Tax dispute pauses restoration of four flooded dams in Midland and Gladwin counties (MI)

In a complaint filed in Midland County Circuit Court late last month, lawyers for the Heron Cove Association of property owners said the assessments are “grossly disproportionate” to any expected increase in the properties’ market value and amount to an unconstitutional taking of property without due process or just compensation.   Read the article…………………………….

Residents fed up with drainage issues in Mason (MI)

A neighborhood in Ingham County has been experiencing escalating episodes of flooding over the last several years. That’s been the experience for neighbors behind Villages at Franklin Farms in Mason. Read the article…………………………….

Michigan Bill Could Stop HOAs from Blocking Home Chargers

Homeowners associations could be prohibited from blocking energy efficiency upgrades – from rooftop solar panels and home EV charging to rain barrels – under a new proposed bill in the Michigan House.   Read the article………………………………

Mecosta County HOA uses new law to discharge racist language (MI)

Naomi Simpson, a home owners association board member for Young’s Lake Subdivision in Martiny Township, embarked on a journey to expunge the outdated and restrictive covenants that had plagued their community since 1947.    Read the article………………………..

Drainage district established to fix water runoff issues (MI)

“Lake Lolita” is the name Lolita Burgess and her neighbors call the body of water that forms in her property in the Orchard Parkway subdivision when it rains. The subdivision is just west of the Lobdell and Whitaker intersection in Tyrone Township, just south of Genesee County in Livingston County.    Read the article………………………..

Residents of Stonebrook not all happy with street paving assessment (MI)

A proposed project to resurface the roads in the Stonebrook subdivision isn’t meeting with rave reviews from many of its residents who are unhappy with the cost of the special assessment  The homeowner’s association for Stonebrook, located at the southeast corner of Irish and Atherton roads, submitted petitions to Davison Township signed by 51 percent […]

Benona homeowners still fighting against hemlock invasive (MI)

Some residents of Cobmoosa Shores Association are working to save their hemlock trees from the devastating effects of the hemlock woolly adelgid.  Two members of the tree advisory committee at Cobmoosa — Ernie Ryan and Paul Jordan — are working to try to save some of the mightier hemlocks in their subdivision, but they’re also […]

Ousted board member entitled to indemnification (MI)

Q: One of the directors of our association was wrongfully removed by other members of the board. He sought reimbursement of his legal fees in bringing an action to gain his reinstatement.  Read the Q&A……………………………

Condominium documents key to mixed-use development (MI)

Q: We purchased a condominium unit with the specific intent to lease it out on a weekly basis.  Unfortunately, it was a mixed-use development and the restaurant on the first floor emits smoke and other odors which are not conducive to anyone comfortably residing in the above unit which has hindered our leasing.   Read the […]

Orion Township HOA Meeting Covers Hot Topics and Community Updates (MI)

In Orion Township there are 55 active Home Owners Associations and 10 Lake Association group, and each year representatives from those groups are invited to a meeting with the Township Supervisor and staff to get updates, share ideas, and build lines of communication between the groups.  Read the article………………………..

East Lansing Homeowners Can Now Formally Disavow Racist Property Covenants (MI)

Old property restrictions for around 100 homes in the Brookfield Heritage Neighborhood explicitly forbid sales to anyone who is not white. While the discriminatory language in these documents has not been enforceable for over 75 years, the documents serve as a jarring reminder of East Lansing’s and the United States’ legacies of discrimination.   Read the […]

Lakefront homeowners worry as Consumers Energy considers removing Lake Allegan dam (MI)

There is uncertainty about the destiny of an Allegan County dam, leaving homeowners with lakefront properties scrambling about what the future holds.  “Look around. If this goes away it’s going to really devastate our community even further than people that live at the lake, businesses, townships,” said Carole Catherine, lakefront homeowner and Lake Allegan Association […]

Man faces fraud charges from SL condo association (MI)

A Grand Rapids man is facing two felony fraud charges after allegedly stealing from a Spring Lake condo association.  William Amey IV, of Grand Rapids, is facing the charges of larceny by conversion, $20,000 or more, of property from Bayou Meadows II Condominium Association in Spring Lake; and false pretense, with an intent to defraud […]

Flooding problems in Waterford create division among neighbors (MI)

…..one problem remains. Bryson says a divided homeowners association is preventing more work from being done on a private street.  “We can’t build a drain on private property. The homeowners association would have to give us a permanent easement. They haven’t been able to do that. We understand their frustration and share that,” says Bryson. […]

Bloomfield trustees review historic discrimination (MI)

Fifty-five years after discriminatory housing restrictions were prohibited by the Civil Rights Act of 1968, a plethora of Bloomfield Township property deeds retain exclusionary language that is now illegal to enforce.   Read the article………………………..

Homeowners write out racism in residential property deeds (MI)

The “Discharge of Prohibited Restrictive Covenants Act,” which state Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, began working on in 2018 as a state representative, simplifies the removal process and requires homeowner associations to act if home or property owners request them to remove a restrictive covenant.   Read the article………………………..

Denial of contract inspection difficult to defend (MI)

Q: I am one of the directors in our condominium association. One of our residents has requested a copy of the contract with our landscaping provider. We realize that contract negotiations are held in closed executive session, but does the resulting executed contract remain confidential and not available to our residents as some of our […]

Fire consumes Clinton Twp. condominium (MI)

A fire of unknown origin displaced at least one family and consumed a residential condominium Sunday afternoon in the area of Dalcoma Drive and Hall Road in Clinton Township.  The two-alarm blaze broke out about 1 p.m. at a four-unit condo on South Carolina Drive.   Read the article………………………..

Property owners appoint themselves to defunct HOA. What to do? (MI)

Q: The developer of our community created a homeowners association about 20 years ago but went bankrupt shortly after selling only a few homes. Subsequent purchasers of lots, including me, were never provided governing documents and had no idea that an HOA existed.   Read the Q&A……………………………….

Jackson woman ordered to pay $77K to senior living condos in embezzlement case (MI)

Suspicion of the embezzlement was first brought to police attention on Sept. 9, 2021, after the incoming president of the condominium board noticed discrepancies in Brewer’s accounting, according to court documents. An investigation into Brewer’s activity as treasurer showed signs of several missing bank statements, according to records.   Read the article………………………..

Man admits to embezzling nearly $30K from Washburn Lake Homeowners Association (MI)

An 84-year-old man has pleaded no contest to embezzling nearly $30,000 over 11 years from a St. Joseph County homeowners association.  Allan Malesh pleaded no contest Monday to embezzlement from a nonprofit organization in St. Joseph County Circuit Court.  Malesh’s attorney, Ed Hettinger, handed over a check for $20,547 to repay the remainder of the […]

Seek independent legal counsel for ‘black ice’ opinion (MI)

Q: The board president of our condominium association, who is an attorney, has been telling us that we don’t need to worry about black ice on our streets and sidewalks because the courts will find we have no liability. What is your opinion?   Read the Q&A……………………………….

City of Southfield awards 2022 Community Pride winners (MI)

The city of Southfield hosted its annual Community Pride Awards Ceremony, Sept. 8, in the Southfield Pavilion to recognize residents, neighborhoods, condominiums, and businesses for their property beautification efforts.   Read the article………………………..

Legal issues with trying to prohibit ‘group homes’ (MI)

Q: Some people in our subdivision have concerns about an adult foster care facility (sometimes referred to as a “group home”) operating in the community and are asking the Board of Directors of our community association to draft a proposed amendment to our governing documents prohibiting group homes. It seems to me there may be […]

Woman pleads no contest to embezzling thousands from Jackson condos (MI)

A Jackson woman pleaded no contest Friday to embezzling more than $60,000 from a senior-centric condominium.  Regina Brewer, 52, offered her plea Sept. 2 to a charge of embezzlement of more than $50,000 from Fayette Arms Condominiums in Jackson, were she serves as treasurer.   Read the article………………………..

Plan ahead for assessments, contingencies (MI)

Q: I’m considering buying a condominium unit. Are my monthly assessments the only thing I have to worry about paying in addition to my mortgage?  Read the Q&A……………………………….

Controversy on Middle Straits Lake (MI)

The letter requests that the board “inform itself about and take appropriate actions to resolve the controversy and allegations from the Township targeting the Westacres community. The controversy was created by a few lakefront property owners that want to reduce the overall number of boats on Middle Straits Lake for their personal benefit at the […]

Dealing with a new condo association board

Q: Our condo association board of directors was doing a good job, but there were a few people that challenged them on everything. At times, these gadflies crossed the line, and our lawyer had to write them a letter.   Read the Q&A……………………………….