I was recently quoted in the New York Times:
Q One of our co-op directors, who has a place in Florida, seems to have moved out of his apartment here and into his Florida home. Can he remain a director if he doesn’t live here? And can he just leave his apartment empty, or does he have to try to sell it?
A Victor M. Metsch, a Manhattan real estate lawyer, says the bylaws of a residential co-op specify whether an owner must actually live in an apartment to be a director. “And the bylaws of many co-ops in New York City do not require directors to reside in the building,” Mr. Metsch said, adding that many bylaws do not even require a director to hold shares. “The owner of a co-op apartment usually cannot be forced to either occupy or sell his apartment,” he said.