CAI Calls on HUD to Clarify Emotional Support Animals
Assistance animals are not pets. Federal, state, and local fair housing laws require that community associations accommodate residents who have a disability-related need for an assistance animal, including emotional support animals. Fraudulently claiming a pet as an assistance animal demeans fair housing rights, violates the rights of other community residents, and can lead to legal troubles.
CAI Adopts Policies on Sustainable Landscape Practices and Fair Debt Collections
The CAI Board of Trustees approved two new public policies at the CAI Annual Conference and Exposition in Orlando: one on sustainable landscape practices and another on fair debt collections.
The Latest on Short-Term Rental Litigation and Legislation
The sharing economy phenomenon and use of online platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, which facilitate short-term rentals, have significantly transformed the dynamics of renting property. The popularity of Airbnb and VRBO has created a unique housing market where short-term rentals provide considerable income for some community association owners, particularly those in vacation destination and resort areas. Community association owners, therefore, must determine what short-term rental policy is appropriate for their community.
Pool Rules & Discrimination
A federal court has struck down, another restrictive pool use rule. On April 22, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held that the A Country Place Condominiums in New Jersey violated the Fair Housing Act by implementing pool rules for male and female only swim times.
17 States Down, 33 To Go
By the end of this month, 17 state legislatures will have adjourned. This year has proven to be an interesting one for many industries. Freshman legislators made up a large portion of lawmakers in many states after last fall’s election cycle, and many of CAI’s legislative action committees grappled with losing former legislators who “championed” community association issues.
Playing Music or Movies at your Community Event or in Your Community Pool or Workout Room?
As a community association board member and community manager, it is important you know restrictions that may apply to your community related to playing music and movies before you are held liable in a court of law. A basic understanding of copyright law may help community associations assess their potential liability and develop appropriate compliance strategies and best practices.
U.S. Supreme Court narrowly interprets “debt collector” under FDCPA
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously on March 20 that law firms conducting nonjudicial foreclosures, or foreclosures outside of the court system, are not generally considered debt collectors under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The decision in...
2019 Department of Labor – Proposed Overtime Rule Released for Public Comment
On March 7, The U.S. Department of Labor released a long-awaited proposed rule to address the salary threshold and other requirements related to implementing the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for executive, administrative, and professional employees. The new proposed salary threshold is $35,308. In other words, employees who earn less than $35,308 annually would be automatically eligible for time-and-a-half pay for all hours worked beyond a 40-hour work week, according to Bloomberg.
Celebrating International Women’s Day
Balance is not just a women’s issue, it’s a business and community issue. This is the 2019 International Women’s Day campaign theme. Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive. The Community Associations Institute government affairs team is...
Condominium Assessments and Bankruptcy: What Can Associations Collect?
Courts across the nation are split on whether post-petition community association assessments constitute dischargeable debts under Chapter 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. To make matters worse, in November, the Supreme Court denied a petition to review the issue, leaving the community association industry wondering if the existing dispute among the courts will ever have a concise national remedy.
