Replay of our Live Q&A on June 11th, 2020 streamed live on Youtube.Community Association Pools, Party Spaces, and GymsWith warmer weather and a slow easing up of the orders restricting public gathering, there are a lot of questions concerni

Condo/HOA Q&A: Navigating Reserves Now and in the Future

May 12th, 2020 1h 37m

Replay of our 5/8/20 Q&A Event streamed live on Youtube.This replay of our Condo/HOA Q&A is intended to help board members, owners, and residents understand what to do with reserve balances and reserve studies in their condominium, townhome, a

Legal Update: Elections & Collections Concerns for an Extended "Stay-at-Home" Order

May 5th, 2020 1h 28m

Replay of our LIVE Legal Update on May 4th, 2020 streamed live on Youtube.The "Stay-at-Home" order in Illinois was extended to May 31st, and there are constantly new developments in the issues surrounding COVID-19.This Live Legal Update is in

Cleaning in a Pandemic

Apr 21st, 2020 31m 9s

Jim O'Callaghan of ACR discusses the risks and concerns associated with cleaning during the current pandemic. Avoid the potential pitfalls by considering the risks before jumping to action and putting your residents, staff, and association at r

Legal Update: COVID-19 Related Issues for Illinois Community Associations

Apr 7th, 2020 1h 39m

Replay of our 4/6/20 LIVE Legal Update, streamed on Youtube.The "Stay-at-Home" order in Illinois has been extended to April 30th, and there are constantly new developments in the issues surrounding COVID-19. This Live Legal Update is intended

Community Associations and COVID-19 FAQ

Mar 24th, 2020 41m 50s

Laura Marinelli from Saul, Ewing, Arnstein & Lehr discusses the frequently asked questions association attorneys are hearing from Boards and Managers. With the new norms of social distancing and the Governor's "stay at home" order, we discuss h

Keeping Assessments Low Can Cost More

Mar 3rd, 2020 24m 8s

Janet Nelson CMCA, AMS from FirstService Residential shares a story from before her career as a community association manager, in her own association when she took on the role of President. This self-managed association finds itself in a crisis

Best of Common Interest Vol. 1

Feb 18th, 2020 33m 45s

We look back on the first year of the Common Interest Podcast's first year of guests and their stories working with condo, townhome, and homeowners' associations.Thank you for supporting our first successful year of the show!Links to full e

Getting Involved in Your Association

Jan 21st, 2020 32m 15s

Paul Morgan, President of Hidden Lake Estates Condo Association and recipient of the 2019 CAI Illinois Outstanding Homeowner Leader Award, shares his story of getting involved in his association as a volunteer. From a question about landscaping

Trash Talk

Jan 7th, 2020 28m 47s

Brittany Kojzarek from Property Specialists Inc discusses common issues associations face regarding trash management. Covering everything from clogged chutes to receptacles being brought back in the garage on time, don't miss these stories on h

Dust Off your Reserve Study

Nov 19th, 2019 21m 50s

Corinne Billingsley from Reserve Advisors discusses what is included in a reserve study, how an association can use it as a planning tool, and what common mistakes associations make when reviewing their reserve study.

Condo Deconversion Convo

Nov 5th, 2019 31m 45s

Adam Kahn from Levenfeld Pearlstein shares stories about condominium associations that have been converted to apartments in the recent deconversion trend. Learn more about what condo associations can do to either prevent a deconversion or ensur

Community Association Manager Licensing

Oct 15th, 2019 29m 59s

Cheryl Murphy, Executive Director of CAI Illinois, discusses the common questions we receive about the CAM license in Illinois. From the M-100 to the CMCA Exam and finally the CAM License, Cheryl guides us step-by-step through this sometimes co

What Makes a Lease?

Oct 1st, 2019 20m 22s

Nick Porter from Keay & Costello shares a story about a condominium association with a covenant disallowing unit rental and requiring owner occupancy. When they find the unit in question is owned by a corporation and occupied by an employee, th

22.1 Disclosures in Condo Associations

Sep 17th, 2019 36m

Kerry Bartell from Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit shares an overview of section 22.1 of the Illinois Condominium Property Act requiring disclosures from Associations to prospective buyers, including some stories on how to avoid potential pitfalls.

New Roof Still Leaks

Sep 3rd, 2019 23m 50s

Mark Waldman from Waldman Engineering Consultants shares a story about an association that had a complete roof tear off and replacement only six months ago, but is once again having problems with leaks. Listen to find out how root causes can so

Communication Lightning Round

Aug 20th, 2019 34m 25s

Tom Purrazzo from Hillcrest Property Management joins us for a lightning round on communication in associations. Topics include conflict de-escalation, neighbor disputes, trash management, changes to assessments, and vendor selection. Listen in

Is the Cannabis Act Unleashing Reefer Madness on your Association?

Jul 16th, 2019 27m 23s

Nicholas Bartzen from Altus Legal returns to the show for a discussion of the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act set to take effect on January 1, 2020. The Cannabis Act contains an addition to the ILCPA allowing condo associations to proh

Is it an Emotional Support Animal?

Jun 25th, 2019 36m 30s

Laura Marinelli from Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP shares a story about a puppy that was identified as a "Pet" to the Condo Association, which suddenly became an "Emotional Support Animal" when he exceeded the Association's weight restriction

Balcony Project Requires Special Assessment

Jun 4th, 2019 26m 5s

Brian Butler from FirstService Residential shares a story about a high-rise condo building in Chicago with a large, urgent project the board had not anticipated. Hear how they made and communicated their decision for a special assessment.

So Much More than Spraying

May 21st, 2019 18m 10s

Jennifer Biancalana from Clarke Mosquito Control & Aquatic Services shares a story about a community living in fear of their out-of-control mosquito population, and how they learned to attack the root causes of the issue.

Best Test for Asbestos

May 7th, 2019 17m 35s

Jeff Lenz from BELFOR Property Restoration shares a story about a unit that suffered water damage during the Polar Vortex, and an association that made things worse by having wall demolition started before the Property Restoration company was b

Water Coming Through the Ceiling

Apr 16th, 2019 21m 30s

John Hershey of J. Hershey Building Consultants shares a story about a unit owner with a leak coming through the ceiling, and two months of previous failed attempts to solve the problem.

Avoiding Potential Collections Pitfalls

Apr 2nd, 2019 22m 55s

John Bickley III of Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit discusses the collections process in Community Associations, and what potential challenges and pitfalls in the process to avoid.

Board President Likes His Perks

Mar 19th, 2019 24m 15s

Nicholas Bartzen, Founder of Altus Legal, shares a story about a Board President that has been securing favors and sweetheart deals for himself despite Association bylaws forbidding the practice.