Quality-of-life complaints soar, and so does litigation

From the April issue: How long should New Yorkers be forced to suffer a particularly loud (or uniquely odorous) neighbor? For co-op and condo dwellers, the answer increasingly seems to be “not very long.” Over the past several years, attorneys and building managers say they’ve seen a noticeable uptick in the number of disputes between neighbors in New York City buildings, especially when it comes to noise and smell. As a result, condo and co-op boards are turning to attorneys with greater frequency, leading to higher legal fees and spikes in maintenance and common charges. [more]