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Condo News
27 January 2018

James Regan looking for new digs
James Regan, a well known "tenant from hell", is looking to rent a condo unit in Toronto. So beware condo landlords.
http://bit.ly/2rG2tXA

Ontario plans elevator availability law
Ontario plans to pass legislation in the spring aimed at addressing elevator availability and reliability as part of its commitment to tackle what has become a growing vertical mobility issue across the country.

Outage information should be publicly available, retired justice Douglas Cunningham writes in his 57-page report.
http://bit.ly/2DHmzX4

Ottawa area condo moves to ban smoking marijuana ahead of legalization
A condo board in east Ottawa is banning smoking marijuana and tobacco and limiting growing marijuana plants in the building.
http://bit.ly/2DysHAF

Old shopping malls can be saved by their parking lots
As older shopping malls look death in the eye, they see adding condos, rental buildings and office buildings on top of their empty parking lots as a way to become relevant again.

Will it work? For some sure, its a great idea. For others, I am not sure if anything can save them.
http://bit.ly/2DwJggs

Downtown Vancouver condo dwellers are charging people nearly $1,000 a month to live in tiny dens
These tiny rooms have been available for rent on Craigslist for a few years now. They typically have room for little more than a single bed and a small nightstand. On the plus side, they usually come with free wi-fi.
http://bit.ly/2GmKtoy

Condo leadership in turmoil
Florida regulators ordered a Hallandale Beach condo president to resign immediately after learning he was a convicted felon. Robert Picerno refused.

When a state investigator told Picerno to reinstate two owners improperly kicked off the De Soto Park Condominium board, he said no. When regulators demanded association records, he declined. And when they served him with a subpoena, he ignored it.

Now state regulators are looking into owners' allegations that Picerno misspent $177,000 in condo money while Hallandale Beach Police investigate possible embezzlement, grand theft and fraud, a detective told the newspaper.
http://bit.ly/2rB28Fm

Trial moves forward for father in Rancho Bernardo condo fire that killed two children
The trial will move forward for a father accused of drinking himself to sleep before a fire ignited at his two-story Rancho Bernardo condo, leading to the death of his two children. If convicted of all charges, Henry Lopez could face 14 years in prison
http://bit.ly/2GkLUDJ

Massive cost overruns threaten to derail California bullet train

The bullet train that was to run between San Francisco and Los Angeles is in serious trouble and due to costs may end up being a lot shorter than originally planned.

The disclosure of higher costs by the state's leading consultant, WSP, marked the first time that the rail authority publicly discussed the magnitude of its financial problems.

It is a wonder that the richest state in the world's richest country can't afford to build a single high-speed line.
http://lat.ms/2n7DuqK

Internet scams
Jackson Hewitt <sysadmin@jhnet.com>
to me
Your federal tax return has been received by the IRS. Refunds are normally issued in 21 calendar days or less after receipt.

Wow, this is great. The US IRS may give me a tax refund and I am a Canadian. Maybe Trump is not such a bad president after all.

All kidding aside, I have been getting e-mails from American Express, several banks and retailers informing me of awards, gifts and $500 deposits they want to put in my account. I have not opened any of these e-mails.

Please be careful. Lately Internet scammers are out in droves.

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Condo News
19 January 2018

Discarded cigarette causes $1 million fire at luxury Vaughan condo

Residents from several units unable to return to their homes. Discarded cigarette, combustible materials on condo balcony = over $1 million in damages.
http://bit.ly/2DhGgVa

Yonge Street makeover proposed in North York
A report that goes before the city’s Public Works Committee this week aims at transforming a stretch of Yonge Street from Sheppard to Finch avenues with wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes and a larger median.

Part of the redesign would reduce the existing six lanes of traffic down to four between Sheppard Avenue to just north of Finch Avenue.

The report, called “Re-imagining Yonge Street” will be discussed by the committee on Friday. The goal is to revamp one of Toronto’s most congested arteries by beautifying the area with more trees and planters, as well as creating more space for pedestrians, restaurant patios and cafes.

So what does this mean for automobile traffic? If Yonge Street loses two lanes, even more traffic will spill over onto Bayview and Bathurst.
http://bit.ly/2B2fwlH

Rise in condo maintenance fees slowed last year, says study
Condo fees in Toronto rose only 2.5 per cent in 2017 over the previous year.
http://bit.ly/2Dg7RCc

Dozens left homeless after fire rips through South Shore apartment complex
Montreal firefighters believe blaze was caused by hot oil left on a stove. The 24-unit apartment complex is said to be a total loss having sustained an estimated $2.5 million in damage. Residents who had to leave their homes were taken in by the Red Cross.
http://bit.ly/2B6zXxO

Regina condo owner feels he may have been targeted in suspicious fire, $500K reward offered
Reward increased from $25,000 as tip line remains dead.
http://bit.ly/2DDsKbc

Hollywood Beach resort associations sue ex-property manager
A Florida condo hotel and timeshare property is suing KW Property Management & Consulting, which is accused of helping divert association funds.
http://bit.ly/2ELyL4Z

Construction workers caught rifling through Keys condo, deputies say

Florida: Security camera video showed the men entering a unit that was not part of the repairs. Once inside, the video showed the men searching the apartment and taking items. One of the men is heard on the video commenting about a Nintendo Wii video game that he intended to steal for one of his children.

Video cameras for the inside of condo units are now very cheap and extremely effective. They send video and audio feeds straight to your cell phone.
http://bit.ly/2rjOHJQ

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Condo News
15 January 2018

As cold grips Toronto, homeless search for warmth where they can
“Coming off of heroin, it’s physically painful and hard and we can’t do it on our own,” she says. Some days they’ll break into a nearby condo to use the showers and the hot tub....
—Toronto Star
http://bit.ly/2Fdwe4K

Homelessness problem needs more than just affordable apartments
Toronto; "I don’t think any of the issues surrounding homelessness especially chronic homelessness can be addressed without discussing the unpleasant fact that by the time people become homeless, they’ve exhausted their families, their friends, and all other resources. So you are looking at people with very complex issues, such as addiction, mental health, personality disorders, criminality, lack of employability."
http://bit.ly/2CQYrRe

Can owners install clotheslines under the Green Energy Act?
Starting in 2019, the Ontario provincial government has designated that clotheslines and clothes trees can be installed at an condo owner’s unit if they use an exclusive-use space and they are on the ground floor.
http://bit.ly/2DckF0m

Calgary police arrest naked man after assault on woman in condo
Officers were called to a condo complex on Springbank Villas S.W. at about 4:30 a.m. after a woman reported that she'd been attacked by a naked man who was roaming the area.

The suspect, believed to be impaired by drugs, ended up breaking into her home and hit her with a broom.
http://bit.ly/2mx10gr

Contractor alleges bobcat attack—it was a housecat named Calli, condo owner says
According to the lawsuit, the contractor said he was attacked by an unleashed bobcat and suffered permanent injuries. (Nice photo of the 10 lb cat.)
http://bit.ly/2m5CdQf

Condo sprinkler problems were likely caused by frigid temperatures
Mississippi is getting frigid temperatures?
http://bit.ly/2CQNOwS

Fire Inspection Reports—anyone reading them?
Condo directors are not reading the annual fire and sprinkler inspection reports that the inspection companies are sending to the condo corporations.
http://bit.ly/2FiTBtP

Comments
Thank you for info. I am going to ask for the report as well and at the same time check how familiar my manager is with it.
—condo director in Mississauga

The sprinklers don't work in the P2 level of our condo tower.
—ex-director in Brampton

The directors didn't read them but I always did
—ex- president, North York

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Condo News
07 January 2018

Advertising flyers is one thing, but stickers are something else
We all hate to see advertising leaflets pushed though our condo doors and having them dropped at our doorways. They are annoying and I think all condominiums ban them.

Yet as annoying as they are, they are nothing, nothing at all compared to what the advertisers do to the condos in China.


Almost as quickly as you remove the stickers, the villains return to slap on more. They are just like bumper stickers and they make your front doors look like NASCAR race cars. Just awful.

Here is an e-mail I received this week from northern China:
"I use one day time to clean the advertisements on the door. The glue is very sticky, I should buy chemical material to clean it again."

That is one marketing idea that I hope never makes it way to Canada.

Condo unit owners can’t block building sale, B.C. Supreme Court rules
A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled that a minority group of condo owners who oppose the sale of their building because they fear losing their home and community don't have the right to block others who want to cash out for a financial windfall.
https://tgam.ca/2lo9k26

Potential purchase of The Connolly in Hamilton didn't go through, condo project still in limbo
Spergel Inc., the receiver of the project, says in a letter they will continue marketing efforts.
http://bit.ly/2q754ZS

‘Water came gushing out’: Pipe breaks cause flooding problems across Calgary
The Calgary Fire Department has responded to more than 135 water-related calls since New Year’s day, including a condo complex that had to be evacuated Monday night after piping in the sprinkler system burst.

“When I came in the stairs there was three inches of water, it was like a waterfall,” condo resident Michel Goudreault recounted. “Water shooting out from the cracks dripping from the ceiling.”

Residents were allowed back inside to see their condo suites Tuesday. The property manager says six of the units have serious water damage, meaning people living in those suites will likely be out of their homes for two to three months.
http://bit.ly/2CwjI2p

Neighbours are fed up with ‘crazy’ lawyer’s nonstop screaming
Judge orders New York condo owner to sound-proof her unit.
http://nyp.st/2l8zy7Y

Clearwater woman battles condo association over dog’s access to swimming pool
A Clearwater resident is battling with her condo association to allow her to bring her dog Maui to the pool. Animals are not allowed near the pool at the Fountains At Countryside. Property management claims BonJovi has yet to prove Maui is a legitimate service animal.
http://bit.ly/2lsgX71

Florida: Condo says woman shot by ex-boyfriend at fault for not reporting threat
BOYNTON BEACH
The condo complex sued by resident Yuly Solano after Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy Michael DeMarco gravely wounded her Oct. 12 and then fatally shot himself says in court papers that the person most responsible is Solano herself.

She knew DeMarco, her former boyfriend, was dangerous and didn’t do enough to stop him, the Inlet Harbor Club Condominium Association says in documents filed Dec. 20.
http://pbpo.st/2lL2OBX

Man says bobcat attacked him in Tampa’s Skypoint condos
High atop the concrete jungle of downtown Tampa, in the confines of a posh condominium, a bobcat raged. On May 17, the animal lashed out at visiting contractor Marcos Hernandez, leaving him seriously injured.

That’s according to a lawsuit that Hernandez filed last month against Christine Lee, the owner of the bobcat, (and teh condo) according to a civil complaint. Hernandez is seeking unspecified damages.
http://bit.ly/2E6UBQ2

A bobcat or a housecat?

Skypoint condos has investigated the allegations made by Mr. Hernandez and has determined that the alleged “bobcat” Mr. Hernandez claims attacked him is in fact a standard house cat named Calli.
http://on.wtsp.com/2CFlH4H

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