When it comes to planning for the future, making sure your health care and financial decisions are handled the way you want—even if you can't speak for yourself—is a big deal. Three key documents can help: a living will, a health care directive, and a durable power of...
Corene C. Ford
Why Did I Get a Late Charge When I Paid On Time? – Payment Application
Each week, we have a condominium co-owner, homeowners association member, or tenant ask a question such as, “Why did I get a late charge when I paid on time?” or “Why do I get a late charge every month when I am paying? The answer is that the account is carrying a...
Corporate Transparency Act Updates – The Continuing Whiplash
UPDATE: 3/2/25 "The Treasury Department is announcing today that, with respect to the Corporate Transparency Act, not only will it not enforce any penalties or fines associated with the beneficial ownership information reporting rule under the existing regulatory...
Handling Document Requests from Members of Residential Associations
Residential association managers and directors should bear in mind that association members (co-owners or homeowners) will always have some rights to review Association records. These requests can sometimes seem burdensome, but, given the unique and complex...
Understanding Short-Term Rentals in Condos and HOAs in Michigan
The growing popularity of short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO has sparked significant interest among property owners, as well as concern among homeowners' associations (HOAs) and condominium associations. In Michigan, the regulation of short-term rentals...
Michigan’s House Bill 5028’s Applicability to Condo Associations is Questionable
On July 8, 2024, Michigan’s governor signed House Bill 5028 into law. Section 5(1) of HB 5028 invalidates provisions in a “homeowners’ association agreement” that do any of the following: (a) A provision that prohibits, or requires the approval of a homeowners’...
The Dangers of Frivolity in Civil Cases: The Consequences of Filing a Frivolous Lawsuit or Asserting Frivolous Defenses
On more than one occasion, I have had clients say things akin to “well, can’t we just sue them and see what happens?” or “what if we just say that he/she did this, then they can’t win their case, right?” The answer to both of these questions is “no.” It’s my job as an...
Federal District Court Rules Corporate Transparency Act Unconstitutional: What Impact does this have on Residential Associations?
Regular readers of the Tilchin & Hall Law Blog will already be familiar with the federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) from Corene Ford’s December 2023 post on the CTA and its impact on residential associations. To briefly recap, the CTA, with its stated goal...
The Crucial Importance of Estate Planning
Estate planning is not just for the rich or the elderly; it is an important part of being financially responsible and taking care of your loved ones. However, it is often an issue that is avoided or ignored until it is too late. Estate planning should be a priority...
Maximizing the Chances of Success of Your Community in Light of the Latest Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Lending Guidelines for Condominiums and Cooperatives
Shortly after the collapse of the Champlain Towers Condominium in Surfside, Florida in 2021, Fannie Mae (“Fannie”) and Freddie Mac (“Freddie”), the government-sponsored entities which support the secondary mortgage market in the US and wield enormous power over...