Does our Board have rulemaking authority? In Michigan, a condominium association Board has the implicit authority to enact reasonable rules and regulations regarding the condominium. Generally speaking, this authority is quite broad and unless otherwise specified in...
Whether its excitement over new technology or a desire to discourage criminal activity, the demand for smart doorbells continues to grow. With these devices, someone is virtually always home and can easily respond to the delivery person, scare off a porch pirate or...
In January 2019, Michigan’s first electric vehicle charging infrastructure program was approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). The Consumers Energy PowerMiDrive initiative includes a $10 million, three-year pilot program to support installations of...
The legalization of marijuana in Michigan concurrently provides a framework for its regulation and control. Association boards will be able to look to the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (“MRTMA”) (MCL 333.27951 et seq.), and the regulatory scheme...
Community association directors and officers sometimes feel as if they’re required to wear many hats. In the course of any given time span, a director may need to make decisions that touch on the realm of expertise of reserve consultants (what are the useful remaining...
The management and administration of a community association is the operation of a business. Email is likely an essential component of conducting association business. Email is quick and creates a record of the issues discussed by the Directors and the decisions they...
Assessments are the means by which all associations operate, and assessments provide the necessary income to maintain and enhance a community's assets to protect and maximize unit values. When assessment levels get too high, the very assessments that are essential to...
What "Turnover" Is Before we get to the definition of "turnover," some background information is necessary. Most Michigan condominium associations are formed by the project developer at, or shortly after, the time the master deed is first recorded. Most associations...
One of the primary functions of a condominium's governing documents is to establish the respective responsibilities of the association and the co-owners for maintaining, repairing and insuring everything located within the project. During the early days of condominium...
It's a condition that affects between three and five percent of all Americans, both men and women. With an aging baby boomer generation, experts predict that the problem is only going to get worse. It’s called hoarding and for condominium associations, particularly...
Delinquent assessments are unfortunately a frequent and practically universal problem for condominium associations. The collection of delinquent assessments is essential to the viability of any condominium association; however, these collection efforts can become...
When people think of Michigan's No-Fault Insurance Act ('Act'), their mind is likely drawn to thoughts of a roadside automobile accident. But what if an automobile damages subdivision common areas or condominium common elements? Under State law, drivers are required...