Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
A Journal by a Housing Co-operative Dweller
CanadianPlanet
Followers
About Me
- Co-opcracy
- I lived in housing co-ops for approximately 30 years and for many years was an active volunteer on the Maintenance Committee. I'm writing this blog because there is very little information on the web about dysfunctional co-ops. This blog will give an overview of what is transpiring in our co-op and its consequences, particularly as it pertains to vulnerable subsidized members. I intersperse my account of co-op living with snippets of my life's experiences outside of the co-op realm.
Great find by you.Of course, this obviously begs the age-old question.Which came first? The chicken or the egg? I suspect co-ops followed lead of condos in this regard.
ReplyDeleteI've long known knew this type of stuff was common in condos. That is precisely why I did not want to move into a co-op to begin with.
In the area where I live, there are clusters of condos mostly townhouses. I regularly drive by them and I swear that every time, there c/b as many as five or six "For Sale" signs at each one of the condos' entrances. Guess the turnover rate is as high with condos as some co-ops for good reason.
Article's comments about attitudes of a BOD, managers, funny biz with contractors are all very familiar --- tho I'm not familiar enough with alleged kickbacks or how common they are in co-ops.
One diff tho is that condo managers apparently need a designation for job not that it seems hard to get. Co-op coordinators are often just as problematic. Problem is endemic if my research is any indicator. They're often semi-literate, controlling types, abusive to residents who don't "fall in line" and grossly overpaid given their education/skill level. Given that coordinators are almost always women, it's a real "old girl's club."
Of course, they're "protected" by the sectors and they like to think of themselves as untouchable. Sad part is, for a lot of reasons, they often are. If they screw up, get fired or quit one co-op, CHF or local sector will "look after them" with either another co-op or one of the other orgs they control.
This situation more often than not happens because a BOD allows it to happen out of ignorance or neglect. Of course, too, with condos and co-ops, examples are legion about directors themselves who often "benefit" from their arrangements with managers/mgmt companies.
And yes, being called a traitor or troublemaker, isolated from most Members if you try to correct things, being threatened with eviction or legal action is all par for the course with Co-op Members too.
Difference is I know exactly what they're up to and they know it too. So, they're a less likely to try intimidation game with me.
I would imagine that co-ops came before condos. Way back when when we would tell our visitors what we were going through in co-ops, they'd look at us in bewilderment. Nowadays condo jargon is in everyway usage.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it an amazing site though - they even submitted a brief to the Ministry of Consumer Services in 2012 recommending multiple changes to the Condominion Act.
So many of the issues are the same in co-ops - BODs refusing to answer letters, nor giving members pertinent information, favouritism, cliques, and if they really don't like you, they place a lien on your home and force you to sell.
Lawyers gravitate to where the money is - with the BODs. Condo owners are often on the receiving end of legal notices which they have to pay for, etc. etc. This is such an informative web site.
I emailed that website to give them a primer on how condo owners and Co-op Housing Members have similar "difficulties." I guess, it comes under the heading of "Misery loves company."
ReplyDelete