Q & A

Q What common fair housing problems arise from community rules?

A In general, community rules trigger fair housing problems in one of two ways—either the rules are enforced unfairly or the rules themselves are unfair.

Q Must an association grant a parking request as a reasonable accommodation when the member hasn't paid his condo fees?

A No, according to a New Jersey court, which ruled in a recent case that the member's parking accommodation request was not reasonable.

Q A disabled member asked the board to allow his car to be permanently parked in a guest parking space as a reasonable accommodation, after the board asked him to remove the car. The car has not been moved in two years. It has an expired inspection sticker and is, therefore, inoperable. Under the reasonable accommodation provisions of the Fair Housing Act (FHA), are we required to grant him this request?

Q  I manage a 55-and-older-designated adult community. There has been recent concern that we may not meet the Fair Housing Act limits to maintain our age-restricted designation. Can our association pass a rule that no one under 55 years of age may live in it? If not, can we adhere to the requirement that 80 percent of occupied units are occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older by passing a rule that says that those 20 percent of units without a 55+ person must be occupied by relatives of a deceased over-55 owner?

Q  I am a member of a community association, and I would like to organize a neighborhood watch program to help prevent crime in the community. My husband is the president of the board of directors. I am worried about liability issues the association might incur as a result of my husband's relationship with the board. Will there be a conflict of interest with my husband's role as board president? Can I organize a neighborhood watch program without the association incurring any additional liability?

Q  Over the years, we have had issues with association members who have made modifications to their homes without obtaining the necessary approval from the association. Also, as a result, suspicious members regularly make calls to the management office to ask if particular neighbors have been granted approval by the architectural review committee for whatever project the neighbor happens to be working on. Can you recommend any efficient way to put association members on notice of approved projects in the community?

Q There have been problems with children spray painting and otherwise vandalizing buildings at night in the community that I manage. To stop the graffiti and vandalism, I'd like to propose a curfew and prohibit children under the age of 16 from being outside after 10 p.m., unless accompanied by an adult. Is this legal?

Q Is it true that the vice president of the executive board often chairs the architectural review committee? Could you provide any pros and cons of having a board member serve as a committee chair?

Q Due to a leaking roof, rainwater entered the building and caused damage to a condo member's unit. As is typical, the master deed of our condo association requires the association to maintain the roof and other common elements, and requires condo members to maintain the interior of the units.

Q I am the treasurer of a condominium association. I am concerned about how the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act may affect the safety of our association's accounts with banks. Our association collects monthly maintenance payments from members and deposits the funds into three accounts that are used for operating expenses, security deposits, and large-project reserves. Please explain how our accounts might be affected by the act.