Is Your Condominium Ready for the Legalization of Recreational Marijuana?

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Written by Alexa Jackson

Category: What We're Thinking About Lately...

Published: 05 August 2019

Governor Pritzker has signed legislation that will legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Illinois starting January 1, 2020.

This legislation amends the Illinois Condominium Property Act by addressing the ability of condominiums to regulate the smoking and consumption of cannabis.

Condominiums can prohibit or limit the smoking of cannabis, but they are not allowed to otherwise restrict the consumption of cannabis by any other method.

Second hand marijuana smoke will likely  increase “nuisance” complaints from residents. Associations should be proactive in considering and addressing these complaints.

Associations should consider the following to be proactive:

1. Adopt an amendment to prohibit the smoking of tobacco and cannabis on the property
2. Adopt an amendment to restrict consumption of cannabis by other methods in common areas
3. Adopt rules to address secondhand marijuana smoke

Read more here.

How to Deal with Noise in your Condo

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Written by Alexa Jackson

Category: What We're Thinking About Lately...

Published: 29 July 2019

Living in close proximity to others means that noise is an inevitable reality of condo living.

However, there are ways to control noise and foster a peaceful condo environment. Here are some things to keep in mind to reduce or control noise in your condo unit:

1. If you are installing hard flooring such as wood, ceramic, or stone tiling, be sure to first install a sound barrier to reduce noice.
2. If you are mounting a television, make sure it is an interior wall instead of a wall you share with neighbors.
3. Be mindful of the time and day that you are making noise or having construction done in your unit to be considerate of others.

To learn more, click here.

Are Your HOA Rules Reasonable?

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Written by Alexa Jackson

Category: What We're Thinking About Lately...

Published: 22 July 2019

Rules and regulations allow associations to maintain property values and protect the quality of life of residents. However, many associations have rules that are unnecessarily complicated, difficult to enforce, or violate laws.

An association’s rules and regulations should be:

1. Reasonable
2. Consistent with laws and governing documents
3. Formulated with community input
4. Put in writing
5. Distributed periodically
6. Unambiguous
7. Easy to follow
8. Only developed if necessary
9. Enforced uniformly
10. Used to educate owners about what they should do instead of what they shouldn’t do.

It's always a good idea to have your Rules & Regulations reviewed by a condo/community association attorney before approving. To learn more, click here.

2018 Tax Bills Are Out. What Should you Expect?

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Written by Alexa Jackson

Category: What We're Thinking About Lately...

Published: 16 July 2019

Courtesy of Elliott & Associates Attorneys, P.C.
www.elliottlaw.com

Cook County’s second installment of tax bills have been mailed and are due August 1, 2019.

Here are the trends that may affect your tax bill:

1. All properties in Chicago were reassessed last year and the highest value homes and condos saw the largest assessment increases.
2. Taxes for commercial properties increased much more than homes and condos.
3. The suburbs were not reassessed in 2018 so tax increases are modest.
4. Due to major disruptions, appeals didn’t receive the reviews they deserved, mistakes were made, and many appeals were denied. This will likely lead to a large amount of third level appeals to the Property Tax Appeal Board for 2018 and more Assessor and Board appeals in 2019.

The Cook County Clerk recently published a detailed report discussing the 2018 tax rates. Click here if you would like to read a copy of that report.

As you receive your tax bills, be sure to remain vigilant in monitoring your assessment, strategic in convincing assessing officials, and persistent in pursuing your case.