BECAUSE as the law stands presently THE BOARD RULES and has final say, not a minority shareholder.
I am of limited funds so it's hard to engage counsel, even though I've been told I have a case.

As last year's annual shareholder meeting turned into a tribunal against me, with our attending corporate lawyer fortifying the side that pays him, the corrupt board the thought of another night like that makes me ill.

I know this much...in a market value coop, this abuse of power (one person being Pres/Manager/Broker) is pretty much none existent or nipped in the bud pretty quickly.
In HDFCs it is rampant.

I'll keep trying to organize with other HDFC shareholders in the same boat and in the meantime will take some of the suggestions you have offered.

Thank you all for your responses. Keep them coming.

p.s.- Are there any pro-bono attorneys out there reading this, interested in assisting in any way?

A annual shareholder meeting can be postponed if a quorum is NOT reached. A quorum is usually 51% of the shareholder body. If you encourage people not to hand in their proxy statements or attend the meeting, the quorum won't be reached and the meeting will be postponed.

9449, I don't think you can postpone your annual meeting and if it's in early Dec, at this point you have no time left and it sounds like you're in for at least another year with the same corrupt board. But if you're really serious about this and act fast, you may be able to do some good.

YOU should run for the board and get others to run too. Try to get a new majority in so you can outvote the corrupt ones on issues. You're in a small coop. How small? If you have 12 apts, this is tough but with even 20-25 apts and a board of 5, all you need is you and 2 others to be elected.

If corruption has gone on for years, your Shs probably feel they can't change things and there's no use trying. You have to convince them otherwise - and that won't be easy. You have to be fired up in a positive way before you can get them fired up. You have to convince them that THEY are the ones who can turn things around by voting out corrupt board members and that YOU and the others who run will make changes that will make the coop better for all of them.

You have to take the ball and run with it. Start now and use the time you have before the annual meeting. At the very least, put pressure on the president and the rest of the board at the meeting - and don't let them sidestep you. Ask very pointed questions about when this will be done, why that hasn't been done, when they can expect whatever. If you haven't gotten an annual financial statement, ask why not and when you'll get it. If you did get it, ask the board questions about expenses, etc.

Here's an idea. You say that important issues have not been dealt with. Make a list of them, start talking to Shs now and give them a copy of the list. Tell them you're going to start working together and here is a list of things you all need to ask the board about at the meeting and get answers for. Tell them they can make a difference if they stick together. Just list issues simply on a sheet of paper. Get the momentum up. You and other Shs who agree to run for the board with you will probably have to stir things up at the meeting if people ask questions too timidly or if the board tries to bypass questions or bluff their way out of them.

There's a lot of things I could suggest and I'm sure others in this e-group will have many ideas too. But it looks like effecting any change has to start with you. I hope my post here is of some help.

If a quorum is not reached, the meeting can be postponed for at least one week. Although that may not be enough time. Check your co-op's documents on proper protocol.

There is more than one way..
"V" makes a good point...
the questions posed by the other members should be answered first however to determine your course of action... especially knowing if the PB/MA controlls the coop by owning the majoprity of shares, and what is the share ratio... how many agree with you, vs the BP.

Read your Proprietary Lease and Bylaws. They may give you an idea. For example, look to make sure the meeting was called with enough advance notice, as per your documents. If not, then you might have grounds to delay it.

Request a copy of the shareholders list, and write all of the shareholders asking them to 1) not show up and 2) not submit proxies. That way, no business could be done at the meeting anyway b/c there wouldn't be X% (often times a majority) of the votes present necessary to hold it.

When I told my largest shareholder to vote for me; and in exchange, after the election I would let his wife and kids out of the duffle bags and set them free, they yelled and threatened me.. I don't know why.

Of course it is not ethical.
[just in case... the above is only a dramatization to display a point!]

while i agree about not being ethical, the question was more about it being a crime.
Lastly if someone asked who should they vote for or if i had recommendations then i would reply, but i never offer my opinion with out being invited to do so. That would make it at least ethical.
Pg

Your right...
While I do not believe it to be criminal, I personally cannot answer if it is illegal or not. unfortunately unethical and illegal are not synonomous.

~AR

It is only a crime if you vote for them and they do a lousy job. I hope you are not suggesting for one minute that these fine people are running to serve their own self interests and not the Coops. Oh God, never.

FN

I loved the first part of your answer FN.

Perish the thought!! LOL!! I never allow other people to tell me who to vote for but unfortunately some self serving board members keep getting re-elected and various shareholders have been harassed to change their votes by former board members. What can those harassed shareholders do, if anything? The elections are over (THANK GOD!) and some idiots did not get re-elected. But some did. SIGH!

It is difficult to answer or provide you with a straight answer on this one:

1. Who is asking you to vote for John Doe?
2. When is the person asking to change your vote?

Ask yourself if the Teachers'Federation does well to endorse a candidate, or if a well-known individual asks TV viewers or radio listeners to vote for John Doe.

Perhaps you may tell me,"ask" is not "tell". However, "telling" is not "cohersing" or "directing".
and it is not the equivalent of a pre-printed ballot.

Finally, "in the land of the free" I cannot think of intimidation when someone tells you to vote for John Doe and that someone does it because he/she is told.

More detail on this one is required to give a definitive answer on this one!

AdC

Do you receive an annual proxy voting form?

Does the form not suggest (nee recommend) who the current board would like added to the board by name?

Enough said.

Now the unethical part that I can contemplate is that a board member is privy to the proxy returns and deduces that a shareholder has cast a ballot for other than the preferred candidates. Now the board member or shareholder uses this information to ask one or more shareholders to change their vote.

On the other hand, I see nothing wrong with asking a shareholder for whom they voted and if the response is other than the one that is our preference then lobbying the shareholder to modify his or her ballot.

It seems everyone is agreed that it is definitely not illegal; however, the moral or ethical aspect of this is creating a variance of opinion.

While Ted makes a good point, and I am sure many share the belief that there is nothing wrong with asking someone about their vote, I believe that anything that creates question of immorality, may very well be, and thus should be refrained from. (not referring to a pre-election lobbying)I also believe that once the election is complete, no one has the right to know how anyone voted.

When I hold elections in my buildings, only myself and a neutral third party counter are aware of who voted for whom. I recently had a Board member (who was voted in again) ask me to see the final ballots the day afterwards so he can see who voted for whom. I informed him that this was unethical and I will not permit it (was hard to do as a paid manager). While it did get a little heated, the rest of the Board backed my decision with regard to this. Had I disclosed the information, who knows how he would have used it against the people who did not vote as he wished.

Anyway, what I am saying is.. at the end of the day it's left-right-center so go with your own convictions and you will most probably be right (no pun intended!).

~AR

Some other instances if you wish to be concrete:

1. Promising personal benefits to individual voters as a result of being elected, i.e., jumping the parking waiting list, maintennance reduction, etc.
2. Promising specific agenda for the buildings contrary to the common good, i.e., lifting sublet restrictions, reducing or holding maintenance in spite of higher costs.
3. Cohersing - slashing tires of cars of individual shareholders if...

Yes, your point is good - after the fact investigation of votes should not be permitted. In fact, I would rather lie in your case by saying that the tally of votes was eaten by the dog or used in your charcoal grill than giving it out.

Again, the problem is not vote solicitation, but how it is solicited including actions that accompany the solicitation.

AdC

We destroy the proxies very soon after the election after the ballots are certified by the tallier.

Public corporations destroy proxies; we do too.

Less chance for litigation, more expensive for a challenge.

I keep hearing different things about how you can submit a proxy (not here, from coops/boards I personally know). Must you receive a proxy with a Sh's original signature on it, or can you accept a proxy submitted by fax or e-mail?

Since a corporation is a legal entity, I would submit this by way of resolution that is blessed by your legal counsel. Through this chatroom you can get the pulse of how elections are viewed; so, you need to ensure that your process is legal.

(1) Generally, a fax image is considered a substitute of the original in the absence of the original in a court of law. After all, a fax image is as good as a photocopy, i.e., the fax cannot be electronically manipulated to provide you a third document (yes, almost anything today may be manipulated electronically by scanning).

(2) An e-mail of "me" stating that I empower "you" to be my proxy representative is a NO as no signature is associated and anyone may get on your machine and send the message. However, a jpeg file of the executed document sent via e-mail may served as a substitute to the original. Possibly, you will have to retain the source (jpeg and e-mail note) to show the nature and the source of the document in a court of law.

AdC

Has anyone ever used an online voting system? We have trouble getting a majority of the shareholders (incl. proxies) to even hold a meeting. If we want to amend the Proprietary Lease or Bylaws, we would need even more. We think an online voting system might attract more voters.

What makes people NOT VOTE???

If they don't use a a self-stamped envelope (which we have used in the past), I don't think they will do it via phone or electronically. (The analogy is the news given on a rolling monitor; it needs to be read - so, if you do not read the paper, chances are that you will not be motivated to read a rolling electronic monitor).

I think part of the problem is a basic word, "KNOWING". Yes, knowing you have responsibility as a citizen,if in in a democracy, to vote for our representatives or knowing that a shareholder has responsibility to vote the shares.

Probably, you have shares of companies, mutual funds, insurance, or even credit unions. They send you proxies all the time. My question to you, "What do you do with this material?".

Obviously, we want to reap dividends, obtain market growth, etc., but who runs the company - WHO CARES!!! What are the proposals on the table at the annual meeting- WHO CARES!!!.

Interesting enough, great social justice developments in South Africa were the result of shareholders involved in corporate voting. However, the common individuals buy or commit their small wealth to types of investments they do not know and do not expect to know. So... WHAT's the difference with a Co-op???

AdC

In addition to looking at the apartment, 2 other things a buyer should look for is a restaurant and a bus stop.

Anon (no anons) please.I think the person is looking for a solution here?

Bob

If you have a managing agent, talk to him/her, because property managers tend to have a lot of experience to draw upon. If those solutions don't work, try your lawyer -- I'm NOT suggesting legal action. That's a last resort. But your lawyer may have a good suggestion. He/she may even be able to point to a law the restaurant is violating, and help you write a letter from the board (not from the lawyer) pointing this out. Then, if there's no action, send a letter to the city and cc the restaurant. That's my top-of-the-head advice.

It is up to you. If you believe that you have made all the good faith attempts to solve this issue without success, then call 311. Not sure if it is a DoB, DoH or DEP issue but i am sure 311 operator will direct you call to the approperate agency.
Pgrech

The best reason I've come up with to encourage shareholders to run for the board is this:

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT!

For most people, and certainly for me, one's home is the biggest single financial investment we make. As if New York apartment prices aren't high enough, add the cost of the interest on a mortgage and you have a truly huge amount of money tied up in your apartment.

Serving on the board means you decide how to maintain it (replacing old pipes, repairing aesthetic damage like, saving money for future expenses) and how to improve it (buy things with a short warranty or pay for a longer warranty? establish uniform and fair methods to enforce house rules). You decide where the money goes, and how much to take in.

Other reasons:
-- Living in NYC we're lucky in that our apartments appreciate in value nearly without exception. Want to make it worth even more? Improve the building (facade, boiler, elevator), improve the financials, and give people a reason to want to live there.

-- Buying into a cooperative means you really ought to cooperate, and help each other out, even if it means serving a year on the board.

-- Those who serve even one year on the board end up knowing much more about how the building & business run, and what the co-op's possibilities and limitations are. In my own experience, nearly everyone who "retired" from the board in our building no longer complains about the building -- because they know what it's like to be on the other side, trying to resolve those complaints.

Not everyone will want to serve on the board even in the best of buildings; don't badger these folks. Focus on the ones who are fair, polite, and open to alternative points of view.

If you have a dishonest board, you may need to run a slate against them. But don't feel that's the only way. Get a couple of good people to run, and encourage them to campaign.

Let me comment on your other ideas ...
-- Term limits. Fine, but remember that you'll have to find people to fill the forced openings, and that one day you'll force out really good people. (One way around this is to limit terms of offices -- pres, treas, sec -- but not to the board itself.)
-- Requiring service. It's probably not legal, and even if it were, that would mean forcing people into something they won't contribute to. And it means that nutty neighbor with 17 cats or the all-night partier will end up deciding what's best for you.
-- Paying a nominal honorarium/maint fee abatement. Paying is dicey only because it gives people the wrong motivation. That said, waiving one month's maint fee (at the conclusion of a full year's service) would help some of us feel better about the hours of time we volunteer in the service of our neighbors.

respect
acknowledgement of service
time off for good behavior

Thank you both for these thoughtful responses. We'll see!

There is no way to motivate any participation unless the person has a call within...

Unfortunately, many organizations that were vibrant in the '70, '80 and '90 are DYING a slow death due to lack of participation.

I belong to two chapters of professional organizations that have or are contemplatng to fold up due to lack of interest... When seeing this, I just realize that our co-op is no exception. After all, we are living in the same age. In fact, I just got an annonymous from (you may use any qualifier you want, it just fits the character) because of a typo in an announcement. However, the person is not able to make it to an annual meeting, the person is not able to commit his/her name, the person is just not even correcting in kindness - it's just trying to hurt me!

Interesting enough you are not alone when it comes to participation. People just want a get a share of market...

Count the good ones, and keep plowing... as in the last 30 minutes of the Indiana Jones movie, an old knight says to Indy, "You chose wisely..." This is the bottom line; don't expect to get the crowds, but just the gems.

Good luck!

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