Property Managers

April 17, 2025

Enforcing HOA Rules in Illinois: Are Unrecorded Regulations Valid?

In community associations, there is often a tension between a property owner’s desire to keep and maintain their lot in the manner that they see fit and the community’s desire, acting through a community association, to preserve a common set of community standards and expectations. In 2019, the Illinois Court of Appeals provided significant guidance to communities in Illinois in…
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March 13, 2025

Illinois Appellate Court Decision Demonstrates Illinois Condominium Associations Must Follow Strict Legal Procedures for Board Meetings, Voting, and Governance

Illinois condominium boards often overlook minor procedural details—until a lawsuit forces costly reversals. A recent Illinois appellate court case underscores why compliance with governing documents is critical to avoid legal trouble. In Gunnison Commons, LLC v. Alvarez, 2024 IL App (1st) 232176 (2024), an Illinois appellate court reinforced the importance of following condominium declaration requirements when amending governing documents and…
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March 6, 2025

Emotional Support Animals: Balancing Reasonable Accommodations and Access Restrictions

Navigating the complexities of reviewing and responding to requests for an emotional support animal can be challenging enough but the difficulty in responding to the requests can be further heightened in community associations that prohibit certain animals or prohibit the presence of animals altogether. How can a community association respond to a request for an emotional support animal while also…
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February 27, 2025

Illinois Court Rules Cumulative Late Fees in Condo Associations Are Unenforceable

Assessments are a community association’s lifeblood, and community associations should ensure that they are timely receiving assessments from owners. Generally, community associations will levy late fees on owners who fail to timely pay their assessments. However, Hidden Grove Condo. Ass’n v. Crooks, 318 Ill. App. 3d 945, 744 N.E.2d 305 (3d Dist. 2001), is an Illinois appellate court case that…
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February 24, 2025

Federal Court Reinstates Corporate Transparency Act Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements and Deadline Extended by FinCEN

On December 3, 2024, a federal court in Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction in Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc v Garland, No. 4:24-CV-478, 2024 WL 4953814, at *37 (ED Tex, December 3, 2024), temporarily halting the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act. Unfortunately for community associations, the Fifth Circuit delivered a lump of coal just two days before the…
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February 20, 2025

Illinois Court Rules Condominium Declaration and Zoning Ordinance Prohibiting Short-Term Rentals Are Enforceable

In the past few years, there has been a rise in issues with owners, condominium associations, and short-term renters. The Seventh Circuit’s decision in Mogan v. City of Chicago, 115 F.4th 841 (7th Cir. 2024) has significant implications for condominium associations and their ability to regulate short-term rentals within their communities. The court’s ruling not only reaffirms the authority of…
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