Co-op Board Issues!!

[LIVE54]

Hello all,

I am wondering if someone can point me in the right direction on how to remedy some building wide issues owners of our co-op are having with the board and the management company. We were assessed over 3 years ago for a lobby renovation project that is yet to be completed. Work is started and stopped, leaving the main lobby area of our building a complete mess. The walls are literally falling apart and have been in such a state for nearly 3 months since the contractor started pulling off the plaster. No work has been done since and repeated requests to the managing company and co-op board have been ignored or brushed off by numerous shareholders. We have all dealt with this for some time and it finally hit a head this week when the elevator broke for the 8th time this year, trapping a tenant inside. 5 days after the elevator broke and numerous complaints to both the board and the managing company with no repsonse, a notice arrived today stating it would take an additional 12 days to fix the elevator. This is forcing people to walk up and down possibly 10 flights of stairs, with no help provided for groceries, deliveries, laundry etc.. this elevator breakdown comes only a few months after the elevator was closed for 10 days (with notice give by the managing co that it would be) to repair and refurbish the elevator.

A group of shareholders are fed up and we have discussed amongst ourselves that it is time to do something. My question is, what are our options?

can we force a special board meeting to address the issues?
can we demand a reduction of our maintenance fees?
can we force the co-op to pay for hotels for tenants on the top floors or the elderly/disabled who live in the building?
can we make a special motion to remove members of the board for negligence?
is it time to look for a lawyer?

any help or advice on this would be greatly aprreciated or any info on a boards responsibilities and what action can be taken when these are not met would be appreciated.

[TenantNet]

No doubt you have issues, but this is a tenant rights site, and not a site for cooperators (shareholders). If someone wants to take a stab at this, feel free. You probably have to treat the management co. like a landlord.

[LIVE54]

Well arent tenant sharelholders who own shared based on a proprietary lease covered under most of the same ideals a typical tenant/LL relationship.

We will be taking it up with the board of directors and the managing agent, I'm just looking for some info on how to proceed. I belive a tenants organization whether it is made up of cooperators or tenants is still trying to acheive the same end goal?

[TenantNet]

I don't think anyone here is unsympathetic, but shareholders in a coop and rental tenants are two different things with different right and responsibilities. The legal relationship is different.

I know you might be called "tenant shareholders" but IMHO that is a misnomer. You are owners, and in some cases the owners rent to rental tenants (the real tenants) but which shareholders call sub-tenants.

[LIVE54]

of course coop owners rent to tenants from time to time, but others also choose to live in their units as well. And most of us face the same issues as any regular tenant would. I actually see it being more difficult for a group of owners to band together to overtake a co-op board or management company than a run of the mill tenant dealing with 1 landlord. I have been on both sides of the fence since i do have other units that are currently rented, and part of my issue is that my tenants are not happy with the current problems in our building are are seeking recourse from me, which I cannot provide.

This might be the first time a tenant/LL both have a common enemy. I agree 100% that my 2 tenants should be compensated in some way for the lousy service of the building, though is it fair to punish a LL and make him reduce his rent because of a buildings problem. My tenants agree with me as well. We all had a sit down last night, I have always been a good landlord to them, as they have been great tenants for me. They have a favorable rent and since i live in the building with them, i am always accessible. They are almost ashamed to asked for a rent reduction because they know this isnt my fault, its not my sole responsibility to run the building, its the managing company and the board. I offered to take 100 off each of their rents for this month, and they both refused, stating they want the money from the building, not from my pocket.