Many New Jersey age-restricted communities, particularly those in South Jersey, have provisions in their declarations or master deeds that restrict ownership of a home to persons 55 and older or in some cases to 62 years of age and older. Those governing document provisions also require that the home must be occupied by at least […]
Questions and Answers Concerning the Final Rule Implementing the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 (HOPA)
Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (the Federal Fair Housing Act), as amended by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 (the Fair Housing Act), prohibits discrimination in housing and real estate-r elated transactions based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap and familial status (in general, the presence of children […]
HOA says single elevator at senior living community will cost $120K to fix (SC)
Residents at one senior living community in West Columbia said the only elevator in their building has been broken for several months. The Hulon Greene Homeowners Association said the elevator experienced “the failure” in November 2023. However, residents said the elevator had been broken since September. Read the article…………………………….
Sun City HOA needs your support
Moving to Sun City provided a super opportunity to meet and associate with many other like-minded people. Cultivating these relationships, making new friends and gathering with neighbors, is fulfilling for lots and lots of Sun City citizens. These relationships/associations are a main reason for spending a portion of our lives here. Read the article…………………………….
What Do You Mean We Cannot Enforce The Association’s 55-And-Older Provision? (FL)
While the Fair Housing Act (FHA) protects all citizens from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, and disability or familial status (families with children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal guardians, pregnant women, and people trying to get custody of children under 18), there is an […]
Pros and Cons of Active Adult Communities
The terms “55-plus community,” “active adult community,” “lifestyle communities” and “planned communities” refer to a setting that caters to the needs and preferences of adults over the age of 55. These communities are designed for seniors who are able to care for themselves but may be looking to downsize to a community with others their […]
Crestwood senior condo residents say some mess has been cleaned up, other issues have emerged (IL)
Residents say the owner of Crestpoint Condominium complex in Crestwood started making some improvements after the I-Team story first aired a story in October about an unfinished road and an ongoing, messy construction site. However, they say the changes are not enough and a new problem has emerged. Read the article………………………………
Saco retirement development plagued by problems, some residents say (ME)
More than half the homeowners at The Cottages at Pine Meadow have complained to the attorney general’s office but have not gotten any recourse. The developer and builder, meanwhile, deny the claims and have criticized the owners. Read the article………………………..
Developing HOA Policies to Protect Older Adults
It’s natural for community association board members and managers to be concerned for residents who start displaying signs of failing health, confusion, hoarding, and other erratic behaviors. Read the article………………………
Saving Lives in Your Community Association: Defibrillators (AEDs), Bleeding Control Kits (BCKs), and CERTs
Does your community association have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or a Bleeding Control Kit (BCK) on hand in the worst-case scenario and do you have trained people on hand to use these devices? Do you have a gym, pickleball/tennis courts, and other recreational amenities where a cardiac event may be more likely? Listen to […]
Delaware developer agrees to pay $225K to settle fraud, consumer deception charges (DE)
A 55+ community developer has agreed to pay $225,000 to settle claims that it misled residents of a Kent County neighborhood, forcing homebuyers to enter into confusing contracts and failing to disclose key information. Read the article…………………………
Seashore Point Residents Sue Owner, Claiming Fraud and Abuse (MA)
But for the last two years, he’s been locked in a conflict with Pointe Group Care, the for-profit owner of Seashore Point, about what services it provides residents and at what cost. In 2019, the group and its subsidiary, Provincetown Holding Company, purchased the property, along with the attached nursing facility, AdviniaCare at Seashore Point, […]
5 Joys And Challenges Of Living In 55-Plus Communities
Life in a 55+ community is not for everyone, and it is important to understand that these communities vary widely, and your experience may be very different from ours. But if you are intrigued by the idea, here are what we have found to be five joys and challenges of life in communities for older […]
Unlocking the Vibrancy of Your Community with Lifestyle Programming
In the realm of community association living, a growing trend is transforming residential landscapes, making neighborhoods more vibrant and connected than ever before. It’s called lifestyle programming and is not exclusively for 55+ communities anymore. Read the article…………………………….
Real Estate Matters: Communication could be the key to preventing unintentional damage caused by aging residents in high-rise
Q: We live in an upscale condo high-rise building. We have a sizable group of aging residents who cause damage to surrounding units and common areas. Sometimes they forget to turn off the water to their bathtubs or sinks. Other times, they don’t notice leaking ice maker lines or other water issues. Many are in […]
High Carbon Monoxide Levels Prompt Evacuation Of 55-Plus Condos (PA)
A carbon monoxide detector went off in one unit and PECO came out. A PECO crew member found several units with higher-than-normal carbon monoxide levels, which prompted firefighters to respond, Farry said. Read the article………………………..
Illinois Legislature Approves New Temperature Requirements for 55-And-Over Communities: What do Illinois Community Associations Need to Know?
The Illinois legislature recently approved amendments to the Illinois Condominium Property Act (“ICPA”) and Common Interest Community Association Act (“CICAA”) to impose certain temperature control requirements for condominium and community associations “in which the initial declaration limits ownership, rental, or occupancy of a unit to a person 55 years of age or older.” Read the […]
Singer Bill that Would Protect Senior Citizens Living in Retirement Communities Clears Committee (NJ)
Legislation sponsored by Senator Robert Singer that would prohibit common interest communities, such as condominium associations, from penalizing members who place a unit into a living, revocable trust fund was approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.
HOA Q&A: Can people not 55 live in a 55-and-over community? (FL)
Q: I live in a 55-and-older co-op and there is a home here that the person who owned it passed and her daughter took the home over. She has since moved in with her sister, her sister’s friend and her boyfriend who are not 55. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Simmons pushes to require air conditioning and heating for older residents (IL)
To ensure property owners who limit rental, ownership or occupancy to people ages 55 and up have ample heating and cooling, State Senator Mike Simmons advanced a House bill out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Read the article………………………..
This Vancouver couple wants to have a baby. But their condo building may soon have a 55+ age limit (BC)
Kalina Malowany and her husband were thrilled to think they could finally have a baby in the condo they have lived in for the last five years. The building they bought into, located in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighborhood, previously required that all residents be 19 years or older, meaning kids were out of the question. Read […]
Woman stole $175K from N.J. senior community, prosecutors allege
Alicia K. Campbell, 35, of Mays Landing, faces charges of theft, financial facilitation, forgery, falsifying records and credit card fraud, as a result of an investigation into her alleged activities while serving as the Lifestyle Director of Greenbriar Oceanaire Community & Golf Course in Waretown, officials said Read the article………………………..
Deer In Senior Communities A Nuisance (NJ)
Residents of the senior communities move there for the quiet and serenity. That’s what deer like about it, too. And they were there first. Read the article………………………..
When can younger people live in 55-and-over communities? Expert weighs in (FL)
Question: Just over a year ago I moved into a 55-and-over community. I recently discovered in their HOA rules that the developer reserves the right to sell a limited number of homes to those under 55, but in accordance with Housing for Older Persons rules. We already allow a second person living in the house […]
Cherry Lane Towers votes to go 55-plus (BC)
At a special meeting Wednesday night, owners of 252 units in Cherry Lane Towers voted 87% in favour of imposing a 55-plus age requirement, according to a strata council representative. Read the article………………………..
SCHOA in Sun City working toward ordinance change: Editorial (AZ)
This year Sun City Home Owners Association has dealt with two homeowners having underage children in their homes who went around us and our covenants, conditions and restrictions seeking a temporary occupancy permit through Maricopa County to allow them to remain in their homes. Read the article………………………..
Windsor Council balks at relief for 55-plus housing community roads (CT)
Residents spoke both in favor and against the idea of the town providing financial relief for residents of age-restricted private communities, because they pay the same property tax rate as other residents, yet also pay for services including snow plowing, street maintenance, and street lights, via their homeowners’ association fees. Read the article………………………..
‘It’s paralyzing:’ Neighbors in Stark Co. retirement community blast new owners for doubling HOA fee (OH)
Neighbors in a Stark County retirement community worry rising costs are making their homes unaffordable. Navarre Village residents told News 5 they weren’t given notice the neighborhood’s homeowners association fees would more than double under new ownership. Read the article………………………..
What Is a HOPA Community? How Can 55+ Condo Associations Avoid Violating The Fair Housing Act? (MI)
The Fair Housing Act, 42 USC 3601 et seq. (“FHA”), prohibits discrimination in housing based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin. Persons protected by the Fair Housing Act based on their familial status include: Read the article………………………..
Virginia Supreme Court denies hearing condo owners’ appeal challenging expansion of VB senior living community
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied hearing an appeal from condo owners attempting to halt the expansion of a retirement community in Virginia Beach. In a statement issued Tuesday, the Court stated that “there is no reversible error” regarding the previous judgment regarding the Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay. Read the article………………………..
New Bills Worry Senior Communities (NJ)
Assembly Bill A4377, proposed by Assemblywoman Carol Murphy (District 7 Burlington), which is applicable to communities with over 100 units, seeks to impose an annual tax on all state condominiums, cooperatives and homes within homeowner associations, at approximately $3 per unit. Read the article………………………..
Officials Oppose “Trenton’s Control” Of Senior Communities (NJ)
The mayor and council of Berkeley Township are speaking out against state bill A4377, which they said would take control over common interest communities, including senior communities. Berkeley’s governing body members believe that the bill, which if passed would grant New Jersey’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA) administrative oversight over common interest developments, sets unnecessary […]
Rules for Age-Restricted Communities (NC)
Q: I live in a subdivision that was marketed as a 55+ community, but I cannot determine that the developer included any age restrictions in our Master Deed. If the developer did not include the “legal” requirements in the Master Deed or our CC&Rs, what can be done to be sure that our development meets […]
Bill Would Change 55+ Rule For Senior Communities (NJ)
Another version of a bill has been introduced into the current session of the state legislature that some say could slowly break down the concept of senior communities. The bill will allow any property owner in a senior community to “transfer property without regard to age of buyer.” However, the person who lives in that […]
Retirees, A Healthy Condo Has a Flush Reserve Fund
Champlain Tower South in Surfside, Fla., was in dire need of repairs when the 40-year-old building partially collapsed in June 2021, killing 98 people. In 2018, an engineer’s report identified significant structural damage, and a tentatively settled class action lawsuit alleges that work on a nearby building destabilized the Champlain structure. But there’s another culprit: […]
Hinsdale Officials Want Age Rule For Condos (IL)
Hinsdale officials want proposed condos in an old private school to be age-restricted – in other words, for those 55 and older. Read the article………………………..
Board service presents challenges in community for older persons (FL)
Q: This is the second senior condominium I have owned and in which I have resided during the past 16 years. I have faced the same impending issue in both, that being extreme difficulty finding enough qualified people both willing and able to run the community. Read the Q&A……………………………….
How seniors of this Warminster condo complex are preparing for life with no elevators (PA)
Centennial Station resident Estelle Samburg is stocking up, as much as she can manage, on canned food, dry groceries and other household goods, as if preparing for an incoming mega-storm or some other nature-induced calamity. Read the entire article……………………………….
Bucks County 55+ Condo Residents ‘Having To Live Like Shut-Ins’ As Only Elevator Shut Down For Repairs (PA)
Residents in a Bucks County 55+ condo community say some have been left stranded. It happened after management announced their one elevator would be shut down for weeks due to some major upgrades. Read the entire article……………………………….
Housing for older person restrictions should be enforced through legal action (FL)
Q: A friend lives in a 55+ deed-restricted community. The HOA there is not mandatory – so if you choose not to join the HOA, you cannot use the community pool or clubhouse, tennis courts, etc. Lately it is apparent they are not enforcing the 55+ status of the community, and several homes are being […]
‘Matter of life and death:’ How will senior navigate four-story Warminster condo complex with no elevator? (PA)
Two years ago, Pat Boyle sold her home and downsized into a condo at Centennial Station, a 55-plus community in Warminster, in part because it promised to be easier for her to get around. Read the entire article……………………………….
‘Men Only’: Retirement community bans experienced female player from softball league (GA)
Residents can play tennis, bocce, even croquet, but when it comes to softball, there is one league, seven teams, and all the players are men as old as 80- and 90-years-old. Evans could practice with the team, but is not allowed to play in league games. After CBS46 started asking questions, the Deaton Creek’s softball […]
Seniors forced to take five flights of stairs after elevator breaks down in St. Pete condo building (FL)
For 82-year-old Marion Boyle, getting out of the house is a struggle. She lives on the fifth floor of the Emory building at Five Towns Condominiums in St. Petersburg, and she told ABC Action News in December, “I almost fell the other day taking the laundry down when my foot caught on the end of […]
Some residents of senior living community fear mask rules not strict enough (CA)
Some residents of a senior living community fear its current clubhouse rules on face coverings aren’t safe enough for its higher-risk population. Ocean Hills Country Club resident Jody Gorran was dismayed to hear that his homeowners’ association board had decided to not make universal mask-wearing required inside of its community clubhouse and other facilities in […]
Florida Building Collapse Highlights Serious Challenges Facing Condo Board
The collapse of Champlain Towers South near Miami, built in 1981, has made owners and buyers nervous. The dream of living near the ocean has been interrupted by the fear that some buildings might not be safe, and that owners’ investments could be in danger. It also highlights the problems that condo, community, and home […]
How to Check Out the Safety of a Retirement Condo Building
We are all horrified about the Surfside, Fla. condo collapse, and our hearts go out to families and friends of the victims. This type of tragedy is, thankfully, uncommon, but does bring up an important question: How can you know if your retirement condo building is safe and the ways to evacuate in an emergency? […]
Senior Clubhouses Can Reopen (NJ)
This had been an issue since the start of the pandemic. Pools, clubhouses, and other amenities were closed to the public. At first, it was a safety issue. Homeowner associations didn’t have the staff to wipe down every surface or to police the area to keep people wearing masks and socially distancing. Read the entire article……………………………….