How to be a Good Neighbor in 2018

It's 2018! We are well into a new year and recent complaints about noise in the building make it a great time to take stock of where you are and where you want to be. In that spirit, here are three things you can do this coming year to be a better owner/tenant/neighbor at 24 Norman Street.

1. Be Aware
We live in a small building with nonexistent soundproofing. The lack of proper soundproofing in this building cannot be overstated, especially in-between floors. It is possible to hear activity in this building that would go unnoticed in others. Walking around, flushing toilets, music and TV's playing, alarm clocks going off, coffee grinders, dishwashers, all can be heard. For this reason we have fairly strict sound ordinances in the condo rules, violation of which can cause all kinds of problems in the building community, and can get you fined or evicted.
There is some gray area in how that ordinance is interpreted by various individuals
however the wording is pretty broad. Below is the actual language of the condo sound ordinance.
"No Residential Unit Owner shall make or permit
any noxious or offensive activity or disturbing
noises in the Units or do or permit anything to
be done therein which will interfere with the
rights, comfort or convenience of other Unit
Owners. No Residential Unit Owner shall play
upon or suffer to be played upon any musical
instrument or permit to be operated a
phonograph or a radio or television or other
such device in such unit between the hours of
eleven o'clock p.m. and the following seven
o'clock a.m., if the same shall disturb or annoy
other occupants of the Units, and in no event,
shall any Residential Unit Owner practice or
suffer to be practiced either vocal or
instrumental music. No Residential Unit Owner
shall give vocal or instrumental instruction at
any time. "

Basically, any noise made after 11 PM and before 7 AM which could potentially irritate or annoy a neighbor might be a problem. Weather or not it is a problem depends primarily on the tolerance of your immediately adjacent neighbors. So be mindful. Nothing pisses people off like being habitually awakened in the middle of the night, or a "screw you, I'll do what I want, whenever I want" attitude.

Remember: as an owner you absolutely have the right to insist that the tenant respect the sound ordinance. You also absolutely have the right to insist that Markwood enforce that ordinance.

2. Be Considerate
Basic consideration of your neighbors goes a long way to heading off potential problems. Be aware of the sound ordinance in the condo rules, (noise between 11 PM and 7 AM) and if you are an owner make certain that your tenants are aware of them as well. Be mindful of your schedule. Try putting yourself in your neighbor's shoes. Don't assume that everyone keeps the same schedule that you do, or has the same tolerance for noise, or shares your taste in music. (Headphones are a wonderful invention, use them when possible).

3. Communicate
Recently a unit owner was doing construction in their unit...on a Sunday. It may have been necessary for the work to be done that day, that sometimes happens. There are no direct prohibitions against construction on a Sunday, but you still have to ask yourself the question, does anyone really want to hear hammering and sawing on a Sunday afternoon? Probably not. This owner followed the letter of the condo rules, but not the spirit of the rules.
Part of being a good neighbor is thinking about your neighbors. So, what should the owner have done in this situation? Reschedule? Probably not, but if they knew they were planning something that was likely to make noise, like say...renovations, it would have been a good idea to let their neighbors,
(above, below and on either side), what they were planning on doing,  when they were planning on doing it and for how long. Some owners have have been very conscientious about doing this. It makes a situation that could be really irritating, more tolerable.

Please Don't Do This

Two items/ reminders.

Do not park motorcycles, scooters, bicycles or anything else on the dumpster side of the building. The dumpster-side driveway is for short term parking only. Parking things like scooters here impedes temporary automobile parking by taking up space in an already small area.  There is some parking available for scooters, and motorcycles on the E-market side of the building. Contact Markwood if you have questions about this.
 

You need to break down your cardboard so that it fits inside the containers. Cut it with a knife, tear it, fold it in half but do not place cardboard on the ground outside of the recycling containers.

It is extremely lame. If it rains it makes a soggy mess, and the recycling company will not take items that are not actually in the recycling containers. Perhaps you were expecting someone else to do it for you? That is not a service we provide. 

NO SMOKING REMINDER

"Man, that pot smell is really strong!" this was the reaction from a vendor on a recent walk-through of the third floor of our building.
With the recent changes in the legality of marijuana, this may be a good opportunity to remind everyone that there is no smoking of any kind allowed anywhere inside 24 Norman Street.
That ban includes tobacco, marijuana, hashish, banana leaves (or any other substance you can think of) in pipes, rolling papers, cigarettes, fruit, bongs or any other device you can think of. 
That applies to all common areas of the building (hallways, entryways, laundry room) as well as all individual units.

It is obvious that people in the building are smoking, because they can be seen smoking around the front door or in the side lot and their cigarette butts litter the ground outside. and of course because you can smell it.

Some smokers are at least considerate enough to go outside to do so, but as happens every year when the cold weather starts, people start fudging it: smoking in the back stairway, just outside the front and back doors, or sneaking one in their units.
This is unfair to the majority who do not smoke. Besides smelling bad, causing eye, throat and nose irritations, and increasing the risk of fire, it also exposes everyone to carcinogens.
 
Smoking in the building will not be tolerated.
You can't hide the fact that you are smoking in a building this small. Interior doors are not tight, and neither are the floors and ceilings between units. It doesn't take a bloodhound to sniff out where the smoke is coming from. Sooner or later someone is going to complain to Markwood about the smell of smoke coming from your end of the hallway, or your unit, or you will be seen smoking inside or directly adjacent to the building.
If that happens, you will be fined, $100 for each offense until you stop or move out
Is that worth it?

.

A Note About the Disposal of Large Items

Last week a resident of 24 Norman Street had their water heater replaced. Unfortunately, the plumbers who did the replacement, did not take the old unit with them and left it sitting outside
by the recycling bins.

Another resident disposed of a large couch by pushing it out a window and leaving it leaning against the west side of the building.

If you are planning on disposing of large items, you must make arrangements either with Markwood or with a qualified vendor.
Do not place large items in or next to the dumpster or leave them sitting outside.
Our regular trash service will not take these items. We cannot stress this enough.
This includes mattresses, tables, chairs, couches, refrigerators, air/heating units, cabinets, toilets, bathtubs, sinks, and last but not least, water heaters. Professional plumbers and carpenters will take their trash with them if you ask them to. If they will not or cannot take it, then you should look for one that will.

If you dispose of items improperly, Markwood is forced to call our maintenance service to come and remove the items from the property. We get charged for this every time it happens, and we will then pass on that charge to you.

 In the case of the water heater, the cost of removal is being billed back to the unit owner. If you have questions about disposing of large items or want to arrange to have something picked up, please call Markwood Management at (781) 639-4080. Thank you for your cooperation.

A Word About Dealing with "Issues"

As we all know, living in a small space with neighbors above, below, and on either side of you, can lead to occasional friction. This is bound to happen at some point, so it is important to know, and follow some simple protocols for dealing with those frictions.
Recently Markwood Management was surprised to learn that there was an incident on the third floor where the police were called to intervene.  "Surprised" is the operative word here. Markwood had no idea that this incident had been the capper of an ongoing situation. This is unfortunate, because it is an issue that should have been resolved internally, without involving the police, but is all too common. This shows a breakdown in communication between Markwood and the residents, so...
Here are some information and guidelines for problem resolution to keep in mind.


Emergencies:
LEVEL 1:  If there is a situation which is immediately threatening: Fire, Accident, Medical Emergency, Criminal Activity (burglary, theft, physical violence) Call the Police or the Fire Department first. After the emergency has been addressed, (and only then) call Markwood and let them know what happened.
LEVEL 2:
If there is an incident in the maintenance realm (broken pipe, leaking toilet or water tank, electrical issues, roof leaks, blocked driveway or dumpster, broken washing machine or dryer, non-working lights, locks etc.) Call Markwood Management immediately. There is an emergency number to call if there is an actual emergency.
Markwood will try to get back to you as soon as possible (usually within 20 minutes).

Issues with neighbors:
If you are having a recurring, persistent issue with a neighbor over noise, pets, smoking (or other noxious smells), you need to let Markwood know what is going on. Don't wait until you are in crisis mode before you call them. Calling the Markwood the emergency line in the middle of the night when you are upset about a loud neighbor is probably not the most productive way of addressing the issue.  Even a "heads-up" call can go a long way to helping sort out a situation.
There are several channels for addressing this this. You can call or e-mail the Markwood office. You can e-mail or call one of the (3) trustees. You can speak in person to the two Trustees who live in the building. You can even comment on the blog.

The Process for problem resolution:
 Whenever there is a reported "incident, it takes time for Markwood to investigate and sort out the situation. There are two sides to every story, and just because one party is convinced  that something is a problem doesn't mean that it actually is one, or that the incident they related is what actually happened. 
Also there are limited tools for dealing with repeated violations of the condo rules and bylaws. Markwood is not a police force. The main mechanism of enforcement (besides written warnings), is the fine. Fines are levied on owners for violations of the condo rules (not tenants). The fines at 24 Norman Street are substantial starting at $100 for the first incident, and escalating if the infractions continue.  They can amount to hundreds and even thousands of dollars. If they are not paid, a lien is attached to the property. That means the property cannot be sold without paying the fines. That gives owners a pretty compelling reason to make sure that they and their tenants behave.
Markwood also relies on the owners who sublet to renters, to educate their tenants about the rules and bylaws. Too often new tenants are not even informed of the rules or given a copy of the bylaws by the owner. Ultimately it is owners who are responsible for maintaining and enforcing the rules.

Responsiveness:
Markwood  Management manages many different properties. They are a small office with many duties and responsibilities, so they may not get back to you immediately about every issue. That does not mean that they are not addressing it. Addressing tenant/owner issues is a slow process and it sometimes takes months to resolve an issue; either the tenant complies with the rules, or the owner is forced to evict the tenant. The more cooperative the owner is, the quicker it usually goes.

If Markwood does not get back to you in a timely way, please speak to one of the Trustees.
It is their job to make sure that Markwood is doing it's job. If you never tell us there is an issue, then we assume there isn't one. So let's avoid any future "surprises".

Garbage In- Garbage Out

We know how it is. You work a long day, you're tired. The garbage needs to be taken out, the barrel is full, maybe even a little stinky, but the idea of walking up and down several flights of stairs and out to the dumpster is just not appealing to you. So you take your garbage bag, and you put in the hallway outside your door. You intend to take it down just as soon as you can, just not right now, but somehow that gets put off, again and again and again.

The above photo was sent to Markwood Management this week by a concerned neighbor. The bag in question had been put out on Monday. it was still there Thursday...festering and smelling and breeding it's own little colony of flies. Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident. In recent months  bags of trash, cardboard boxes, and bags of cat turds have been spotted sitting outside people's doors.

Warning: DO NOT DO THIS. 

This practice is totally unacceptable, and will get you a call from Markwood and a hefty fine.
The hallways are not a personal dumping space. Do not place trash in the hallway for any length of time. Either take the item down to the dumpster, or leave it in your unit.

You know, because seeing garbage in the hallway really improves the quality of life around here.

Towing Reminder and a Warning

A car was towed from the side driveway this morning that had been parked in there overnight.
This is unfortunate and a real hassle for the person who parked it there, but this situation could have been avoided if:

• The vehicle license plate number and vehicle description had been on the list of 24 Norman Street resident's vehicles.
• The person who left it there had contacted Markwood Management and informed them of the reason it was left there overnight.

The side lot is for short-term parking only. That means picking up and dropping off passengers, groceries, luggage, etc. The outward time limit is usually about a half an hour. However there is some grace, you probably won't even have a problem parking there a bit longer if you are not:

• Blocking the dumpster
• Blocking the entrance to the driveway
• One of multiple cars in the space. 
• Making a lot of noise

Things that are noticed, frowned upon and will likely get you towed are:

• Habitual abuse of the parking space
  (parking there repeatedly for more than a couple of hours over consecutive days).
• Overnight parking (never a good idea).
• Parking in the side lot and not being on the tenant's vehicle list*
• Using the driveway as a personal space for working on your vehicle.

*Markwood maintains a list of tenant vehicle tag numbers and vehicle descriptions so that we can tell if someone other than a tenant is parking in the side lot. This information is provided voluntarily by the tenants. If you are not on it, you automatically go to the short list for being towed.

Occasionally people have had mechanical issues with their cars. No oil, ran out of gas, flat tire, dead battery, etc. If this happens to you, and your vehicle is stuck, contact Markwood Management immediately. This is especially important if you are not on the list of tenant vehicles. If we don't know who you are we can't even call you and see what the problem is.

Vendors who are performing work in the building for Markwood Management, are generally exempt from these parking time restrictions. However if a tenant or owner is hiring a plumber, electrician, carpenter, cleaner, mover, etc. to do work in their unit, inform Markwood Management so that they can contact them if there is an issue. (for example, blocking the driveway or access to the dumpster).

This is all important because Halloween is coming, which means increased traffic and less parking availability. Our proximity to downtown, also means we are frequently prone to having unwanted visitors and "guests" parking in our driveway. It is important to keep the driveway open so that every tenant has equal access and trash removal can be completed. If you don't wish to be towed and fined, please respect the space.

Don't Try This At Home

It was brought to Markwood's attention recently that a tenant of 24 Norman Street was working on their car in the side driveway for several hours. Although we generally applaud the do-it-yourself approach, we are compelled to point out that this type of activity is completely prohibited in the side driveway. There are several good reasons for this:

1. The driveway is primarily for short-term usage only. Things like dropping off and loading of groceries, luggage, etc. Also, the driveway is for everyone to use, so if you are using as your own personal repair shop, that keeps others from using it. Also, the driveway is our only access point for the trash removal. If you have your car up on a jack and the trash truck comes, that's going to be a problem. A good rule of thumb is, if it's an activity that is going to take you longer than 20 minutes, then don't plan on doing it in the driveway.

2. We are not equipped to deal with the spillage of fluids such as oil, transmission fluid, anti-freeze, detergents, etc., in the driveway. Clean up of these kinds of hazardous fluids is not something we want to be paying someone to do.

3. Liability. If your car rolls, catches fire, or falls on or in any way damages condo property or a person (including you) it could mean a lawsuit against you, the condo association, or both.

So in short, don't plan on doing things like oil changes, brake jobs, tire rotations, tune-up, washing and waxing etc. In the side driveway. There are plenty of service stations, car washes and other facilities for doing that kind of thing.

URGENT Building Security Issue

The back door of the building is not latching properly and we had an intruder. Locksmiths have been called and should be here later today, however this has been a recurring problem, especially after heavy rain. The door is wood, and will sometimes swell after rain, making it harder for the latch to work properly.
We cannot over-stress the importance of checking to make sure the door is securely latched each and every time you go in or out of the building, and not propping the door open.
Why? "What's the big deal?" you say. Well this is the big deal. We end up with this:

This photo was taken today. If you can't tell what it is, it's basically a hobo-encampment under the back staircase.
The door was not latched securely, and one of the many homeless people we have living in the area took the opportunity to slip into the building and homestead in our basement, complete with bedroll, liquor bottles and bags of junk.
The homeless person was noticed and removed yesterday, and maintenance is coming to clean up the mess, but this is a huge security and liability issue. This has happened before, and will probably happen again unless you remain vigilant. All the locks and cameras in the world aren't going to do any good if you leave the damn door open.
Most homeless people are harmless, but we don't know that is true in every case. Do you want a homeless person in the building? Lurking in the basement where you do your laundry? Urinating in some corner? Probably not. This is why you need to CHECK and make SURE the DOOR is latched behind you. It will take five seconds, and may save yourself and the building a lot of trouble.
By the way, if you notice a homeless person hanging out in this space, do not confront them, call the police immediately, then call Markwood. Calling Markwood first just ads an extra, delaying step to the process. thank you for your cooperation.

Do Not Park Your Scooters Here

The warmer weather is coming (believe it or not!) and as a result, we are having a recurring issue with tenants and guests parking their scooters and motorcycles in the side lot. This area is not intended for long-term parking of any kind, including bikes, motorcycles and scooters. It makes it difficult for vehicles to maneuver in the space and also may present a liability issue.
There is space on the E-market side of the building, behind a gate with a lock, that is available for this kid of warm-weather parking. You can also park in front of the building (if you can find a space). If you leave your bike or scooter in the dumpster-side lot, it will be removed at your expense. Thank you for your cooperation in this.

Check Your Pockets!

Last week we found a Uni-ball Vision Elite pen scraping around in one of the dryers. Unfortunately it was found in a load of clothing had been drying. The clothes and the inside of the dryer were covered with ink from this pen. This is not the first time this has happened.
When you are doing your laundry, please make sure that you check the pockets of your clothing, jeans and shirts for pens, pencils, lipstick, candies, change and any foreign objects that could melt, explode in, jam or abrade the inside of the washing machine, or dryer drum.
Besides ruining your clothes, and the clothes of anyone who uses the machines after you, these foreign objects could damage the machines and lead to costly repairs.
A little extra care goes a long way. Thank you.

Pay Attention to Recycling Issues or Pay Fines

As the new single-point recycling program continues to roll out, we are experiencing some ongoing issues. We need to address these as a community or there will be consequences: i.e. fines from the city of Salem, which will be progressively increasing as violations continue. It is important to note that these fines will eventually be passed on to you in the form of increased condo fees. Here are some examples of the RECYCLING ISSUES YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO:

1. CONTAINERS WITH FOOD IN THEM.
The plastic bottle in the picture below is still full of juice. This is not OK.
RECYCLED MATERIALS CANNOT CONTAIN FOOD.
Empty and wash the containers before you put them in the bin.

2. PIZZA BOXES (CONTAINERS WITH FOOD ON THEM).
The one in the photo had cheese and pizza sauce all over the inside of it . You cannot recycle pizza boxes if they have cheese or sauce on them. Throw them in the dumpster.

3. NOT BREAKING DOWN CARDBOARD BOXES
This has been a major problem. You need to break down boxes until they are COMPLETELY FLAT. If you don't, we run out of space in the containers very quickly, (they only get picked up every 2 weeks) the containers overflow or don't close, and this allows rain and snow to get in, and the wind to blow stuff around the property and into the street.

It is not difficult to break down a box. It takes an extra 30 seconds. Go to the hardware store. Buy a utility knife. Remove any and all packing materials (foam, bubble-wrap, etc.) from the box you are breaking down. Use the knife to cut the seams on your box and flatten it completely. Put it in the recycling bin. Make sure that it actually fits into the bin.
Now, isn't that simple?

4. PLASTIC BAGS 
Do not use them for recycling. Do not put recyclable items into plastic bags and them put them in the bins. Do not put plastic bags of any kind into the recycling bins. This includes shopping bags, green plastic trash bags and white plastic trash bags. Paper bags are OK.
DO NOT PUT PLASTIC BAGS IN RECYCLING.

Please put some effort into this. No one is going to do this for you. It won't take a lot of extra time, and will save us all money. If you have questions please contact the Markwood office. Thank you. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT PETS

There are still some tenants who are unclear on the rules about pets in the building. I recently encountered a woman from the building walking her dog by the dumpsters. When I told her that dogs are not allowed in the building, she replied "Yes they are, lot's of people in the building have dogs."
Besides being disingenuous, she was also completely wrong. As a trustee I would know who has approval for a dog, and she most definitely did not. In fact only one person in the entire building has permission to have a dog, and that is a small (service) dog in the building by special permission of the management company and the board.  This is the only exception and was the result of a long process of medical documentation, review and approval by the board.

Let me clearly restate the official policy here so there is no longer any confusion.

From the original Condo by-laws:
 (b) No animals shall be permitted in any unit without approval of the Managing Board.

 From the 2013 amended rules and regs:
No animals shall be permitted in any unit or on the common areas without written approval of the managing board

If you are contemplating getting a pet of any kind, you need to contact Markwood Management and submit an application for permission to have that pet. If you somehow overlooked or ignored the condo bylaws and already have a dog, contact Markwood Management immediately, because if you do not, and there is any complaint about that animal, (barking, poop, etc.) the unit owner will be fined until either the animal or you, are removed from the building.

In a building this small, where smells and sounds are a real quality-of-life issue, we cannot afford to have people assuming that rules about pets do not apply to them.

SMOKING: A Reminder

As we start closing up our windows for the cold weather, interior smells become more noticeable, especially that of cigarette smoke. This is a reminder that this is officially a Smoke Free building. There is NO SMOKING allowed anywhere in the building, that includes all individual units, and all common areas.

We know that people who live in the building, smoke, because we them smoking around the front door or in the side lot and we see their cigarette butts on the ground outside.
Many of those who smoke are at least considerate enough to go outside to do so, but as happens every year when the cold weather starts, people start fudging it: smoking in the back stairway, just outside the front and back doors, or in their units.
This is unfair to the majority who do not smoke. Besides smelling bad, causing eye, throat and nose irritations, and increasing the risk of fire, it also exposes everyone to carcinogens.

According to this article, smoking in the home can reduce the value of the property on resale by up to 29 per cent. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/16/smoking-house-prices_n_3093543.html
I'm sure your landlord and neighbors are going to love that.

So what to do? One might consider quitting smoking, however if the overwhelming certainty that smoking causes cancer has not been enough to deter you, that's probably not going to happen.
You could  try switching to an e-cigarette, or move to a building that allows smoking.
But be dead sure that smoking in the building will not be tolerated.
You might be able to get away with it for a while, but you can't hide the fact that you are smoking in a building this small. Interior doors are not that tight, and neither are the floors between units. It doesn't take a bloodhound to sniff out where the smoke is coming from. Sooner or later someone is going to complain to Markwood about the smell of smoke coming from your end of the hallway, or your unit, or if you will be seen smoking in the building. If that happens, you will be fined, $100 for each offense until you stop. Is that worth it? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

So once again... DO NOT SMOKE IN THE BUILDING.

Halloween Parking Reminder

This is a warning for for new tenants and a reminder for long term residents of 24 Norman Street.
If you are not already aware, October is a very difficult month for traffic and parking in Salem. This is true for much of Salem but for the downtown area especially.
Haunted Happenings, the month-long program of events and activities brings in a huge daily influx of tourists, especially on the weekends, meaning your usual parking spots (including Riley Plaza) are frequently filled with the cars of day-trippers, out-of-town gawkers, evening revelers and and other Halloween visitors. Parking enforcement is generally very stringent.
Markwood wants to remind everyone that parking restrictions for the side parking lot are in full effect. 

Parking restrictions for the side parking lot are somewhat more relaxed during the rest of the year.
Although it is a temporary drop/off, pick-up area and Markwood prefers that you park there a maximum of 20 minutes, they are aware that many people exceed this time limit, sometimes by several hours, (which you always do at your own risk).

There are however, several instances where the parking restriction is ruthlessly enforced. (1) When a vehicle is blocking access to the driveway. (2) When a vehicle is blocking access to the dumpster on a trash day (3) When a vehicle is interfering with snow removal (4) The entire month of October. 

Case in point: This last weekend this blue Hyundai was parked in middle of the side lot from Saturday evening until Monday morning , (when it was towed away). 

Markwood has no easy way of confirming if a car belongs to a resident of 24 Norman Street, a visitor, or friend of a tenant, or is just some random tourist. Markwood also has no way of contacting the owner of any particular vehicle. (We do not have the ability to look up and cross-reference registration and the police will not get involved with parking violations on private property)
Markwood has no choice but to call the tow company.
If your car is broken down and you are unable to move it, it is your responsibility to call Markwood and let them know the circumstances.

If your car has been towed, it will have been towed by Bill's Towing Service, located at  2 Commercial St, Salem (978).  It is an expensive and inconvenient experience to retrieve it,
so please avoid parking in the side lot for longer than 20 minutes. Also warn any visiting friends or relatives about this restriction. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Some Trash Etiquette

With several new people having moved into the building recently, we thought it might be a good idea to go over some basic dumpster etiquette.
When disposing of cardboard boxes in the recycling bins, please take them apart and break them down as much as possible. Please don't do this:

Also, when throwing your bags of trash into the dumpster, please make sure that they go INSIDE the dumpster. Do not throw them on top, beside or in front of the dumpster. The dumpster looked like this recently, even though there was plenty of room in the back half of the dumpster.

 We ended up with trash all over the surrounding area.

This is always an issue, but especially during the summer months, when stray trash attracts all kinds of vermin such as flies, rats and even fat squirrels. (As well as smelling and looking bad).

Another issue is the disposal of large furniture or other trash items . We recently had this to contend with this discarded toilet.

The dumpster is not intended for construction debris, or large furniture items. If an item doesn't fit in the dumpster, you need to make your own arrangements to dispose of it.
If you are having work done on your unit, you must make sure your plumber or carpenter will dispose of these kinds of items off-site.
The new trash disposal service is not required to take these kinds of items, and if you leave them we run the risk of not having our regular trash picked up.
If you place an item of this kind out by the dumpster, it requires Markwood to hire someone other than our regular trash service to dispose of it, which costs extra money. The more money we take from the operating budget, (i.e. your condo fee) to haul this crap away, the less we have for other expenses and repairs.

Your cooperation is much appreciated.

Railing Vandalism?

Several weeks ago the wooden railing on the second floor staircase was damaged by what looked like scraping it with a set of keys, knife or other sharp object.It left deep gouges in the wood, and was rough to the touch. Since several people have moved in and out of the building recently it was assumed that the marks may have been the result of dragging some kind of furniture up the stairs. Markwood Management paid to have it sanded and refinished. No sooner was that done than someone scratched it up again. The fact that it is in the same place (out of view of the surveillance cameras) and in the same way, makes it look like it was done deliberately. One has to wonder why. There is a very short list of individuals who have ongoing issues with Markwood Management.  Everyone has frustrations from time to time, but taking them out on the building is not going to resolve anything. It's just going to make things worse, and if the person doing it gets caught they will be on the losing side of some serious legal ramifications.

Now a scratched railing may not seem like a big deal, but the fact that someone feels it is OK to destroy community property is an indicator of a much more serious problem. We had someone smash a window in the back stairwell this winter under similarly mysterious circumstances.
If you see anyone vandalizing the building please notifying Markwood immediately.

If the person(s) doing this reads this blog post, please consider communicating with Markwood Management with some other method than vandalism. Try talking directly to Markwood Management or the trustees. Post your grievance on the blog comments. These are meant to be communication tools and not just a one-way outlet.

If you are so pissed-off that you actually think vandalizing property is a good alternative to open communication, please get professional help. Seriously. You need it.

Remain Calm and Don't Be A Dick

This building sometimes feels like a group of individuals who just happen to occupy the same space, but like it or not, by living here, you are part of a community.
When you live in a community there is give and take. You are not living in a shack in Montana where you can do whatever you want, at any hour, without consequence. With 39 units crammed into a fairly small building and a wide variety of owners, tenants, schedules and lifestyles, it is no great surprise that there are conflicts. Conflicts between neighbors, conflicts between owners and tenants, conflicts between tenants and Markwood Management.

Now most of these are minor, and involve either sound disturbances, minor violations of the condo association bylaws, or both. Many times these conflicts are resolved through dialogue and communication between the parties involved, simply talking to the person and explaining the situation. Concessions and adjustments are made. Most people are rational, reasonable, and wish to avoid problems rather than exacerbate them. A little courtesy goes a long way.

However, every now and then you get a tenant who for one reason or another, digs in their heels and escalates issues to the point of legal action. This is often characterized by open antagonism, mild vandalism, and/or threatening behavior. Maybe they have an ongoing grudge against Markwood, or are angry at some perceived slight, maybe they think highly of themselves and have an unnaturally enlarged sense of entitlement, maybe their mommies didn't love them enough as children, maybe they even have a legitimate gripe...who knows..the point is, that kind of anti-social behavior is totally unacceptable.

The law provides tools for dealing with these kind of people, however the effectiveness of those tools are limited if these people"dig in". The law works best when people are reasonable; when they are unreasonable, the effectiveness of law diminishes in direct proportion to how unreasonable the offending person wishes to be.

Markwood uses fines and/or civil action to enforce the condo bylaws. The bylaws are not arbitrary. They have evolved over the last 30 years in dealing with the issues of many people living in a small space in an urban area. They are there for good reason and need to be enforced so that we can all live here in comfort and safety. Enforcement takes time, effort and money, and most importantly, participation. People get away with bad behavior for years when people don't get involved, call them on it, or stick to their guns when it gets difficult to do so.

It is only through communication, persistence and community that we keep this building a decent place to live. If you have an ongoing conflict with a neighbor that you can't resolve and it is getting uncomfortable, please contact Markwood immediately and inform them of the situation.
Don't ignore it, or hope it will go away. Don't try taking the law into your own hands either.
Chances are if you are having a repeated problem with a particular tenant, others have had it too. You are not alone, you have an ally, and if we work together, we can make this building a not just a good place, but a great place to live.

Don't Do This

When placing cardboard into the paper recycling bins, remember to break down boxes, etc. as much as possible. Don't do what is pictured here. The lids of the containers must be able to close, so that when it rains or snows, the bins don't fill with water and turn the contents into a sodden mess. It also keeps this stuff from blowing around in the street. If the bin is already full, save the recycling for next week, or throw it in the dumpster. Thank you.

Increase in Rules Violation Fees

The Board of Trustees recently voted to adopt an amendment to the condo bylaws that increases the fines for violations of those bylaws.
This measure has been formally adopted into the Master Deed and By-Laws recorded with the Essex County South District Registry of Deeds.
This was done to bring us up to par with other Markwood Management building bylaws as well as give the board a more effective tool for the management of violations.

"In addition to any and all other remedies available to the Board for violations, the Board may assess fines, attorneys' fees, and expenses incurred by the ssociation against the Unit Owners for violations of the provisions of M.G.L. c. 183A (the Condominium Act"), the Master Deed, By-Laws, or Rules and Regulations, as follows:
1st Offense: Notice of a fine up to $100
2nd Offense: Fine of up to   $200
3rd Offense: Fine of up to   $300
Each day that a violation continues after notice shall be considered a separate violation. Fines may be enforced against the Unit Owner(s) involved as common expenses. If any expense is incurred by the Board as a result of the failure and/or misconduct of either a Unit Owner  or such Unit Owner's family members, tenants, guests, or invitees, then the Board may assess all such expenses against the subject Unit Owner and such assessment shall be both the subject Unit Owner's personal obligation and a lien against Unit Owner's Unit, enforceable and collectable as a common expense charge."