A Manhattan condo owner who attended Tuesday's Co-op and Condo Expo tells us the hottest panel topic by far was the one about resolving conflict in co-ops and condos. In fact, the panel kicked off with a skirmish between an overflow crowd and the expo's organizers: The 50 or so apartment owners and board members who couldn't find seats demanded to be accommodated, and were eventually allowed to stand or sit in hastily opened space on the Expo floor for the duration of the panel, which featured two attorneys and two property managers.
So was it worth it?
"The panelists’ presentations themselves were fairly prosaic, but [offered] a decent useful review of the basics—and the limitations—of house rules & their practical enforcement," says the conference-goer, who asked not to be identified. "When it was opened up for Q&A, however, it seemed that all the interesting and/or tough questions were met with 'that’s very fact-specific,' meaning no answer could be given."
Our attendee noted that "the mike was mobbed when the format opened up for audience questions," and that overall, "more real-world perspective would have been refreshing and of practical value."
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Dealing with problem condo owners (Part 1): Runaway renovations, condo 'hotels,' and home businesses (sponsored)
Dealing with problem condo owners (Part 2): Hoarders, renters and noisemakers (sponsored)
The lowdown on last night's co-op and condo owners' forum