December 19, 2024
Holiday displays are a frequent source of contention within community associations, often raising questions about how to regulate them fairly and uniformly. Courts have consistently emphasized that community associations can enforce reasonable restrictions on holiday decorations, provided these rules are neutral, uniformly applied, and focused on objective factors like time, location, and size. For example, in Osborne v Power, 319…
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June 11, 2024
Enforcing condominium bylaws is essential for maintaining the harmony and integrity of a community. At Hirzel Law, we understand the complexities involved in this process and offer a straightforward four-step approach to ensure compliance and resolve conflicts effectively. Here’s a detailed guide on how to enforce condominium bylaws, incorporating our expert process: Step 1: Identify and Document the Violation The…
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February 8, 2024
Can your HOA’s restrictive covenants or condominium documents ban sex offenders? The ability to ban sex offenders from homeowners associations has become a controversial issue in recent years. Until recently, many attorneys across the country believed that some type of ban on sex offenders was permissible. This was largely based on a New Jersy case, Mulligan v. Panther Valley Property…
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November 1, 2023
Introduction Boards of Directors of community associations are often charged with the responsibility of maintaining the capital assets of the corporation and administering the community itself. This responsibility involves difficult decisions regarding the spending and raising of association funds, especially when it comes to capital improvement projects. Recently the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a decision in Walsh v Hawthorn…
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August 1, 2023
Since 2004, the Michigan Court of Appeals has repeatedly determined that short-term rentals within Michigan communities that are subject to residential, business, and commercial restrictions are prohibited because they are commercial activities that are inconsistent with residential use. Notwithstanding this clear and consistent judicial record, property owners in communities with residential, business, and commercial restrictions who want to engage in…
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June 6, 2023
Although the history of the term “thin blue line” can be traced back to the mid-1800s, the term gained national popularity in the 1950s through Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Parker’s statement that the Los Angeles Police Department was the thin blue line that acted as a barrier between law and order on one side and civil anarchy on the…
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