Grand Rapids Homeowners Association Lawyer

An experienced condo and homeowners association (HOA) lawyer is vital to any condominium and HOA in Grand Rapids. HOAs and condominium associations regularly encounter various legal issues, including amending HOA covenants, HOA collections, enforcement of HOA rules, contractual disputes, developer turnover issues and Fair Housing Act compliance. While each case is unique with a range of various circumstances, all necessitate the services of a skilled Grand Rapids condominium and HOA lawyer.

If you represent a Grand Rapids condominium or homeowners association, don’t try to handle these complex practices independently. Retain an experienced Grand Rapids condo and HOA lawyer at Hirzel Law, PLC, so you can be confident knowing we will manage each legal battle with your best interests in mind. Our award-winning Grand Rapids condominium and HOA attorneys are seasoned in all legal matters involving condo and homeowners association legal issues with our extensive knowledge of Michigan’s condo and HOA laws.

Why Should I Hire a Grand Rapids Condo/HOA Attorney?

Legal problems can arise when coordinating and contracting with owners, renters, or vendors. That is why working with experienced HOA attorneys, such as Hirzel Law, is invaluable. Hirzel Law serves as a trusted advisor and educator on intricate condo and HOA legal matters.

Legal Assistance for Grand Rapids Condominium Law Matters

Condominium associations regularly deal with legal issues that involve the professional knowledge of an experienced legal team. At Hirzel Law, our Grand Rapids condo attorneys have devoted their careers to helping condominium associations manage various legal issues while staying compliant with the Michigan Condominium Act. Retaining the services of a Grand Rapids condominium attorney is instrumental to condo associations in many ways, including:

HOA Collections

Grand Rapids homeowners associations heavily depend on collecting HOA dues from property owners to afford essential services and operations. Whenever an owner neglects to pay an HOA assessment, the other owners are wrongfully forced to shoulder the HOA’s operating costs. At Hirzel Law, our Grand Rapids condominium and HOA lawyers can help your HOA collect unpaid HOA dues in a straightforward and efficient manner.

When your Grand Rapids homeowners associations needs knowledgeable legal counsel on collection matters, our attorneys at Hirzel Law provide invaluable support by:

Drafting demand letters
Recording HOA liens for unpaid HOA assessments
Analyzing HOA Lien priority issues
Foreclosing HOA Liens
Filing lawsuits to obtain money judgments
Collecting judgments
Representing homeowners associations in bankruptcy or probate proceedings

HOA Attorney Fees & Costs Recovery

In most cases, the HOA can recoup the HOA lawyer’s costs and fees from the collection process. Keeping in mind that reasonable attorney’s fees and other costs are added onto the unpaid dues that are to be paid by the delinquent owner, Grand Rapids homeowners associations do not have a reason for neglecting to take legal action to collect unpaid HOA dues.

HOA & Condominium Contracts

Grand Rapids condominium associations and HOAs often enter into contractual agreements for services essential to managing the condo association and HOA. These frequently include issues relating to:

Construction
Cable and internet service
Insurance
Landscaping
Maintenance
Modification agreement
Professional property management
Repairs
Snow plowing

Bear in mind that an experienced lawyer should write most condo association and HOA contracts and evaluate major agreements to protect the condo and HOA’s interests. When you retain Hirzel Law, you can depend on our lawyers remedying any problems that arise should a vendor breach their contract with your condominium or homeowners association.

Developer Liability

Hirzel Law’s condominium and HOA attorneys frequently represent condo associations when developers transition control of the condominium association to the co-owners. Additionally, Hirzel Law represents condo associations in matters pertaining to successor developers when they take control of the original developer or attempt to re-develop an unfinished condominium project.

Our Grand Rapids condo lawyers aid condominium associations with numerous issues concerning developers and successor developers, such as:

Calling the first annual meeting to elect co-owner directors
Construction defect litigation
Contract review
Financial audits and reviews
Failing to pay dues and proportionate share of expenses
Fraud and misrepresentation claims
Unlawful contraction of a condominium
Unauthorized expansion of a condominium
Elimination of “need not be built” units under MCL 559.167
Recreational facilities
Reserve funding
Warranty claims

Grand Rapids Condo Association Elections & Meetings

Michigan Condominium Lawyers for Condo Collections Meeting and elections are crucial in an effectively managed condo association. Hirzel Law’s condo and HOA attorneys understand the appropriate procedures associated with the management board meetings, annual meetings, and special meetings. We frequently attend condo association meetings, and our aptitude ranges from issue-specific sessions to managing the entire meeting.

We represent our condominium association clients and manage the following issues relating to meetings:

Agendas
Obtaining Co-Owner Consent to electronic notice
Counting ballots
Officer qualifications
Drafting meeting notices
Drafting proxies
Director qualifications
Electing directors
Establishing quorum
Meeting minutes
Mortgagee voting
Designation of voting representatives
Remote participation
Robert’s Rules of Order
Voter eligibility
Voting outside of a meeting

HOA Insurance Coverage

Grand Rapids condo associations have numerous insurance policies that usually cover:

Fires
Vandalism
General liability
Workers’ compensation
Crime or Fidelity bond coverage
Directors’ and officers’ insurance

Insurance companies in Grand Rapids commonly dispute whether claims are covered under an HOA insurance policy or deny the claim altogether. Similarly, if the Michigan condominium bylaws are unclear, disagreements can arise between the HOA’s insurance carrier and the insurance carrier for a co-owner that provides an HO-6 policy.

The Grand Rapids condo lawyers at Hirzel Law have helped many condo associations navigate the insurance claims procedure. Whether that requires filing actions for breach of contract or declaratory relief when insurance claims have been unreasonably denied, our HOA clients can depend on us to represent their best interests no matter what challenges insurance companies present.

HOA Opinion Letters

Condominium associations and HOAs often require legal counsel interpreting the master deed, condo bylaws, Michigan state law, or federal law. Hirzel Law’s condo and HOA lawyers regularly deliver opinion letters to HOAs and condo associations concerning the following matters:

Amending condo documents
Board authority
Bylaw enforcement
Co-owner liability
Developer liability
Fair Housing Act compliance
Insurance claims
Maintenance responsibilities
Michigan Condominium Act compliance
Nonprofit Corporation Act compliance
OTARD/FCC antenna rules
Voting requirements

Condo Association Rules & Regulations

Condo associations in Grand Rapids are permitted to execute reasonable HOA rules to apply the condo bylaws. In most cases, the board of directors can implement HOA rules and regulations without the co-owner’s vote. Hirzel Law’s Grand Rapids condo and HOA lawyers draft standard rules and regulations for condominium associations, including:

Architectural control procedures
Bylaw enforcement policies
Board of directors codes of conduct
Clubhouse rules
Collection policies
Fair Housing Act accommodation policies
Fine procedures
Maintenance matrixes
Modification request procedures
Parking rules
Pet policies
Pool rules
Recreational facilities usage policies
Satellite dish/antenna rules

Obtain Ongoing Legal Aid with a Premium Service Plan for Grand Rapids HOA & Condo Associations

Condominium associations and HOAs require legal services all year long. For that reason, Hirzel Law offers a Premium Service Plan for Grand Rapids condo associations and homeowners associations to provide further resources for our clients to duly manage their community associations. Our Premium Service Plan includes the following benefits for an annual fee:

Preparation of a Condominium or HOA Report Card to evaluate your governing documents
Review of any HOA Board Meeting minutes
Access to our online library of standardized condo and HOA forms
Access to our online collection portal to view the current status of your HOA collections
Attendance for all board members to ask general questions
Attendance for all board members at Hirzel Law webinars that are presented throughout the year
Hirzel Law will serve as the Resident Agent for the condo or HOA upon request of the board

Contact an Experienced Grand Rapids Condominium & HOA Lawyer Today

Condominium and HOA lawyers play an essential role in Grand Rapids community associations. At Hirzel Law, PLC, we know the challenges that condominium and homeowners associations deal with when met with complicated HOA legal affairs. We strongly advise that your condominium or HOA retain the services of an experienced HOA attorney to counsel your community association to resolve any disputes as they occur proactively.

We are here to help condo associations and HOA boards understand and stay in compliance with Michigan and federal law. Our ability to remain on the verge of community association and real estate law has won our firm various awards from Best Lawyers, the Community Association Institute’s College of Community Association Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, Michigan Top Lawyers, and Super Lawyers. Our Grand Rapids condo association and HOA attorneys have earned a reputation for highly responsive customer service and client education.

Let the award-winning condo and HOA lawyers at Hirzel Law handle the challenging legal matters for you. Talk to an experienced Grand Rapids HOA attorney about your situation today by completing a contact form or calling 248-986-2290.