Leni Morrison Cummins addresses the common challenges owners face in getting necessary work and repairs from developers when dealing with new construction projects in The New York Times.

“Surprising as it may seem, a developer doesn’t need to finish the common areas in a building to get a temporary certificate of occupancy and start selling apartments,” Leni explains.

Individual owners have limited options until they gain control of the board which is why Leni encourages unit owners to seek help from the state attorney general's office. Once the owner has control of the board, hiring professionals and asserting claims promptly are crucial steps to ensure completion of the work.

Leni advises the new board to hire a lawyer familiar with new construction, as litigation may become unavoidable in certain cases.

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