Pamela Dittmer Mckuen

The second stage of Chicago's Building Energy Use Benchmarking Ordinance has kicked in, and for the first time many residential buildings must comply. Residential buildings include condominiums, co-operatives and apartments....

Illinois community associations may now communicate electronically with their owners, but that doesn't mean they can cut their paper and postage budgets. Many practical details must be worked out before...

Choosing a manager is one of the most important decisions a community association will make. Because managers are closely involved in daily functions and future planning, their performance — or...

Another year quickly approaches, and with it come myriad challenges for community associations in Illinois. Some are ongoing and others are brand new. What are the hot topics for 2015?...

Chicago's oldest high-rises are running out of time to comply with the Life Safety Evaluation Ordinance. Owners have until year's end to make their buildings safer in event of a...

Most board members at community associations are well-intended homeowners who want to do a good job. But few have expertise in property management, much less the legal and financial nuances...

When shopping for a condominium or town house, checking out living spaces is easy. But getting information about building maintenance or the inner workings of the association is much harder....

Get a bunch of community association homeowners in a room and what do they talk about? Money, money and snow. Such were the concerns of the attendees at a free...

For most community associations, cooler weather signals the start of budget season. It's the time of year when boards and finance committees hammer out the next year's expenses and income....

One of the key attractions to apartment and condominium living is not having a yard to mow. One of the key drawbacks to apartment and condominium living is not having...