Michigan Homeowner’s Association

Animals & Pets April 4, 2019

HOA Violates the Fair Housing Act by Denying a Service Animal in the Clubhouse

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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Bylaw & Covenant Enforcement November 1, 2017

Michigan Court of Appeals Rules that Modular Home Violates Restrictive Covenants

UPDATE:  This opinion was subsequently reversed by the Michigan Supreme Court on July 24, 2019 in a 5-2 decision.  A copy of the Supreme Court's opinion can be found here.In Thiel v Goyings, unpublished opinion of the Court of Appeals, issued August 8, 2017 (Docket No. 333000), the Michigan Court of Appeals held that the construction of a partially prefabricated…
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Document Amendments February 19, 2016

Michigan Court of Appeals Rules that Amendments to HOA Restrictions Require Unanimous Consent

The Michigan Court of Appeals recently made the following significant rulings that impact Michigan Homeowners’ Associations in Conlin v Upton, Michigan Court of Appeals Docket No. 322458 (November 24, 2015) (Published Opinion): The absence of an amendment provision in the original declaration of restrictions for a subdivision precluded a HOA from later amending its declaration with less than unanimous consent…
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