Condominium and Cooperative Law in Wisconsin
Cooperative and condominium communities are examples of a class of housing developments identified as "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 responsible for taking maintaining the common areas in their communities, such as lawns, gardens, swimming pools, and the like. This responsibility is typically taken care of by charging the residents a periodic maintenance fee, to pay for the upkeep of the common areas.
If you simply look at one of these communities, you won't be able to tell whether it's a cooperative or a condominium community.
There are no physical features unique to either one, which can be used to distinguish them. Rather, the difference lies in the legal arrangement that regulates the relationships between the residents and managers. In condominium communities, the residents own the units they live in, and collectively own the land and buildings in which they are located. In a cooperative community, the units are rented, and are owned by a single entity.
Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in La Crosse, Wisconsin
While there are a lot of La Crosse, Wisconsin laws that will affect the residents and owners of condominium and cooperative communities, there are few that are actually specific to such communities. Alternatively, they are mostly governed by laws of more general application, such as contract law, zoning laws, and landlord/tenant law.
The daily lives of residents, and what they are and aren't allowed to do in their residences, will be far more heavily impacted by rules and regulations that the homeowner's association, or the owner of the land, has imposed.
The manager or owner of the land on which your residence is located will probably have a lot of rules concerning what can and cannot be done in and near the houses. These rules typically mandate cleanliness, keeping noise to a minimum, and regulate the presence of pets.
This power, 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 La Crosse, Wisconsin. This conduct is illegal under state and federal law, and can result in severe civil penalties.
Can a La Crosse, Wisconsin Attorney Help?
If you are in a dispute with your homeowners' association, a neighbor, or your landlord in La Crosse, Wisconsin, a knowledgeable real estate lawyer may prove extremely helpful, if the dispute cannot be otherwise resolved.