April 2012
Volume 100 No. 103 |
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State of IL Elevator Safety Code Upgrades
(Public Act 096-0054 Signed July 23rd 2009)
If you have elevators in your building community, the 2009 notification of certain safety code upgrades as required by the State of Illinois begin to come due in May of this year. All elevator code upgrades are to be completed by January 1, 2015. Recently, there has been legislation presented before the state that may extend this date but nothing definitive has happened as of yet. The important thing is avoid waiting until the last minute. Elevator upgrades can be expensive. Skilled elevator trade technicians have received significant wage increases each year for the past five years. Since the state notification has been long- term, fines for non-compliance will be enforced. Fines are cumulative and you could be in violation of ADA accessibility requirements if an inspection requires you to lock or take your elevator out of service.
The best idea is to have a qualified elevator vendor inspect your elevator for code compliancy. This way you know what you are facing financially and you still have time to include elevator upgrades in your annual budgets.
New mandates were adopted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal:
May 13, 2012
Maintenance control programs and maintenance records need to be physically available in the elevator machine room or written instructions on where and how to obtain them needs to be provided and physically located in the elevator machine room.
May 13, 2012
Current wiring diagrams must be available in the machinery space, machine room, control space or control room as appropriate to the elevator installation.
May 13, 2013
A Code Data Plate that indicates the code and edition in effect when the elevator was installed plus any alterations must be in view and attached to the main line disconnect or on the elevator controller.
Don't be shy about asking your Cagan Property Manager to procure bids from qualified elevator vendors. Waiting until the last minute may create a tremendous inconvenience and expense for your community.
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2012 Illinois Condominium Property Act
There were very few changes made to the Illinois Condominium Property Act for the year 2012 and the changes will only affect a small number of communities. If you want to have a complete up-to-date copy of the ICPA, you can download it from the following website, courtesy of the law firm of Arnstein & Lehr LLP.
Here are the 2012 changes:
- ICPA Section 18.5(g-1) now expressly authorizes non-condominium homeowners associations to recoup attorneys' fees and court costs as part of the six months of assessments recoverable after a foreclosure sale.
- ICPA Section 18.5(j) has been deleted, so that subsections (c) through (h) of ICPA Section 18.5 apply only to "master associations".
A conforming amendment to the Illinois Common Interest Community Association Act ("CICAA") excludes "master associations" from the definition of a common interest community association governed by CICAA.
If you think this may pertain to your condominium community, your Cagan Property Manager can put you in touch with resources that can help you sort it out.
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Swimming Pools and Your community
Swimming pools can be a wonderful community amenity. However, they can also be very expensive and a legal liability. Swimming pools are amenities that must be carefully maintained so they truly are a community luxury as opposed to a hazard. Governing boards of community associations soon learn that there is a lot of work to maintaining a swimming pool. Here are some of the key areas that must be addressed:
- Rules and Regulations Signage
- Insurance
- Monitoring (lifeguards)
- Maintenance
- Expenses (Do all... or only those who use the pool pay for it?)
Swimming pools that serve a large community are best maintained by a building engineer or specialized swimming pool professionals. In determining the rules and regulations for use of the pool, consult a qualified attorney and your insurance provider. They can best advise you depending on the specific size and needs of your community.
The Illinois Public Health Codes govern swimming pool standards. Did you know there is no universal law requiring an association to hire lifeguards? Lifeguards are only required if persons under the age of 16 are allowed in the pool area without a parent, guardian or responsible person over 16 years of age. Associations that employ their own lifeguards must be sure they are certified.
One of the more state-of- the- art products to come along is made by the Ardsley Group. They are specialists in aquatic resurfacing. This can be especially beneficial for out-door swimming pools. They have developed a fiberglass surfacing system called Fibre Tech. It reduces maintenance and chemical costs and keeps the pool surface smooth and stain free.
If you want more detailed information and advice about adding a swimming pool or maintaining this popular amenity in your community, your Cagan property management team will be glad to help.
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Chicagoland Apartment Association Conference
The purpose of the Chicagoland Apartment Association is to advance the rental housing industry by providing education; legislative and informational support, enabling members to operate successfully while contributing to the community around them.
The April 17th annual conference was held at Drury Lane Theatre and Conference Center in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. Presentation included a Property Manager's Roundtable, Customer Service for Your Maintenance Team, Social Media Trends, Conversations with HUD, How to Dominate Your Market and Turn Callers into Customers. There was even an entrant panel for the Chicagoland Apartment Marketing and Management Excellence (CAMME) Awards.
Given the current economic environment, rental units have been popular. Even condominium communities have rental units. When a condominium mortgage is upside down and the owner has to move, renting the unit is often the best answer. Cagan is able to provide services for these mixed environments because we already manage different kinds of community associations and rental buildings.
Licensing of rental buildings and rental units by local and state authorities is a sensitive topic both in the state of Illinois and in other states. The National Apartment Association as well as the Chicago organization are doing what they can to keep this from negatively affecting the rental industry. In downtown Chicago, there are ten new buildings under construction which together will contain a total of 3,905 units. Completion is targeted for 2013. It is predicted these buildings will be filled by 2014. There were 1,409 more occupied rental units downtown by the end of 2011 compared to a year ago and 4,253 more occupied units compared to three years ago.
The Chicagoland Apartment Association Conference opened flamboyantly with the cutting of a giant blue ribbon during which both President, Gregory Lozinak of Waterton Residential and immediate Past President, Jerry Gawlik of Berkshire Property Advisors, LLC were present. The convention floor was populated by vendors serving building needs that ranged from green technology to building management software. It was an opportunity to learn and share concerns and ideas for the growth and service of building communities.
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 Put it on your calendar NOW
Reminder: Cagan Seminar for community association board leaders, June 14th, 6:30PM at our office.
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