Q: I am involved in an apartment-condominium complex in Detroit where one owner is attempting to force all of the unit owners out to make it an apartment complex or to demolish it.
Is that legal?
A: There are provisions in the Condominium Act that would allow the termination of a condominium with the requisite number of co-owners.
In a similar case out of Miami, Florida, a suit was brought against the developers who were, in effect, forcing co-owners to sell their homes that they never intended to sell or leave, or who refused to sell.
In Florida, for example, developers have been buying out condo units and buildings for the purpose of tearing down these decades-old properties and building new luxury towers in their place.
In Michigan, it is more like an attempt to turn it into an apartment complex where they can get bigger rents.
You are best advised to consult with an attorney who can advise you and the other members of the association as to their rights, including the minority rights of the members of the association.