March 27, 2026
In condominiums with marinas, disputes often arise over who controls access to shared amenities, such as boat slips, and how those costs are allocated. In many cases, rights to control the marina, access to boat slips, and cost-sharing for marina amenities are disputed. In Harbor Isles Marine, LLC v Estate of Chodock, unpublished opinion of the Court of Appeals, issued…
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November 19, 2025
Michigan Court Rules that Long-Term Rental is a Commercial Use The Michigan courts have consistently held that short-term rentals are neither residential nor commercial uses when interpreting restrictive covenants. While numerous cases from the Michigan Court of Appeals hold that short-term rentals violate residential and commercial use deed restrictions, these cases have not addressed whether long-term rentals also violate a…
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May 19, 2025
Brusher v. Bay Harbor Yacht Club: What Michigan Condo Boards Need to Know About Mandatory Membership When you purchase property in a master-planned resort community, it’s easy to assume that all amenities such as yacht clubs, golf courses, or clubhouses are simply part of the package. But what happens when the fine print in your master deed obligates you to…
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March 20, 2025
Michigan Court Confirms: Tax Foreclosure Sale Does Not Eliminate Obligation to Pay HOA Assessments On May 12, 2000, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued an important decision in Lakes of the North Association v. Twiga Limited Partnership, clarifying that a Michigan tax foreclosure sale does not cancel the obligation to pay HOA assessments. This case is critical for condominium and…
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March 13, 2025
Michigan Court of Appeals Confirms HOA Board’s Right to Hire a Property Manager The Michigan Court of Appeals recently reaffirmed that a homeowners association (HOA) board has the authority to hire a property management company for compensation, even when an HOA’s bylaws state that “agents” must serve without compensation. In Neuman v. Long Lake Shores Association, the court clarified that…
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August 13, 2024
Condominium Association’s Legal Duty to Co-Owners: Key Takeaways from Janini v. London Townhouses Recently, the Michigan Supreme Court decided the case of Janini v London Townhouses Condominium Association, issued July 11, 2024 (Docket No. 164158), concluding that a co-owner of a condominium unit is an invitee under Michigan law if that person enters the common elements of the condominium, and…
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