You might want to rethink your options on this. You can bring an engineer, inspector or a handyman...but in reality you will need a witch to tell you how the property was built. I just moved into a brand new condo on 16th street in park slope, that doesn't even have fireproofing require by the DOB, the sponsor got the permanent C of O without even finishing the whole building, the sprinkler system wasn't even working, we have leaks everywhere, pipes rattling, electrical problems, etc.
So the truth is that the A G office approves the developers plans and then don't make sure they comply with the rules and regulations, and the DOB gets bribes by developers to "pass" inspections and the jock is on you as a buyer to inherit this problems and expenses. Including fines from the DOB and the fire dept. for having this issues. Does this make any sense, OFF COURSE NOT!, but that is the reality homeowners have to face when they buy into a new development.
Checking on the LLC's doesn't work either 'cause the change like chameleons and they are protected by laws.
One last thing: developers pay for politicians campaigns...politicians like the Att. General, Public Advocates, etc in charge of fighting and preventing this kind of problems from happening (...thats right...)
So...there you have it. Good luck to you from the bottom of my heart.

Posted by: diablorojo at November 17, 2009 1:09 PM in response to New Development Advice

The homeowners took control of the board last Feb. 2009, after the sponsor gave it up, the condo-board is now on the homeowners hands, but the new members (homeowners) are doing this to us...

Posted by: diablorojo at November 3, 2009 11:32 AM in response to Condo Elections

I forgot to put out there that the board consist in 5 members on the offering plan, they have decided to keep the amount to 4 since the president stepped down last month, and "reshuffle" the position (as she called it) to themselves, leaving an empty seat.

Posted by: diablorojo at October 23, 2009 4:57 PM in response to Condominium Boards Abuse

I was running the homeowner association before we got over the condo board, To start over the negotiation with the sponsor about finishing the building, Because we start implementing the by-laws by telling people they were not suppose to take over the common areas for themselves, putting planters in by their apartment doors or filling the common roof deck with their own benches and barbecues... I even told the V-President at that time (I was the President) the need of removing all personal property for common areas including his own and I explained that otherwise the building will become a Wild West, the one that has became today, These same people started to tell people that I was pushy and I was going to make people to spend a lot of money on the building...
I stepped back and let them to take over the new condo board without any interference. My mistake! I have ran other condo board in my previous condos and never encountered anything quite close to this.
We had a management company, that mismanaged our money and let the sponsor not to pay for stuff and used our capital funds in it totality, then stealing what was left during the first months of the present condo board in place. All homeowners ranted about the need to get a new management company and after five months of fighting, we got the one we have now, but the same history happened all over again, we are not even in control of our own Bank account, And even as of last months nobody from the board was a signer on the management company bank accnt.
At the last meeting, the president of the board stepped down and by pressure of the homeowners who assisted the meeting, the board was pressed to appoint me as president.
Then the assistant secretary (who happened to be a lawyer) who wasn't present at this meeting, distorted everything and told everyone that the board understood and accepted me as a honorary member to deal with some issues and to serve as liason between the board and homeowners. This has became a reality show, But a this point I don't even care who is in the board but this people, who are just destroying our property, physically and financially. There are about 18 homeowners out the 32 units this building have in total, 5 are from the board and 1 is best friend with the president, so she is allowed to decorated the windows facing the street (what violates the offering plan). # homeowners are never seen or are willing to participate in any meeting or otherwise. But 8 of us share the same opinion and worry, but by percentage we don't represent any majority. the other 14 units are still in the hands of the sponsor creditor (hard lender guy who has so far 10 units) and some of the sponsor's partners who still have the other 4 units.
Do you think there is any solution to all this?

Posted by: diablorojo at October 23, 2009 4:35 PM in response to Condominium Boards Abuse

Thank you so much for your insight...We are suing the sponsor for unfinished stuff and for other stuff that was found by an engineering company we hired last year, bringing the cost of repair to almost $3000000 (three millions).
Half of the residents are dissatisfied, the trick is the by-laws calls for 50% of vote for elections,since the sponsor has about 40% of the apartments we cannot call for new elections. We got the amount of people but not the percentage.
Our attorney was hired last year to negotiate with sponsor and bring our case to the AG office (we already paid about $7500), the condo board has neglected us so much that next month is the end of the 2nd year warranties and this month is when the are moving like crazy people to collect all loose ends to put this together for the lawyer, but we had the engineering survey back in May 2009 to give it to our lawyer and the sponsor and they wasted all this time. In that time, the sponsor filed for bankruptcy and transfered (foreclosed) most of the apartments to a hard lender guy (10 apartments).
Our building is filthy and abandoned, people who service our building take advantage of this situation and don't do good service or repair.
The "new" president of the board put his apartment on the market as of 3 weeks ago, which make no sense to me to have someone like him with not interest on the future of our building, in charge.

Posted by: diablorojo at October 23, 2009 1:34 PM in response to Condominium Boards Abuse

I hate to agree with lechacal. The use of the language is wrong but he speaks the truth. I love to get free things, don't get me wrong, but there is a difference between a hand lotion and a house... If we agree in no paying and not going to foreclosure, basically your agree with looting or invasion of private property...if you don't pay for something, then is not yours to keep...Tomorrow the same people who are here talking about these issue in favor of the people who are in foreclosure to keep their houses w/out paying...will be paying the price of bank collecting their loses in other ways....after all...is their money.

Posted by: diablorojo at August 31, 2009 2:16 PM in response to The 'Judicial Don Quixote' on the Foreclosure Frontlines

You can NOT believe anything coming out from Michele de la Uz mouth, she is the most deceiving and conniving bitch I have ever encountered in my whole life, She will lie, crawl and sleep with dogs to have her own agenda. I had a legal issue with the fifth Ave committee about one of her building rising their parapet wall over my chimney without city permits or my building permition making my chimney totally blocked off causing almost a fire inside my apartment when I went to use it in the late fall. She made me spent money on lawyers and gave me the run around until I told her I was going to ventilate this issue with the city about not having permits, that was when she quickly fixed the problem she caused. Another instance is the project they are building on 5th Ave and 16th st for drug addicts, she personally stood on the corner of this project and fooled people into signing these petitions for the city by telling everyone it was going to be affordable housing for the regular people, this was never the true, it was as it is now housing for drug addicts and the mentally ill population.

Posted by: diablorojo at August 13, 2009 7:22 PM in response to AY-Area Affordable Housing: Made in the Shade

Its kind of funny to see how people here hate everything about everything, sometimes I'm one of you...about this building though, the location sucks, the facade is ugly but the apartment I saw was gorgeous, kitchen all Viking and nice bathrooms, it worths the money but I wouldn't live on fourth Ave, I'm kind of stuck up (hate me now) and peep boys and taxi drivers hang out is not what I call a neighborhood.

Posted by: diablorojo at July 29, 2009 12:42 PM in response to 500 Fourth Avenue 20% Sold; Opening in Fall?

I have geico for everything but everyone is different and I will recommend to shop around and compare prices...don't go by what anyone tells you.

Posted by: diablorojo at June 19, 2009 11:16 PM in response to Homeowner's Insurance

Hey denton, this was a brand new condo so the sponsor "owns" the condo board for a year to two years depending on the offering plan, there was no way to know before hand of all this problems, but I'm exposing this particular company in order to save other people from this kind of nightmares.
We just hired Squire Management and we will see how it goes, the good thing is that this new company doesn't require a year contract, so you can go month by month and switch at any time if necessary.

Posted by: diablorojo at June 19, 2009 9:43 PM in response to HIGHVIEW MANAGEMENT PROPERTY

OMG! this story is so familiar to us, Our keyspam bill at one point wasn't paid in the middle of the winter, we dindn't have hot water (common building boiler) for 4 days.

Posted by: diablorojo at June 19, 2009 5:17 PM in response to HIGHVIEW MANAGEMENT PROPERTY

I understand. Has anyone thought of hiring a property manager? Are you interested in being on the Board?

Posted by: Miss Breukelen at October 23, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Condominium Boards Abuse

I was running the homeowner association before we got over the condo board, To start over the negotiation with the sponsor about finishing the building, Because we start implementing the by-laws by telling people they were not suppose to take over the common areas for themselves, putting planters in by their apartment doors or filling the common roof deck with their own benches and barbecues... I even told the V-President at that time (I was the President) the need of removing all personal property for common areas including his own and I explained that otherwise the building will become a Wild West, the one that has became today, These same people started to tell people that I was pushy and I was going to make people to spend a lot of money on the building...
I stepped back and let them to take over the new condo board without any interference. My mistake! I have ran other condo board in my previous condos and never encountered anything quite close to this.
We had a management company, that mismanaged our money and let the sponsor not to pay for stuff and used our capital funds in it totality, then stealing what was left during the first months of the present condo board in place. All homeowners ranted about the need to get a new management company and after five months of fighting, we got the one we have now, but the same history happened all over again, we are not even in control of our own Bank account, And even as of last months nobody from the board was a signer on the management company bank accnt.
At the last meeting, the president of the board stepped down and by pressure of the homeowners who assisted the meeting, the board was pressed to appoint me as president.
Then the assistant secretary (who happened to be a lawyer) who wasn't present at this meeting, distorted everything and told everyone that the board understood and accepted me as a honorary member to deal with some issues and to serve as liason between the board and homeowners. This has became a reality show, But a this point I don't even care who is in the board but this people, who are just destroying our property, physically and financially. There are about 18 homeowners out the 32 units this building have in total, 5 are from the board and 1 is best friend with the president, so she is allowed to decorated the windows facing the street (what violates the offering plan). # homeowners are never seen or are willing to participate in any meeting or otherwise. But 8 of us share the same opinion and worry, but by percentage we don't represent any majority. the other 14 units are still in the hands of the sponsor creditor (hard lender guy who has so far 10 units) and some of the sponsor's partners who still have the other 4 units.
Do you think there is any solution to all this?

Posted by: diablorojo at October 23, 2009 4:35 PM in response to Condominium Boards Abuse

I forgot to put out there that the board consist in 5 members on the offering plan, they have decided to keep the amount to 4 since the president stepped down last month, and "reshuffle" the position (as she called it) to themselves, leaving an empty seat.

Posted by: diablorojo at October 23, 2009 4:57 PM in response to Condominium Boards Abuse

Holy moly....it does sound like a reality show. First thing first, always try to think with a clear mind. I know in this situation it can be hard when you have adults acting like their 3; however, at the end of the day, it's business, which is keeping the building financially & physically sound.

Did you say you were/are the President? If so, demand that the manangement company put a Board member on the bank account. Better yet, fire them. The management company is not managing their money & property, they are managing yours so they should have what's best for the building in mind, which doesn't seem they have.

From your original post, it doesn't sound like condominium board abuse, but nepotism, which is worst because idiots tend to let other idiots control.

I'm sorry but I don't have much else to say. Good luck.

Posted by: Miss Breukelen at October 26, 2009 9:16 AM in response to Condominium Boards Abuse

diablorojo,

What building is this on 16th st?

Posted by: NYGuy7 at November 20, 2009 2:16 PM in response to New Development Advice