Condo communities are often at the mercy of the board, which governs regulations and policies, and the property management companies who carry out the orders of the day. Collectively their job is to ensure the owners’ right to quiet enjoyment while also considering the type of lifestyle the condo community provides. When the two parties fail to manage the property effectively, its value, amenities, social aspects, and the residents’ lifestyle is negatively impacted.
People suffering from mental illness in a condominium setting, as in any community, represent a diverse group. They are persons experiencing many different types of health conditions, including anxiety, depression, phobias, hoarding, paranoia, schizophrenia, and dementia – and the list goes on. Each disability condition can range from mild to severe. Some people with mental illness require accommodation within the condominium setting – many others do not.
Understanding your building’s cultural demographics is essential to build a sense of community, especially if there is a heavy concentration of residents in the building with ties to the same culture or region of the world.
This could be the year that companies really start taking active steps to improve diversity in the workplace, but change won’t happen on its own.
Feature || Stephanie Sutherland, MSc
The many advantages of condominium living mean that this lifestyle is appealing to a variety of different individuals. This diversity of condominium owners and occupants has the potential to create wonderful, well-rounded communities, but it can also present challenges, particularly when there is a lack of understanding about differences between the various populations.
Feature || Ruki Mohamedbhai, RCM
The issue of systemic racism needs to acknowledged and confronted. It challenges our perceived roles and makes us complicit in what is happening today. Whether an organization or society, everyone plays a key role in accepting, and most importantly, embracing our differences, regardless of your ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or political beliefs.
Condominium corporations and directors should encourage more diversity among the owners who run for their boards. Currently, people from minority backgrounds are underrepresented in board positions. Too few are even remotely interested in running for open positions.
In this article, we outline the service animal laws that condominiums must follow in responding to accommodation requests and the various legal definitions that apply to service animals in Ontario.
Few moments of my career will ever compare to the day I arrived at work to a protest outside of the management office because of Christmas decorations.
The impending deadline for Transitional General Licensees to complete the transition and obtain their General License has created a fear that many experienced managers will choose to walk away from the profession rather than complete the educational requirements.
Retaining both my ACMO membership and the RCM designation has been, and continues to be, important to me and my career for a variety of reasons.
I received my RCM in May of 2000. Looking back, it was challenging and time-consuming to balance going back to school with learning a new job and raising a young family. But in the end, it was all worth it because obtaining my RCM has validated my career, and a true career was what I was looking for.
Feature || Michael Trendota, William Colucci, Jasmina Bahtijarevic
We asked three condominium managers what it means to hold their RCM designation.
Looking back to when I first considered this industry and designation, my initial interest in obtaining the RCM was as an investment in myself and my career. From that perspective, I think the answer has two parts; what does being and RCM mean to me now? And what will it mean in the future?
When we think of their responsibilities, we think of everything from managing building maintenance and capital upgrades to hiring staff and working with condominium boards, to providing effective financial oversight for the property. What we don’t often consider is how security factors into a condominium manager’s duties.