J.B. from New London County, Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
My condo has 42 units. We have a few owners that own multiple units. Can we cap the number of units purchased by the owner or relatives? This could be a problem on voting. There is nothing in the bylaws and rules to prevent this. What can we do?
Mister Condo replies:
J.B., there isn’t too much you can do nor should you try to prevent any owner from purchasing as that would likely violate federal Fair Housing laws and you don’t want to do that! If units are being purchased and leased you may be able to establish a rental cap, limiting the number of units that can be rented. However, you need to follow the rules for passing such a restriction according to your governing documents and state and federal laws. One of the things that comes with unit ownership is voting privileges. As in most democratic institutions, the right to vote is essential to owners having a say in how the association is governed. You cannot and should not try to suppress that right in any way. All the best!