Today, only one and half decades into the twenty-first century, we stand at the thresh-hold of rapid urban growth. Urbanization, in its wake, ushers in not only higher densities, and concentrated living but new cultures, new attitudes and a whole new way of life as well.
Condominium living is one such phenomenon of urban life which is now becoming an increasing trend in Sri Lanka’s cities and towns.
However, condominiums and condominium living are rather new in this country and strange to most.
The word ‘Condominium’ simply denotes shared property, combining the two Latin words ‘co’ (together) and ‘dominium’ (domain or property).
Technically, a condominium is a collection of individual home units and common areas along with the land upon which they sit and is governed by a set of conditions, covenants, restrictions and often by additional rules that govern how the individual unit owners are to share its space.
Today, under the new urban agenda of the Government, a wide range of alternative housing options to improve the supply of affordable housing have been introduced.
An ambitious program conceived by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in his election manifesto, to construct 500,000 housing units for middle income wage earners around nodal points along expressways and railway lines is already under way, under the direction of the Minister of Housing and Construction.
The new urban agenda also includes the development and promotion of regulations within the housing sector, including building codes, standards, development permits, land use by-laws and planning regulations, ensuring quality and habitability.
The development and management of condominium properties will play an important role in these new efforts of the Government. A guideline to condominiums is an integral component of that agenda.
Chairman of the Condominium Management Authority, C A Wijeyeweere,in producing this guideline, has made a determined effort to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the intricacies of condominiums and condominium living.
Its greatest value is that it provides practical information in a simple format to all stake-holders in the condominium process, to condo owners, property developers, and management corporations as well as to all others concerned.
The writer is a former Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development, Housing and Construction.