MEEB Newsletter June 2025
Written by Amanda on . Posted in BOT, Owners Area, Pull Up a Chair.
CONDO 101: ALL UNIT OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMON AREA REPAIR COSTS
MEEB SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS ASSOCIATION’S ASSESSMENT AGAINST OWNER SAYS NO TO PAYING FOR BUILDING NOT LIVED IN
In a recent court decision, the Massachusetts Superior Court agreed with MEEB that a unit owner could not avoid paying an assessment because they didn’t use a portion of the common areas. In Gaab, et al. v. Board of Trustees of Townhomes at Beecher Place Condominium Trust, the owners of a unit filed a lawsuit asking the judge to declare that they have no obligation to pay any portion of an assessment to cover the costs of foundation repairs and earthwork needed to stop one of the condominium buildings from sinking.
MEEB Newsletter May 2025
Written by Amanda on . Posted in BOT, Pull Up a Chair.
HOARDING IS A DISABILITY: BOARDS MUST TREAT IT LIKE ONE
“This is a disgusting mess?” How many parents have said that about a teenager’s room?
The number who have not said it would no doubt be considerably smaller – probably close to zero. But in this case, the comment was coming from a condominium manager, who was describing the living room of an owner she thought was a “hoarder.” A parent can tell a teen, “Clean your room or else.” Dealing with an owner (“my home, my castle”) is obviously more complicated; dealing with a hoarder is several orders of magnitude more complicated still.
The key question is whether the mess the manager sees is the result of poor housekeeping or hoarding. It is a distinction with a critical difference, determining whether and to what extent the association’s board can or should intervene. The fault line will be whether the condition of the unit poses a threat to common areas, other units or the health and safety of residents.
MEEB Newsletter: April 2025
Written by Amanda on . Posted in BOT, Pull Up a Chair.
STATE LAW REQUIRES BUILDING OWNERS TO REPORT ENERGY CONSUMPTION
CONDO ASSOCIATIONS MUST COMPLY – THEY DON’T HAVE TO PANIC
Say what? That is how many condominium trustees and owners have reacted to the notice informing them of their obligation as building owners to report the energy usage in their buildings by June 30. For many recipients, there were two surprises in this notice: That this reporting requirement exists, and that trustees or apparently random condominium owners are considered to be “owners” of their buildings. We will explain both.
First, the reporting requirement stems from a state law (“An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, Large Building Energy Reporting”) enacted in 2022, requiring all buildings larger than 20,000 sq ft. to report their consumption of energy of all kinds. That law takes effect this year.
MEEB Newsletter March 2025
Written by Amanda on . Posted in BOT, Pull Up a Chair.
REMOVE OR NOT – ROGUE BOARD MEMBER
QUESTION: A member of our board is not a team player – to say the least. He regularly bad mouths decisions with which he disagrees, encourages owners to complain about the decisions and even to remove the trustees who supported them. One board member thinks we should vote to remove him. Is that an option?