Condominium and Cooperative Law in Pennsylvania

Co-ops and condo communities are forms of "common interest communities."

This is a type of community in which the individual residents rent or own residential units in a building, or collection of buildings, but are collectively accountable for taking maintaining the common areas in their communities, such as lawns, gardens, swimming pools, and the like. This responsibility is normally taken care of by charging the residents a periodic maintenance fee, to pay for the upkeep of the common areas.

Just looking at the outside (or inside, for that matter) of a condo or cooperative community, you likely can't tell which it is.

This is because there are no defining physical characteristics which are distinct to one type of cooperative community, but not the other. The significant differences aren't embodied in physical characteristics, but in the legal ownership arrangement governing the communities: in a condominium community, the residents own the units they live in. In a cooperative community, the units are rented.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Columbia, Pennsylvania

Columbia, Pennsylvania likely has numerous laws and regulations concerning common interest communities. Nonetheless, these are mostly limited to the laws and regulations (zoning, land use, etc.) that concern all real estate owners.

Your day-to-day life in a common interest community will likelyy be impacted more by the rules set by the owner or manager of the property, rather than any local or state laws.

Because the land they occupy is normally private property, it is the owners of this property who make most of the rules that will affect your daily conduct. A responsible manager will normally make rules designed to balance your right to live as you please in your own residence, with the right your neighbors have to a clean, safe, and quiet living environment.

This authority, however, has limits. There are some rules which landowners cannot impose. Most obviously, they can't bar people from renting or buying units based on their race, religion, or national origin in Columbia, Pennsylvania. This conduct is illegal under state and federal law, and can result in grave civil penalties.

Can a Columbia, Pennsylvania Attorney Help?

If you have problems with your landlord, your homeowners association, or a neighbor, a seasoned Columbia, Pennsylvania real estate lawyer may prove invaluable.