Effective September 18, 2023, some updates were made to the eligibility criteria for condominium and cooperative projects by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Known formally as the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage...
Blog
The Impact of the Corporate Transparency Act on Condominium Associations, Homeowners Associations, and Management Companies
Update as of December 23, 2024: Please see this article regarding the latest developments in litigation over the CTA. In a world where transparency and accountability have become paramount in both public and private sectors, the U.S. government has taken significant...
New Proposed Michigan Bill Will Require Condominiums Conduct Reserve Studies
By Amy M. Smith and Todd J. Skowronski HB 5019 is a new bill pending in the Michigan House that will require condominium associations in the state to conduct periodic reserve studies to help plan for future repairs and replacements. The Community Associations...
HB 5028: Solar Energy Bill and Michigan’s Community Associations
By Amy M. Smith, MAGWV Partner Updated November 16, 2023 The Homeowners' Energy Policy Act was recently introduced in the Michigan State Legislature as HB 5028. The House of Representatives has narrowly approved the bill by a vote of 56-54. It will now move on to a...
How to Deal With the Rogue Board Member
The Board of Directors is charged with making the important decisions of the association. Whether it’s hiring a management company to deal with the day-to-day affairs of the association or making the tough decision to pass an additional assessment to cover the cost...
Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers
Managing Partner Stephen M. Guerra has been selected to the 2023 Michigan Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than 5% of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Additionally, attorney Evan M. Alexander has...
Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers®
We are proud to announce that six of the firm's attorneys have received recognition in the 2024 editions of Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. (The year in parenthesis is the first edition year the lawyer was recognized by Best...
Mastering Condo Maintenance: Why Legal Guidance is Key for Crafting a Responsibility Matrix
A responsibility matrix is a summary of association and co-owner responsibilities for maintenance, repair, and replacement of the condominium common elements and units. Because condominium master deeds, even when clearly drafted, can be complicated and often...
Reconsidering the “Open and Obvious” Doctrine: Implications of the Michigan Supreme Court’s Landmark Decision
In a significant ruling that affects property owners throughout the state, including Michigan’s community associations, the Michigan Supreme Court substantially altered premises liability law. On July 28, 2023, the Court ruled in the cases of Kandil-Elsayed v. F &...
Free Webinar – How Your Bylaw Provisions Impact Your Bottom Line
How Your Bylaw Provisions Impact Your Bottom Line Review the recording of our MAGWV Webinar from July 2023 Not all governing documents are created equal! Learn from MAGWV attorneys how different bylaw provisions will result in your community association risking or...
Your Accountant Wants You to Know About Section 57 of the Condo Act
Condominium associations with annual revenues exceeding $20,000.00 should take specific note that Section 57(2) of the Michigan Condominium Act provides that an independent certified public accountant must perform an annual review or audit of the association’s...
Delayed Decisions on Accommodation Requests Lead to Trouble
A recent federal court decision in U.S. v. The Dorchester Owners Association, No. 20-1396 (E.D. Penn. Jan. 25, 2023), is instructive as to how boards of directors can put their associations at risk when they fail to make timely final decisions on accommodation...