The governing body of the four lakes and dams in Midland and Gladwin counties is hoping a court will expedite an appeal filed by a homeowners association. Read the article…………………………….
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…………………………….
Condo association wants to opt out of waste-hauler agreement (MI)
A Spring Lake Township condo association is asking the Township Board of Trustees for help with their unique issue with the township’s waste-hauler agreement. Read the article……………………………
Sherman Woods Neighborhood Gears Up For Eighth Annual Red Kettle Campaign To Spread Christmas Cheer (MI)
Port Huron’s Sherman Woods neighborhood is set to dazzle once again with its vibrant Christmas spirit as residents and volunteers prepare to man the Red Kettle for the eighth consecutive year. 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………………………………
Baldwin apartments convert to condos, language leads to eviction fears (MI)
The conversion of a Baldwin apartment complex, Kahlil Village Apartments, and the required statutory language associated with it, resulted in mass fears of eviction. Read the article……………………………..
Mt. Clemens condo explosion leaves nearby residents displaced 6 months later (MI)
The explosion of a two-story condo in Mt. Clemens in April forced several nearby residents to evacuate their homes, and they have not been able to return since. Read the article…………………………….
HOAs could not block rooftop solar, home EV charging – even clothes lines – under new bill (MI)
Homeowners associations could be prohibited from blocking a litany of energy efficiency upgrades – from rooftop solar panels and home EV charging to clotheslines and 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 […]
Century-old dam that keeps Lake Lansing homes from flooding needs major repairs (MI)
The cost is not clear, Pratt said. A consultant is being hired to determine the scope of problems and the expected price of any fixes, he added. Property owners expect to have to share a portion of the cost, and want to make sure repairs don’t end up costing millions of dollars, said Steve Carpenter, […]
Grand Haven condominium fire potentially caused by faulty water heater (MI)
No one was injured during a fire at a Grand Haven condominium on Saturday evening. Fire officials say smoke had filled three condo units, causing a request for an additional response from neighboring departments. Read the article………………………..
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………………………..
Road project finalized for Flagstone Pointe subdivision (MI)
One of Flint Township’s largest subdivisions will be getting a long-awaited rehabilitation for its roads this summer. 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 […]
2 injured in Mount Clemens condo explosion (MI)
Macomb County officials are investigating an explosion Wednesday at a Mount Clemens home that left two people with minor injuries. Read the article………………………..
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. […]
Man, 76, found dead after condo fire in Southwest Michigan
Samuel Galbreath, 76, was found dead in the 68000 block of Morton Road in Ontwa Township in Cass County, the Ontwa Township Edwardsburg Police Department said in a news release. Read the article………………………..
Fire at Country Glen Condos in Farmington Hills displaces several residents (MI)
The Country Glen Condominiums in Farmington Hills went up in flames early Sunday morning and several residents were displaced. Harrison Kakos Jr., who was inside the complex at the time of the fire, described the heart-stopping moments. “It really looked like something out of a movie, and the heat and stench . . . it […]
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………………………..
Neighbors, developer address concerns over proposed West MI condo project
Locals in one West Michigan community are raising concerns about a possible development that could bring more than 40 condo units to their neighborhood. 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 […]
2 units destroyed, no one injured in Bloomfield Hills condo fire (MI)
A fire that started in a garage destroyed two units at an Oakland County condo complex Friday afternoon. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the blaze. Read the article………………………..
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………………………..
Permission to install EV station is likely needed (MI)
Q: I live in a condominium and want to install a charging station in my garage for my electric vehicle. Do I need permission from the Association? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Port Huron neighborhood to ring bells for Salvation Army (MI)
For the seventh consecutive year, residents of the Sherman Woods Homeowners Association in Port Huron will support the Port Huron Salvation Army in its annual Red Kettle fundraising campaign 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……………………………….
Firefighters respond to condo fire in Grand Blanc Township (MI)
Grand Blanc Township firefighters respond to a fire at The Fairways at Woodfield in Grand Blanc Township on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. Nobody was hurt in the fire. Read the article………………………..
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……………………………….
Downtown Condo Owners Demand Solutions after Bullet Pierces Resident’s Window (MI)
“You destroy property, it can be replaced or repaired,” Kribbet said. “This was human beings attempting to harm or kill human beings.” Then things got even worse. About a week later, on Saturday, Sept. 17, Kribbet went outside around 10:30 p.m. She had been elected to the board of her condominium association and said she […]
Attention Condo Dwellers: This ‘Ballooning’ Spider May Land on Lake Michigan Buildings
As the weather cools down, you may be noticing more spiders appearing in your home, whether you live in a house, apartment or condo. Read the article………………………..
What can a condominium board of directors do if co-owner refuses to pay outstanding fines (MI)
Q: There is a co-owner at our condominium who has racked up a significant amount of fines that he refuses to pay. He is current with payment of his assessments, but can we record a lien against his unit just for the fines? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Woodhaven firefighters battle condominium fire; residents, pets reportedly safe (MI)
Woodhaven firefighters battled a fire that broke out inside a condominium complex near Woodhaven High School Tuesday afternoon. The fire appears to have completely destroyed at least one unit. Read the article………………………..
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………………………..
Crews demolish remainder of burned out Saginaw-area condo building (MI)
Exactly two months to the day after a devastating fire, demolition crews tore down what remains of a Thomas Township condominium building. 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……………………………….