Category Archives: Fair Housing Act

The top 3 things you must know about HUD’s new guidance on assistance and emotional support animals

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On January 28, 2020, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued new guidance on how housing providers, such as condominium associations, homeowners associations and landlords, can comply with the Federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), 42 USC 3601 et seq. in evaluating requests for assistance and emotional support animals.  HUD estimates that 60% of all Fair Housing Act complaints relate

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Announcing the Addition of Michael D. McCulloch, Esq., to the firm

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Hirzel Law, PLC Welcomes Michael D. McCulloch, Esq., to the firm Michael D. McCulloch, Esq. joined Hirzel Law, PLC in December of 2019. He focuses his practice on condominium law, real estate law, estate planning and litigation. Mr. McCulloch graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Telecommunications and from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School where

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Hirzel Law, PLC is proud to announce our NEW Traverse City office!

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Hirzel Law, PLC is pleased to announce that it is opening a second office in Traverse City, Michigan in January 2020 to better serve its northern Michigan clients.  The new office is located at 1001 Bay St., Suite E, Traverse City, Michigan. The firm is also proud to announce that Michael McCulloch, Esq., an experienced community association attorney and litigator,

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HB 4910: Michigan seeks to criminalize fake emotional support animal requests

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On September 3, 2019, Representative Matt Hill introduced House Bill 4910, which would create the “Misrepresentation of Emotional Support Animals Act” and criminalize a fake request for an emotional support animal. Requests for emotional support animals continue to rapidly increase under the Federal Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act, MCL 37.1101 et seq. According to a

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HB 4676: New procedures for removing discriminatory provisions from covenants and master deeds

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On May 24, 2019, Rep. Sarah Anthony introduced HB 4676 in order to make it easier for Michigan condominium associations and homeowners associations to remove discriminatory provisions from a covenant, declaration or master deed.  42 U.S.C. § 3604 of the Federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to: (c) To make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed,

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Michigan Court rules that Homeowners Association did not violate Fair Housing Act in refusing fence for emotional support and service dogs

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In Fox Bay Civic Assn, Inc v Creswell, unpublished opinion of the Court of Appeals, issued May 30, 2019 (Docket No. 343384), the Michigan Court of Appeals held that a homeowners association could enforce its deed restrictions banning fences and that a disabled owner could not erect a fence in order to keep her emotional support and service dogs in

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HOA violates the Fair Housing Act by denying a service animal in the clubhouse

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In Sanzaro v Ardiente Homeowners Association, et. al., Docket No. 2:11-CV0-1143-RFB-CWH, 2019 WL 1049380 (D Nev, March 5, 2019), a federal court imposed a judgment of $350,000 in compensatory damages, $285,000 in punitive damages and awarded the plaintiffs attorney’s fees and costs against their homeowners association.  Based upon the facts of the case, the court determined that the homeowners association

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