DEAR BENNY: I am a condo owner in a 200-unit building. Recently there was an assessment broken down into four payments. There are many people who have not paid. Do I, as an owner, have the right to know who these people are? The president of the condo association will not discuss this with me. Is this common knowledge? --Richard

DEAR RICHARD: This issue is perhaps one of the most hotly debated subjects among unit owners, board members, property managers and even association attorneys. There is -- and must be -- a delicate balance between privacy and freedom of information. We often see this at the federal level, but the issues apply to associations as well.

If I am delinquent in paying my condo fees, I don't want the world to know; but if I am a condo owner, I want to know the financial situation of my association, including the number of delinquencies.  more...