Table of Contents
Sec. 47-200. Short title: Common Interest Ownership Act.
Sec. 47-201. Applicability of chapter.
Sec. 47-202. Definitions.
Sec. 47-203. Variation by agreement and waiver of rights prohibited. Exceptions.
Sec. 47-204. Separate titles and taxation. Recording of certificate by cooperative. Conveyance of interest in cooperative.
Sec. 47-205. Applicability of real property use laws to conversion of buildings to common
interest ownership.
Sec. 47-206. Eminent domain.
Sec. 47-207. Supplemental general principles of law applicable.
Sec. 47-208. Construction against implicit repeal.
Sec. 47-209. Severability.
Sec. 47-210. Unconscionable contracts or contract clauses. Leases involving land or
facilities in residential common interest communities that are presumed to be unconscionable.
Sec. 47-211. Obligation of good faith.
Sec. 47-212. Remedies to be liberally administered.
Sec. 47-213. Adjustment of dollar amount.
Sec. 47-214. Applicability of chapter and amendments thereto to common interest communities.
Sec. 47-215. Applicability to nonresidential, mixed use and small common interest communities, limited expense liability planned communities and common interest communities with
a conversion building.
Sec. 47-216. Applicability to preexisting common interest communities.
Sec. 47-217. Exception for certain preexisting common interest communities.
Sec. 47-218. Applicability to amendments to governing instruments.
Sec. 47-219. Applicability to out-of-state common interest communities.
Sec. 47-220. Creation of common interest community.
Sec. 47-221. Unit boundaries.
Sec. 47-222. Construction and validity of declaration and bylaws.
Sec. 47-223. Description of unit.
Sec. 47-224. Contents of declaration.
Sec. 47-225. Leasehold common interest communities.
Sec. 47-226. Allocation of interests.
Sec. 47-227. Limited common elements.
Sec. 47-228. Surveys and plans.
Sec. 47-229. Exercise of development rights.
Sec. 47-230. Alterations of units.
Sec. 47-231. Relocation of unit boundaries.
Sec. 47-232. Subdivision of units.
Sec. 47-233. Monuments as boundaries.
Sec. 47-234. Use for sales purposes.
Sec. 47-235. Easement rights.
Sec. 47-236. Amendment of declaration.
Sec. 47-237. Termination of common interest community.
Sec. 47-238. Rights of secured lenders.
Sec. 47-239. Master associations.
Sec. 47-240. Merger or consolidation of common interest communities.
Sec. 47-241. Addition of unspecified real property.
Sec. 47-241a. Master planned communities.
Sec. 47-242. Addition of land or units to limited equity cooperative.
Sec. 47-243. Organization of unit owners' association.
Sec. 47-244. Powers of unit owners' association.
Sec. 47-244a. Unincorporated unit owners' association's statutory agent for service.
Sec. 47-244b. Service of process on statutory agent.
Sec. 47-245. Executive board members and officers. Duties. Ratification of budget. Period
of declarant control. Delivery of property and documents by declarant. Current financial
statement.
Sec. 47-246. Transfer of special declarant rights. Obligations and liabilities.
Sec. 47-247. Termination of contracts and leases of declarant.
Sec. 47-248. Bylaws.
Sec. 47-249. Upkeep of common interest community. Liability for expenses.
Sec. 47-250. Meeting of association.
Sec. 47-251. Quorums.
Sec. 47-252. Voting at meetings of association.
Sec. 47-253. Liability.
Sec. 47-254. Conveyance or encumbrance of common elements.
Sec. 47-255. Insurance.
Sec. 47-256. Surplus funds.
Sec. 47-257. Assessments for common expenses.
Sec. 47-258. Lien for assessments.
Sec. 47-259. Other liens.
Sec. 47-260. Association records.
Sec. 47-261. Association as trustee.
Sec. 47-262. Applicability of part. Exceptions to requirement of public offering statement or resale certificate.
Sec. 47-263. Preparation of public offering statement. Liability.
Sec. 47-264. Public offering statement. General provisions and requirements.
Sec. 47-265. Requirements for public offering statement when community is subject to development rights.
Sec. 47-266. Requirements for public offering statement when ownership or occupancy is by
time shares.
Sec. 47-267. Requirements for public offering statement when community contains conversion building.
Sec. 47-268. Requirements for public offering statement when interest in community is security.
Sec. 47-269. Purchaser's right to cancel.
Sec. 47-270. Resales of units.
Sec. 47-271. Escrow of deposits. Distribution of interest.
Sec. 47-272. Release of liens.
Sec. 47-273. Rights of tenants in conversion buildings.
Sec. 47-274. Express warranties of quality.
Sec. 47-275. Implied warranties of quality.
Sec. 47-276. Exclusion or modification of implied warranties of quality.
Sec. 47-277. Action for breach of warranty. Statute of limitations.
Sec. 47-278. Cause of action for violation of chapter. Punitive damages, court costs and
attorney's fees. Alternative dispute resolution.
Sec. 47-279. Labeling of promotional material.
Sec. 47-280. Declarant's obligation to complete and restore.
Sec. 47-281. Substantial completion of units required.
Sec. 47-282. Statement of policy.
Sec. 47-283. Definitions.
Sec. 47-284. Conversion tenant's right to conversion notice and public offering
statement.
Sec. 47-285. Conversion tenant's right to purchase converted unit.
Sec. 47-286. Conversion tenant's right to terminate lease and abandon unit.
Sec. 47-287. Conversion tenant's right to relocation payment.
Sec. 47-288. Registration of common interest community. Notice to Department of Economic
and Community Development.
Sec. 47-289. Rent increases of conversion tenants.
Sec. 47-290. Eviction of conversion tenants.
Sec. 47-291. Unenforceable lease provisions.
Sec. 47-292. Tenant's cause of action.
Sec. 47-293. Applicability of protection afforded conversion tenants.
Sec. 47-294. Complaints of violations. Investigations. Enforcement action by Attorney
General.
Sec. 47-295. Regulations.
Secs. 47-296 to 47-299.
GENERAL PROVISIONS AND APPLICABILITY
Sec. 47-200. Short title: Common Interest Ownership Act. This chapter may
be cited as the "Common Interest Ownership Act". Sec. 47-201. Applicability of chapter. Applicability of this chapter is governed
by sections 47-214 to 47-219, inclusive. Sec. 47-202. Definitions. In the declaration and bylaws, unless specifically provided otherwise or the context otherwise requires, and in this chapter: Sec. 47-203. Variation by agreement and waiver of rights prohibited. Exceptions. Except as expressly provided in this chapter, its provisions may not be varied
by agreement, and rights conferred by it may not be waived. Except in the case of
nonresidential common interest communities as provided in section 47-215, a declarant
may not act under a power of attorney, or use any other device, to evade the limitations
or prohibitions of this chapter or the declaration. Sec. 47-204. Separate titles and taxation. Recording of certificate by cooperative. Conveyance of interest in cooperative. (a) In a cooperative, a unit owner's interest
in a unit and its allocated interests is a real property interest for all purposes, except that
the real property constituting the cooperative shall be taxed and assessed as a whole and
a unit owner's interest shall not be separately taxed. Sec. 47-205. Applicability of real property use laws to conversion of buildings
to common interest ownership. No zoning, building code, subdivision or other real
property use law, ordinance or regulation may prohibit the conversion of any building
to the common interest ownership form of ownership. Sec. 47-206. Eminent domain. (a) If a unit is acquired by eminent domain or part
of a unit is acquired by eminent domain leaving the unit owner with a remnant that may
not practically or lawfully be used for any purpose permitted by the declaration, the
award shall include compensation to the unit owner for that unit and its allocated interests, whether or not any common elements are acquired. On acquisition, unless the
decree otherwise provides, that unit's allocated interests are automatically reallocated
to the remaining units in proportion to the respective allocated interests of those units
before the taking, and the association shall promptly prepare, execute and record an
amendment to the declaration reflecting the reallocations. Any remnant of a unit remaining after part of a unit is taken under this subsection is thereafter a common element. Sec. 47-207. Supplemental general principles of law applicable. The principles
of law and equity, including the law of corporations and unincorporated associations,
the law of real property, and the law relative to capacity to contract, principal and agent,
eminent domain, estoppel, fraud, misrepresentation, duress, coercion, mistake, receivership, substantial performance, or other validating or invalidating cause supplement the
provisions of this chapter, except to the extent inconsistent with this chapter. Sec. 47-208. Construction against implicit repeal. This chapter being a general
act intended as a unified coverage of its subject matter, no part of it shall be construed
to be impliedly repealed by subsequent legislation if that construction can reasonably
be avoided. Sec. 47-209. Severability. If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof
to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable. Sec. 47-210. Unconscionable contracts or contract clauses. Leases involving
land or facilities in residential common interest communities that are presumed
to be unconscionable. (a) The General Assembly expressly finds that many leases
involving the use of land or recreational or other common facilities by residents of a
residential common interest community were entered into by parties wholly representative of the interests of a residential common interest developer at a time when the residential common interest community unit owners not only did not control the administration
of their residential common interest community, but also had little or no voice in such
administration. Such leases often contain numerous obligations on the part of either
or both a residential common interest community association and residential common
interest community unit owners with relatively few obligations on the part of the lessor.
Such lease may or may not be unconscionable in any given case. Nevertheless, the
General Assembly finds that a combination of certain onerous obligations and circumstances warrants the establishment of a rebuttable presumption of unconscionability of
certain leases, as specified in subsection (d) of this section. The presumption may be
rebutted by a lessor upon the showing of additional facts and circumstances to justify
and validate what otherwise appears to be an unconscionable lease under this section.
Failure of a lease to contain the required number of specified elements shall not preclude
a determination of unconscionability of the lease. It is the intent of the General Assembly
that this section is remedial and does not create any new cause of action to invalidate
any residential common interest community lease, but shall operate as a statutory prescription on procedural matters in actions brought on one or more causes of action
existing at the time of the execution of such lease. Sec. 47-211. Obligation of good faith. Every contract or duty governed by this
chapter imposes an obligation of good faith in its performance or enforcement. Sec. 47-212. Remedies to be liberally administered. (a) The remedies provided
by this chapter shall be liberally administered to the end that the aggrieved party is put
in as good a position as if the other party had fully performed, provided consequential,
special or punitive damages may not be awarded except as specifically provided in this
chapter or by other rule of law. Sec. 47-213. Adjustment of dollar amount. (a) From time to time the dollar
amount specified in subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 47-215 shall change, as
provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, according to and to the extent of
changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers:
U.S. City Average, All Items, 1967 = 100, compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
United States Department of Labor, (the "Index"). The Index for December, 1979, which
was 230, is the Reference Base Index. Sec. 47-214. Applicability of chapter and amendments thereto to common interest communities. Except as provided in section 47-215, the provisions of this chapter
apply to all common interest communities created within this state on or after January
1, 1984. The provisions of chapter 825 do not apply to condominiums created on or after
January 1, 1984. Amendments to this chapter apply to all common interest communities
created after January 1, 1984, or subjected to this chapter, regardless of when the amendment is adopted. Sec. 47-215. Applicability to nonresidential, mixed use and small common interest communities, limited expense liability planned communities and common
interest communities with a conversion building. (a) Except as provided in subsection
(b) of this section with respect to a common interest community containing a conversion
building: Sec. 47-216. Applicability to preexisting common interest communities. (a)
Except as provided in section 47-217, sections 47-204, 47-205, 47-206, 47-222, 47-
223, 47-240, 47-244, 47-253, 47-258, 47-260, 47-270 and 47-278, and subsection (j)
of section 47-236, and section 47-202 to the extent necessary in construing any of those
sections, apply to all common interest communities created in this state before January
1, 1984; but those sections apply only with respect to events and circumstances occurring
after January 1, 1984, and do not invalidate existing provisions of the declaration, bylaws
or surveys or plans of those common interest communities. Sec. 47-217. Exception for certain preexisting common interest communities.
(a) If a common interest community created within this state before January 1, 1984,
(1) contains no more than twelve units and is not subject to any development rights, (2)
contains only units restricted to nonresidential use, or (3) is a common interest community described in subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 47-215, it is subject only
to sections 47-204, 47-205 and 47-206 unless the declaration is amended in conformity
with applicable law and with the procedures and requirements of the declaration to take
advantage of the provisions of section 47-218, in which case all the sections enumerated
in section 47-216 apply to that common interest community. Sec. 47-218. Applicability to amendments to governing instruments. (a) The
declaration, bylaws or surveys and plans of any common interest community created
before January 1, 1984, may be amended to achieve any result permitted by this chapter
regardless of what applicable law provided before January 1, 1984. Sec. 47-219. Applicability to out-of-state common interest communities. This
chapter does not apply to common interest communities or units located outside this
state, but the public offering statement provisions of sections 47-263 to 47-269, inclusive, apply to all contracts for the disposition thereof signed in this state by any party
following an offer made in this state unless exempt under subsection (b) of section
47-262. (Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles) Sec. 47-220. Creation of common interest community. (a) A common interest
community may be created pursuant to this chapter only by recording a declaration
executed in the same manner as a deed and, in a cooperative, by conveying the real
property subject to that declaration to the association. The declaration shall be recorded
in every town in which any portion of the common interest community is located and
shall be indexed in the grantee's index in the name of the common interest community
and the association and in the grantor's index in the name of each person executing the
declaration. Sec. 47-221. Unit boundaries. Except as provided by the declaration: Sec. 47-222. Construction and validity of declaration and bylaws. (a) All provisions of the declaration and bylaws are severable. Sec. 47-223. Description of unit. A description of a unit which sets forth the name
of the common interest community, the recording data for the original declaration, the
town in which the common interest community is located and the identifying number
of the unit, is a legally sufficient description of that unit and all rights, obligations and
interests appurtenant to that unit which were created by the declaration or bylaws as
amended or restated. Sec. 47-224. Contents of declaration. (a) The declaration shall contain: Sec. 47-225. Leasehold common interest communities. (a) Any lease the expiration or termination of which may terminate the common interest community or reduce
its size, or a memorandum thereof, shall be recorded. Every lessor of those leases in a
condominium or planned community shall sign the declaration. The declaration shall
state: (1) The recording data for the lease or a statement of where the complete lease
may be inspected; (2) the date on which the lease is scheduled to expire; (3) a legally
sufficient description of the real property subject to the lease; (4) any rights of the unit
owners to redeem the reversion and the manner whereby those rights may be exercised,
or a statement that they do not have those rights; (5) any rights of the unit owners to
remove any improvements within a reasonable time after the expiration or termination
of the lease, or a statement that they do not have those rights; and (6) any rights of the
unit owners to renew the lease and the conditions of any renewal, or a statement that
they do not have those rights. Sec. 47-226. Allocation of interests. (a) The declaration shall allocate to each unit:
(1) In a condominium, a fraction or percentage of undivided interests in the common
elements and in the common expenses of the association, and a portion of the votes in
the association; (2) in a cooperative, an ownership interest in the association, a fraction
or percentage of the common expenses of the association, and a portion of the votes in
the association; and (3) in a planned community, a fraction or percentage of the common
expenses of the association, and a portion of the votes in the association. Sec. 47-227. Limited common elements. (a) Except for the limited common elements described in subsections (2) and (4) of section 47-221 and except to the extent a
right to allocate a limited common element is reserved pursuant to subsection (c) of this
section, the declaration shall specify to which unit or units each limited common element
is allocated. An allocation may not be altered without the consent of the unit owners
whose units are affected. Sec. 47-228. Surveys and plans. (a) Surveys and plans are required for condominiums and planned communities, but are not required for cooperatives. Any surveys and
plans are a part of the declaration. Separate surveys and plans are not required by this
chapter if all the information required by this section is contained in either a survey or
plan. Each survey and plan shall be clear and legible and contain a certification that the
survey or plan contains all information required by this section. Sec. 47-229. Exercise of development rights. (a) To exercise any development
right reserved under subdivision (8) of subsection (a) of section 47-224, the declarant
shall prepare, execute and record an amendment to the declaration and in a condominium
or planned community comply with section 47-228. The declarant is the unit owner of
any units thereby created. The amendment to the declaration shall assign an identifying
number to each new unit created, and, except in the case of subdivision or conversion
of units described in subsection (b) of this section, reallocate the allocated interests
among all units. The amendment shall describe any common elements and any limited
common elements thereby created and, in the case of limited common elements, designate the unit to which each is allocated to the extent required by section 47-227. Sec. 47-230. Alterations of units. Subject to the provisions of the declaration and
other provisions of law, a unit owner: Sec. 47-231. Relocation of unit boundaries. (a) Subject to the provisions of the
declaration and any provisions of law, the boundaries between adjoining units may be
relocated by an amendment to the declaration on application to the association by the
owners of those units. If the owners of the adjoining units have specified a reallocation
between their units of their allocated interests, the application shall state the proposed
reallocations. Unless the executive board determines, within thirty days after receipt of
the application, that the reallocations are unreasonable, the association shall consent to
the reallocation and prepare an amendment that identifies the units involved, states the
reallocations and indicates the association's consent. The amendment shall be executed
by those unit owners, contain words of conveyance between them, and, on recordation,
be indexed in the name of the grantor and the grantee, and in the grantee's index in the
name of the association. Sec. 47-232. Subdivision of units. (a) If the declaration expressly so permits, a
unit may be subdivided into two or more units. Subject to the provisions of the declaration
and any provisions of law, on application of a unit owner to subdivide a unit, the association shall prepare, execute and record an amendment to the declaration, including in a
condominium or planned community the surveys and plans, subdividing that unit. Sec. 47-233. Monuments as boundaries. The existing physical boundaries of a
unit or the physical boundaries of a unit reconstructed in substantial accordance with
the description contained in the original declaration are its legal boundaries, rather than
the boundaries derived from the description contained in the original declaration, regardless of vertical or lateral movement of the building or minor variance between those
boundaries and the boundaries derived from the description contained in the original
declaration. This section does not relieve a unit owner of liability in case of his wilful
misconduct or relieve a declarant or any other person of liability for failure to adhere
to any surveys and plans or, in a cooperative, to any representation in the public offering
statement. Sec. 47-234. Use for sales purposes. A declarant may maintain sales offices, management offices and models in units or on common elements in the common interest
community only if the declaration so provides and specifies the rights of a declarant
with regard to the number, size, location and relocation thereof. In a cooperative or
condominium, any sales office, management office or model not designated a unit by
the declaration is a common element. If a declarant ceases to be a unit owner, he ceases
to have any rights with regard to such a common element unless it is removed promptly
from the common interest community in accordance with a right to remove reserved in
the declaration. Subject to any limitations in the declaration, a declarant may maintain
signs on the common elements advertising the common interest community. This section
is subject to the provisions of other state law and to local ordinances. Sec. 47-235. Easement rights. (a) Subject to the provisions of the declaration, a
declarant has such an easement through the common elements as may be reasonably
necessary for the purpose of discharging the declarant's obligations or exercising special
declarant rights, whether arising under this chapter or reserved in the declaration. Sec. 47-236. Amendment of declaration. (a) Except in cases of amendments that
may be executed by a declarant under subsection (f) of section 47-228 or section 47-
229, or by the association under section 47-206, subsection (d) of section 47-225, subsection (c) of section 47-227, subsection (a) of section 47-231 or section 47-232, or by
certain unit owners under subsection (b) of section 47-227, subsection (a) of section 47-
231, subsection (b) of section 47-232, subsection (b) of section 47-237 or section 47-
242, and except as limited by subsections (d) and (f) of this section, the declaration,
including any surveys and plans, may be amended only by vote or agreement of unit
owners of units to which at least sixty-seven per cent of the votes in the association are
allocated, or any larger majority the declaration specifies. The declaration may specify
a smaller number only if all of the units are restricted exclusively to nonresidential use. Sec. 47-237. Termination of common interest community. (a) Except in the case
of a taking of all the units by eminent domain or in the case of foreclosure against an
entire cooperative of a security interest that has priority over the declaration, a common
interest community may be terminated only by agreement of unit owners of units to
which at least eighty per cent of the votes in the association are allocated, or any larger
percentage the declaration specifies. The declaration may specify a smaller percentage
only if all of the units are restricted exclusively to nonresidential uses.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 1, 96.)
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(P.A. 83-474, S. 2, 96.)
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(1) "Affiliate of a declarant" means any person who controls, is controlled by, or
is under common control with a declarant. (A) A person "controls" a declarant if the
person (i) is a general partner, officer, director, or employer of the declarant, (ii) directly
or indirectly or acting in concert with one or more other persons, or through one or more
subsidiaries, owns, controls, holds with power to vote, or holds proxies representing,
more than twenty per cent of the voting interest in the declarant, (iii) controls in any
manner the election of a majority of the directors of the declarant, or (iv) has contributed
more than twenty per cent of the capital of the declarant. (B) A person "is controlled
by" a declarant if the declarant (i) is a general partner, officer, director, or employer of
the person, (ii) directly or indirectly or acting in concert with one or more other persons,
or through one or more subsidiaries, owns, controls, holds with power to vote, or holds
proxies representing, more than twenty per cent of the voting interest in the person, (iii)
controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the person, or (iv)
has contributed more than twenty per cent of the capital of the person. Control does not
exist if the powers described in this subsection are held solely as security for an obligation
and are not exercised.
(2) "Allocated interests" means the following interests allocated to each unit: (A)
In a condominium, the undivided interest in the common elements, the common expense
liability, and votes in the association; (B) in a cooperative, the common expense liability
and the ownership interest and votes in the association; and (C) in a planned community,
the common expense liability and votes in the association.
(3) "Association" or "unit owners' association" means the unit owners' association
organized under section 47-243.
(4) "Common elements" means (A) in the case of (i) a condominium or cooperative,
all portions of the common interest community other than the units; and (ii) a planned
community, any real property within a planned community owned or leased by the
association, other than a unit, and (B) in all common interest communities, any other
interests in real property for the benefit of unit owners which are subject to the declaration.
(5) "Common expenses" means expenditures made by, or financial liabilities of,
the association, together with any allocations to reserves.
(6) "Common expense liability" means the liability for common expenses allocated
to each unit pursuant to section 47-226.
(7) "Common interest community" means real property described in a declaration
with respect to which a person, by virtue of his ownership of a unit, is obligated to pay
for (A) real property taxes on, (B) insurance premiums on, (C) maintenance of, or (D)
improvement of, any other real property other than that unit described in the declaration.
"Ownership of a unit" includes holding a leasehold interest of forty years or more in a
unit, including renewal options. "Ownership of a unit" does not include the interest
which a resident holds in a mutual housing association, as defined in subsection (b) of
section 8-214f, by virtue of either a state contract for financial assistance or an individual
occupancy agreement. An association of property owners funded solely by voluntary
payments from those owners is not a common interest community.
(8) "Condominium" means a common interest community in which portions of the
real property are designated for separate ownership and the remainder of the real property
is designated for common ownership solely by the owners of those portions. A common
interest community is not a condominium unless the undivided interests in the common
elements are vested in the unit owners.
(9) "Conversion building" means a building that at any time before creation of the
common interest community was occupied wholly or partially by persons other than
purchasers and persons who occupy with the consent of purchasers.
(10) "Cooperative" means a common interest community in which the real property
is owned by an association, each of whose members is entitled by virtue of his ownership
interest in the association to exclusive possession of a unit.
(11) "Dealer" means a person who owns either six or more units, or fifty per cent
or more of all the units, in a common interest community.
(12) "Declarant" means any person or group of persons acting in concert who (A)
as part of a common promotional plan, offers to dispose of his interest in a unit not
previously disposed of or (B) reserves or succeeds to any special declarant right.
(13) "Declaration" means any instruments, however denominated, that create a
common interest community, including any amendments to those instruments.
(14) "Development rights" means any right or combination of rights reserved by a
declarant in the declaration to (A) add real property to a common interest community;
(B) create units, common elements, or limited common elements within a common
interest community; (C) subdivide units or convert units into common elements; or (D)
withdraw real property from a common interest community.
(15) "Dispose" or "disposition" means a voluntary transfer to a purchaser of any
legal or equitable interest in a unit, but the term does not include the transfer or release
of a security interest.
(16) "Executive board" means the body, regardless of name, designated in the declaration to act on behalf of the association.
(17) "Identifying number" means a symbol or address that identifies only one unit
in a common interest community.
(18) "Leasehold common interest community" means a common interest community in which all or a portion of the real property is subject to a lease the expiration or
termination of which will terminate the common interest community or reduce its size.
(19) "Limited common element" means a portion of the common elements allocated
by the declaration or by operation of subsection (2) or (4) of section 47-221 for the
exclusive use of one or more but fewer than all of the units.
(20) "Master association" means an organization described in section 47-239,
whether or not it is also an association described in section 47-243.
(21) "Offer" or "offering" means any advertisement, inducement, solicitation or
attempt to encourage any person to acquire any interest in a unit, other than as security
for an obligation. An advertisement in a newspaper or other periodical of general circulation, or in any broadcast medium to the general public, of a common interest community
not located in this state, is not an offering if the advertisement states that an offering
may be made only in compliance with the law of the jurisdiction in which the common
interest community is located.
(22) "Person" means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, business
trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, joint venture, government, governmental
subdivision or agency, or other legal or commercial entity.
(23) "Planned community" means a common interest community that is not a condominium or a cooperative. A condominium or cooperative may be part of a planned
community.
(24) "Proprietary lease" means an agreement with the association pursuant to which
a member is entitled to exclusive possession of a unit in a cooperative.
(25) "Purchaser" means a person, other than a declarant or a dealer, who by means
of a voluntary transfer acquires a legal or equitable interest in a unit other than (A) a
leasehold interest, including renewal options, of less than twenty years, or (B) as security
for an obligation.
(26) "Real property" means any leasehold or other estate or interest in, over, or
under land, including structures, fixtures, and other improvements and interests that by
custom, usage, or law pass with a conveyance of land though not described in the contract
of sale or instrument of conveyance. "Real property" includes parcels with or without
upper or lower boundaries, and spaces that may be filled with air or water.
(27) "Residential purposes" means use for dwelling or recreational purposes, or
both.
(28) "Security interest" means an interest in real property or personal property,
created by contract or conveyance, which secures payment or performance of an obligation. The term includes a lien created by a mortgage, deed of trust, trust deed, security
deed, contract for deed, land sales contract, lease intended as security, assignment of
lease or rents intended as security, pledge of an ownership interest in an association, and
any other consensual lien or title retention contract intended as security for an obligation.
(29) "Special declarant rights" means rights reserved for the benefit of a declarant
to (A) complete improvements indicated on surveys and plans filed with the declaration
or, in a cooperative, to complete improvements described in the public offering statement
pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 47-264; (B) exercise any development right; (C) maintain sales offices, management offices, signs advertising the common interest community, and models; (D) use easements through the common elements
for the purpose of making improvements within the common interest community or
within real property which may be added to the common interest community; (E) make
the common interest community subject to a master association; (F) merge or consolidate
a common interest community with another common interest community of the same
form of ownership; or (G) appoint or remove any officer of the association or any master
association or any executive board member during any period of declarant control.
(30) "Time share" means a right to occupy a unit or any of several units during five
or more separated time periods over a period of at least five years, including renewal
options, whether or not coupled with an estate or interest in a common interest community or a specified portion thereof.
(31) "Unit" means a physical portion of the common interest community designated
for separate ownership or occupancy, the boundaries of which are described pursuant
to subdivision (5) of subsection (a) of section 47-224. If a unit in a cooperative is owned
by a unit owner or is sold, conveyed, voluntarily or involuntarily encumbered or otherwise transferred by a unit owner, the interest in that unit which is owned, sold, conveyed,
encumbered or otherwise transferred is the right to possession of that unit under a proprietary lease, coupled with the allocated interests of that unit, and the association's interest
in that unit is not thereby affected.
(32) "Unit owner" means a declarant or other person who owns a unit, or a lessee
of a unit in a leasehold common interest community whose lease expires simultaneously
with any lease the expiration or termination of which will remove the unit from the
common interest community, but does not include a person having an interest in a unit
solely as security for an obligation. In a condominium or planned community, the declarant is the owner of any unit created by the declaration. In a cooperative, the declarant
is treated as the owner of any unit to which allocated interests have been allocated until
that unit has been conveyed to another person.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 3, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 1, 23; P.A. 91-341, S. 14, 19; P.A. 95-79, S. 170, 189; 95-187, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 84-472 amended Subdiv. (7) to exclude from the definition of a common interest community an association
of property owners funded solely by voluntary payments from those owners, and to increase from twenty to forty years
the minimum period for holding a leasehold interest in a unit that constitutes "ownership of a unit"; P.A. 91-341 amended
Subdiv. (7) to add provision that "ownership of a unit" does not include the interest which a resident holds in a mutual
housing association by virtue of either a state contract for financial assistance or an individual occupancy agreement; P.A.
95-79 redefined "person" to include a limited liability company, effective May 31, 1995; P.A. 95-187 amended the definition
of "common elements" by redesignating the existing provisions re a condominium or cooperative and re a planned community as Subparas. (A)(i) and (A)(ii), respectively, and adding new Subpara. (B) to include in the definition any other interests
in real property for the benefit of unit owners which are subject to the declaration.
Subdiv. (2):
Cited. 207 C. 441, 452.
Subdiv. (4):
Subpara. (A) cited. 22 CA 497, 503, 504. Cited. 44 CA 107.
Subdiv. (7):
Cited. 207 C. 441, 447.
Cited. 44 CA 107.
Subdiv. (8):
Cited. 237 C. 123, 130.
Cited. 44 CA 107.
Subdiv. (10):
Cited. 237 C. 123, 130.
Subdiv. (19):
Meaning of "use" in this subdiv. 245 C. 1.
Subdiv. (23):
Cited. 237 C. 123, 130.
Subdiv. (26):
Cited. 207 C. 441, 452.
Cited. 22 CA 497, 504.
Subdiv. (31):
Cited. 207 C. 441, 445, 451−453.
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 4, 96; P.A. 95-187, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 95-187 added exception "in the case of nonresidential common interest communities as provided in
section 47-215" to prohibition on certain actions by the declarant.
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(b) In a condominium or planned community:
(1) If there is any unit owner other than a declarant, each unit that has been created,
together with its interest in the common elements, constitutes for all purposes a separate
parcel of real property.
(2) If there is any unit owner other than a declarant, each unit shall be separately
taxed and assessed, and no separate tax or assessment may be rendered against any
common elements for which a declarant has reserved no development rights.
(c) Any portion of the common elements for which the declarant has reserved any
development right shall be separately taxed and assessed against the declarant, and the
declarant alone is liable for payment of those taxes.
(d) If there is no unit owner other than a declarant, the real property comprising the
common interest community may be taxed and assessed in any manner provided by law.
(e) (1) If a cooperative was created before January 1, 1984, the association may,
pursuant to this section, record a certificate on the land records signed by the president
of the association and attested by its secretary, or signed by such other persons authorized
to act on behalf of the association by the instruments creating or governing the cooperative. The certificate shall contain or have attached as exhibits:
(A) A statement that the association is a corporation or other legal entity formed
for the purpose of cooperative ownership of real property;
(B) A statement that the certificate is recorded pursuant to this section;
(C) A statement that the facts contained in the certificate accurately restate facts
contained in the books and records of the association;
(D) A statement of the location where the books and records, including the form of
proprietary lease, of the association are maintained;
(E) A description of the real property owned by the association or a reference to
the volume and page of the land records at which a description may be obtained, together
with the date on which title to the real property owned by the association was acquired,
and a reference to the deed under which the association took title;
(F) If the association is incorporated: (i) A certified copy of the current certificate
of incorporation of the association; (ii) a certified copy of the last annual or biennial
report of the association filed with the Secretary of the State; and (iii) a certificate of
good standing for the corporation issued by the Secretary of the State within ninety days
of the date of the recorded certificate;
(G) A list of the unit numbers of all units in the cooperative, together with the
following information for each unit: (i) The current stock or membership certificate
number, if any, for the unit; (ii) the name of the current unit owners of the unit; (iii) the
date on which the proprietary lease for the unit was signed; and (iv) the identity of all
holders of security interests in the unit as they appear on the books and records of the
association, together with a description of the nature of each security interest and the
date on which each security interest was granted.
(2) The certificate may be amended to include any other provision permitted by
law, following a vote of unit owners necessary to amend instruments pursuant to section
47-218.
(3) A recorded certificate that complies with this section constitutes the declaration
for the cooperative for purposes of this chapter and is sufficient evidence for purposes
of sections 47-33b to 47-33l, inclusive, concerning marketable record title, that:
(A) The real property described or referred to in the certificate is a cooperative
within the meaning of this chapter; and
(B) The persons described as unit owners in the certificate are owners of their respective units in the cooperative, subject to the security interests, if any, identified in
the certificate and the interests of the association.
(4) If a transfer of any interest in a unit in a cooperative was made between January
1, 1984, and the date a certificate is recorded pursuant to this section, an identification
of the transferred interest in the recorded certificate validates that transfer for purposes
of this chapter but does not otherwise affect the validity of that transfer.
(5) The association may amend a recorded certificate any time to correct errors
contained in it or to reflect transfers of interests in the units which occurred prior to the
date of the certificate but which were not reflected on the books and records of the
association on that date.
(6) A conveyance of a unit owner's interest in a cooperative created before or after
January 1, 1984, is accomplished by delivery to the purchaser of an instrument, executed
in the same manner as a deed, conveying all the seller's interest in the unit. A notice of
a proprietary lease complying with section 47-19 and signed by a duly authorized officer
of the association may be recorded on the land records as evidence of the named unit
owner's interest in that unit.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 5, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 2, 23.)
History: P.A. 84-472 added Subsec. (e) re the recording of a certificate by the association of a cooperative created
before January 1, 1984, the contents, effect and amendment of such a certificate, and the manner of conveyance of an
interest in a cooperative.
Subsec. (b):
Subdiv. (2) cited. 44 CA 107.
Subsec. (e):
Cited. 228 C. 498, 525.
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 6, 96.)
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(b) Except as provided in subsection (a), if part of a unit is acquired by eminent
domain, the award shall compensate the unit owner for the reduction in value of the unit
and its interest in the common elements, whether or not any common elements are
acquired. On acquisition, unless the decree otherwise provides, (1) that unit's allocated
interests are reduced in proportion to the reduction in the size of the unit, or on any other
basis specified in the declaration and (2) the portion of the allocated interests divested
from the partially acquired unit are automatically reallocated to that unit and to the
remaining units in proportion to the respective allocated interests of those units before
the taking, with the partially-acquired unit participating in the reallocation on the basis
of its reduced allocated interests.
(c) If part of the common elements is acquired by eminent domain, the award shall
compensate the unit owners affected by the taking for the reduction in value of the units
resulting from the acquisition, and the portion of the award attributable to the common
elements taken shall be paid to the association. Unless the declaration provides otherwise, any portion of the award attributable to the acquisition of a limited common element shall be equally divided among the owners of the units to which that limited common element was allocated at the time of acquisition.
(d) The court decree shall be recorded in every town in which any portion of the
common interest community is located.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 7, 96.)
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 8, 96.)
Cited. 237 C. 123, 132.
Cited. 22 CA 497, 505. Cited. 38 CA 420, 429. Cited. 39 CA 736, 739.
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 9, 96.)
Cited. 207 C. 441, 451, 453. Cited. 237 C. 123, 131.
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 10, 96.)
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(b) The court, on finding as a matter of law that a contract or contract clause was
unconscionable at the time the contract was made, may refuse to enforce the contract,
enforce the remainder of the contract without the unconscionable clause or limit the
application of any unconscionable clause in order to avoid an unconscionable result.
(c) Whenever it is claimed, or appears to the court, that a contract or any contract
clause is or may be unconscionable, the parties, in order to aid the court in making the
determination, shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to present evidence as to:
(1) The commercial setting of the negotiations;
(2) Whether a party has knowingly taken advantage of the inability of the other party
reasonably to protect his interests by reason of physical or mental infirmity, illiteracy,
inability to understand the language of the agreement or similar factors;
(3) The effect and purpose of the contract or clause; and
(4) If a sale, any gross disparity, at the time of contracting, between the amount
charged for the property and the value of that property measured by the price at which
similar property was readily obtainable in similar transactions. A disparity between the
contract price and the value of the property measured by the price at which similar
property was readily obtainable in similar transactions does not, of itself, render the
contract unconscionable.
(d) A lease entered into prior to January 1, 1984, pertaining to use of land or facilities
by unit owners in a residential common interest community, is presumed to be unconscionable if:
(1) The lease by its terms requires the lessee to pay an annual rental and other
expenses that exceed fifteen per cent of the appraised value of the leased property as
improved, provided for the purposes of this subdivision, "annual rental and other expenses" means the amount paid by the lessee during the twelve months immediately
preceding the filing of an action under this section as rent and for real estate taxes,
insurance, capital improvements and other expenses required to maintain the property
under the lease terms, and "appraised value" means the appraised value placed upon
the leased property by a licensed or certified real estate appraiser on a date during the
twelve months immediately preceding the filing of an action under this section, and
(2) Seven of the following eight elements exist:
(A) The lease was executed by persons none of whom at the time of the execution
of the lease were elected by unit owners, other than the declarant;
(B) The lease requires either the association or the unit owners to pay all real estate
taxes on the subject real property;
(C) The lease requires either the association or the unit owners to insure buildings
or other facilities on the subject real property against fire or any other hazard;
(D) The lease requires either the association or the unit owners to perform some or
all maintenance obligations pertaining to the subject real property or facilities located
upon the subject real property;
(E) The lease requires either the association or the unit owners to pay rents to the
lessor for a period of twenty-one years or more;
(F) The lease provides that failure of the lessee to make payments of rents due under
the lease creates, establishes or permits establishment of a lien upon individual units to
secure claims for rent;
(G) The lease provides for a periodic rental increase based upon reference to a price
index; and
(H) The lease or other common interest community documents require that any
transferee of a unit must assume obligations under the lease.
(e) The presumption set forth in subsection (d) of this section may be rebutted by
a lessor upon the showing of additional facts and circumstances to justify and validate
what otherwise appears to be an unconscionable lease under this section.
(f) Failure of a lease to contain the required number of elements specified in subsection (d) of this section shall not preclude a determination that the lease is unconscionable.
(g) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, neither the statute of
limitations nor laches shall prohibit unit owners of a residential common interest community from maintaining a cause of action under this section.
(h) If a court finds that a lease contract or lease contract clause was unconscionable
at the time the contract was made, in determining whether to enforce the contract, or
enforce the remainder of the contract without the unconscionable clause, or whether to
limit the application of any unconscionable clause in order to avoid an unconscionable
result, the court shall consider evidence regarding the adverse impact, if any, of any
such determination on the interests of third parties, including lenders who may have,
in good faith, relied upon such lease provisions, and the court, in formulating such a
determination, shall seek to avoid an unjust impact on such third parties and shall make
no such determination, the effect of which would be to terminate the common interest
community.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 11, 96; P.A. 95-187, S. 27.)
History: P.A. 95-187 added new Subsec. (a) making legislative findings re leases involving the use of land or recreational
or other common facilities by residents of a residential common interest community, relettering former Subsecs. (a) and
(b) as Subsecs. (b) and (c), respectively, added Subsec. (d) re when a lease entered into prior to January 1, 1984, pertaining
to use of land or facilities by unit owners in a residential common interest community is presumed to be unconscionable,
added Subsec. (e) re the manner in which a lessor may rebut the presumption, added Subsec. (f) to provide that a determination that the lease is unconscionable is not precluded by the failure of the lease to contain the required number of elements
specified in Subsec. (d), added Subsec. (g) to provide that neither the statute of limitations nor laches shall prohibit unit
owners maintaining a cause of action and added Subsec. (h) requiring the court to consider the impact on third parties
when determining an appropriate remedy upon finding that a lease contract or lease contract clause was unconscionable
at the time the contract was made, requiring the court to seek to avoid an unjust impact on third parties and prohibiting the
court from making a determination the effect of which would be to terminate the common interest community.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 237 C. 123, 131, 132.
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 12, 96.)
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(b) Any right or obligation declared by this chapter is enforceable by judicial proceeding.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 13, 96.)
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 237 C. 123, 132.
Cited. 22 CA 497, 503−505.
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(b) The dollar amount specified in subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 47-
215 and any amount stated in the declaration pursuant to said section shall change on
July first of each year if the percentage of change, calculated to the nearest whole percentage point, between the Index at the end of the preceding year and the Reference Base
Index is ten per cent or more, but (1) the portion of the percentage change in the Index
in excess of a multiple of ten per cent shall be disregarded and the dollar amount shall
change only in multiples of ten per cent of the amount appearing in this chapter on
January 1, 1984; (2) the dollar amount shall not change if the amount required by this
section is that currently in effect pursuant to this chapter as a result of earlier application
of this section; and (3) in no event may the dollar amount be reduced below the amount
appearing in this chapter on January 1, 1984.
(c) If the Index is revised after December, 1979, the percentage of change pursuant
to this section shall be calculated on the basis of the revised Index. If the revision of
the Index changes the Reference Base Index, a revised Reference Base Index shall be
determined by multiplying the Reference Base Index then applicable by the rebasing
factor furnished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If the Index is superseded, the Index
referred to in this section is the one represented by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as
reflecting most accurately changes in the purchasing power of the dollar for consumers.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 14, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 3, 23; P.A. 95-187, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 84-472 made minor technical changes; P.A. 95-187 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to delete references to
the dollar amount specified in "subdivision (7) of subsection (b) of section 47-262", replace "amounts" with "amount"
and make technical changes.
(Return to TOC) (Return to Chapters) (Return to Titles)
(P.A. 83-474, S. 15, 96; P.A. 95-187, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 95-187 added provision re applicability of amendments to chapter.
Cited. 228 C. 476, 483.
Cited. 7 CA 496, 500. Cited. 41 CA 249, 251.
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(1) If a common interest community contains only units restricted to nonresidential use:
(A) The common interest community is not subject to this chapter unless the declaration otherwise provides;
(B) The declaration of such a common interest community may provide that this
entire chapter applies to the community or that only sections 47-204, 47-205 and 47-
206 apply;
(C) If the declaration provides that this entire chapter applies to such a common
interest community, the declaration may also require, subject to section 47-210, that:
(i) Notwithstanding section 47-247, any management contract, employment contract,
lease of recreational or parking areas or facilities and any other contract or lease between
the association and a declarant or an affiliate of a declarant remains effective after the
declarant turns over control of the association; and (ii) notwithstanding section 47-203,
purchasers of units must execute proxies, powers of attorney or similar devices in favor
of the declarant regarding particular matters enumerated in those instruments.
(2) If a common interest community contains units restricted exclusively to nonresidential purposes and other units that may be used for residential purposes, that common
interest community is not subject to this chapter unless the units that may be used for
residential purposes would comprise a common interest community in the absence of
the nonresidential units or the declaration provides that this chapter applies as provided
in subparagraph (B) or (C) of subdivision (1) of this subsection.
(3) If the declaration of a planned community that is not subject to any development
right provides that the annual average common expense liability of all units restricted
to residential purposes, exclusive of optional user fees and any insurance premiums paid
by the association, may not exceed three hundred dollars, as adjusted pursuant to section
47-213, the planned community is subject only to sections 47-204, 47-205 and 47-
206 unless the declaration provides that this entire chapter is applicable. However, this
exemption applies only if:
(A) The declarant reasonably believes in good faith that the maximum annual common expense liability assessed against the units will be sufficient to pay the expenses
of the planned community; and
(B) The declaration provides that the annual common expense liability may not be
increased during the period of declarant control without the consent of persons entitled
to cast at least eighty per cent of the votes in the association, including eighty per cent
of the votes allocated to units not owned by a declarant or an affiliate of a declarant.
(b) In the case of a common interest community containing a conversion building,
sections 47-282 to 47-292, inclusive, apply whether or not the common interest community is exempt from other provisions of this chapter pursuant to subsection (a). The
provisions of sections 47-282 to 47-292, inclusive, apply to a common interest community containing a conversion building created on or after July 8, 1983. The provisions
of sections 47-88b to 47-88g, inclusive, do not apply to a condominium containing a
conversion building created on or after July 8, 1983.
(c) If a common interest community contains no more than twelve units and (1) is
not subject to any development rights and (2) does not utilize a master association, the
declarant is not required to deliver a public offering statement pursuant to section 47-
263 or 47-264; resale certificates are not required, as provided in section 47-270, and
the association is not required to maintain records necessary to comply with section
47-270. A declarant shall not divide real property into two or more common interest
communities to avoid the public offering statement requirements of sections 47-263
and 47-264.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 16, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 4, 5, 23; P.A. 95-187, S. 5.)
History: P.A. 84-472 amended Subsec. (b) to make a technical clarification and amended Subsec. (c) to exclude certain
common interest communities which do "not utilize a master association" from certain requirements and to add a provision
prohibiting a declarant dividing real property into two or more common interest communities to avoid the public offering
statement requirements of Secs. 47-263 and 47-264; P.A. 95-187 amended Subsec. (a) to revise Subdiv. (1) re applicability
of chapter to nonresidential communities by deleting the provision that a nonresidential community "is subject only to
sections 47-204, 47-205 and 47-206 unless the declaration provides that this entire chapter is applicable" and adding
Subparas. (A), (B) and (C), add a new Subdiv. (2) re applicability of chapter to a community that contains both nonresidential
and residential units, renumbering former Subdiv. (2) as Subdiv. (3), and revise renumbered Subdiv. (3) by restricting the
exemption to a planned community "that is not subject to any development right", increasing the maximum annual average
common expense liability for the exemption to apply from one hundred to three hundred dollars and adding Subparas. (A)
and (B) limiting when the exemption applies.
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(b) Section 47-210 and subsections (b) to (d), inclusive, of section 47-225 apply to
all common interest communities created in this state prior to January 1, 1984, but shall
not invalidate existing provisions of the declarations, bylaws or surveys or plans of those
common interest communities.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 17, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 6, 23; P.A. 95-187, S. 6, 28.)
History: P.A. 84-472 made technical clarifications; P.A. 95-187 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), replacing
reference to "subdivisions (1) to (6), inclusive, and (11) to (16), inclusive, of subsection (a) of section 47-244" with "section
47-244" and added reference to "subsection (j) of section 47-236", and added Subsec. (b) making Sec. 47-210 and Subsecs.
(b) to (d), inclusive, of Sec. 47-225 applicable to all common interest communities created prior to January 1, 1984, and
providing that those provisions do not invalidate existing provisions of the declarations, bylaws or surveys or plans of
those communities.
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(b) If a common interest community created within this state before January 1, 1984,
was formed pursuant to a special act of the legislature, it is not subject to the provisions
of this chapter unless a majority of the unit owners vote, in conformity with applicable
law, to subject such common interest community to the provisions of this chapter. If a
majority of the unit owners so vote, the provisions of this chapter apply to such common
interest community in the manner described in section 47-216 and this section.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 18, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 7, 23; P.A. 95-187, S. 7.)
History: P.A. 84-472 replaced "cooperative or planned community" with "common interest community", provided an
exception for a "common interest community described in subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 47-215" and
added Subsec. (b) re the applicability of chapter 828 to a common interest community created before January 1, 1984,
pursuant to a special act of the legislature; P.A. 95-187 amended Subsec. (a) to insert Subdiv. indicators, add Subdiv. (2)
re nonresidential communities and make a technical change to a statutory reference in Subdiv. (3).
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(b) An amendment to the declaration, bylaws or surveys and plans authorized by
subsection (a) of this section shall be adopted in conformity with any procedures and
requirements for amending the instruments specified by those instruments or, if there
are none, in conformity with the amendment procedures of this chapter. If an amendment
grants to any person any rights, powers or privileges permitted by this chapter, all correlative obligations, liabilities and restrictions in this chapter also apply to that person.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 19, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 8, 23; P.A. 95-187, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 84-472 made technical clarifications; P.A. 95-187 amended Subsec. (a) to replace provisions that specified
that whether an amendment may be made pursuant to the law prior to January 1, 1984, or this chapter, and the law applicable
to such amendment, depended upon whether the substantive result accomplished by the amendment was or was not permitted by law prior to January 1, 1984, with provision that authorized the adoption of an amendment "to achieve any result
permitted by this chapter regardless of what applicable law provided before January 1, 1984," and amended Subsec. (b)
to replace requirement that an amendment be adopted "in conformity with the procedures and requirements of the law that
applied to the common interest community at the time it was created and in conformity with the procedures and requirements
specified by those instruments" with requirement that an amendment be adopted "in conformity with any procedures and
requirements for amending the instruments specified by those instruments or, if there are none, in conformity with the
amendment procedures of this chapter".
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 20, 96.)
CREATION, ALTERATION AND TERMINATION
OF COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES
(b) A declaration, or an amendment to a declaration adding units, may not be recorded unless all structural components of all buildings containing or comprising any
units thereby created are substantially completed in accordance with the plans, as evidenced by a recorded certificate of completion executed by a registered engineer, surveyor or architect.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 21, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 9, 23.)
History: P.A. 84-472 made technical change.
Cited. 208 C. 318, 326.
Cited. 38 CA 420, 428. Cited. 44 CA 107.
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(1) If walls, floors or ceilings are designated as boundaries of a unit, all lath, furring,
wallboard, plasterboard, plaster, paneling, tiles, wallpaper, paint, finished flooring and
any other materials constituting any part of the finished surfaces thereof are a part of
the unit, and all other portions of the walls, floors or ceilings are a part of the common
elements.
(2) If any chute, flue, duct, wire, conduit, bearing wall, bearing column or any other
fixture lies partially within and partially outside the designated boundaries of a unit,
any portion thereof serving only that unit is a limited common element allocated solely
to that unit, and any portion thereof serving more than one unit or any portion of the
common elements is a part of the common elements.
(3) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, all spaces, interior partitions and other
fixtures and improvements within the boundaries of a unit are a part of the unit.
(4) Any shutters, awnings, window boxes, doorsteps, stoops, porches, balconies,
patios and all exterior doors and windows or other fixtures designed to serve a single
unit, but located outside the unit's boundaries, are limited common elements allocated
exclusively to that unit.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 22, 96.)
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(b) The rule against perpetuities does not apply to defeat any provision of the declaration or of the bylaws, rules or regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 47-244.
(c) In the event of a conflict between the provisions of the declaration and the bylaws, the declaration prevails except to the extent the declaration is inconsistent with
this chapter.
(d) Title to a unit and common elements is not rendered unmarketable or otherwise
affected by reason of an insubstantial failure of the declaration to comply with this
chapter. Whether a substantial failure impairs marketability is not affected by this
chapter.
(e) In any case in which the surveys or plans required pursuant to section 47-228,
as identified in the declaration, are not recorded simultaneously with the remainder of
the declaration but are recorded thereafter, the failure to record the survey or plans
simultaneously with the remainder of the declaration is an insubstantial failure of the
declaration to comply with this chapter.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 23, 96; P.A. 99-238, S. 3, 8; P.A. 00-84, S. 3, 6.)
History: P.A. 99-238 added Subsec. (e) re failure to record survey or plans simultaneously with remainder of declaration
is insubstantial failure of declaration to comply with chapter, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 00-84 revised effective date of
P.A. 99-238 to specify applicability of section as amended by that act to errors, irregularities and omissions occurring on
or after January 1, 1999, effective July 1, 2000.
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 24, 96.)
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(1) The names of the common interest community and the association and a statement that the common interest community is either a condominium, cooperative or
planned community;
(2) The name of every town in which any part of the common interest community
is situated;
(3) A legally sufficient description of the real property included in the common
interest community;
(4) A statement of the maximum number of units that the declarant reserves the
right to create;
(5) In a condominium or planned community, a description of the boundaries of
each unit created by the declaration, including the unit's identifying number or, in a
cooperative, a description, which may be by surveys or plans, of each unit created by
the declaration, including the unit's identifying number, its size or number of rooms
and its location within a building if it is within a building containing more than one unit;
(6) A description of any limited common elements, other than those specified in
subsections (2) and (4) of section 47-221, as provided in subdivision (10) of subsection
(b) of section 47-228 and, in a planned community, any real property that is or must
become common elements;
(7) A description of any real property, except real property subject to development
rights, that may be allocated subsequently as limited common elements, other than limited common elements specified in subsections (2) and (4) of section 47-221, together
with a statement that they may be so allocated;
(8) A description of any development rights, as defined in subsection (14) of section
47-202, and other special declarant rights, as defined in subsection (29) of section 47-
202, reserved by the declarant, together with a legally sufficient description of the real
property to which each of those rights applies and a time limit within which each of
those rights must be exercised;
(9) If any development right may be exercised with respect to different parcels of
real property at different times, a statement to that effect together with (A) either a
statement fixing the boundaries of those portions and regulating the order in which those
portions may be subjected to the exercise of each development right or a statement that
no assurances are made in those regards, and (B) a statement as to whether, if any
development right is exercised in any portion of the real property subject to that development right, that development right must be exercised in all or in any other portion of
the remainder of that real property;
(10) Any other conditions or limitations under which the rights described in subdivision (8) of this subsection may be exercised or will lapse;
(11) An allocation to each unit of the allocated interests in the manner described in
section 47-226;
(12) Any restrictions (A) on alienation of the units, including any restrictions on
leasing which exceed the restrictions on leasing units which executive boards may impose pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 47-244, and (B) on the
amount for which a unit may be sold or on the amount that may be received by a unit
owner on sale, condemnation or casualty loss to the unit or to the common interest
community, or on termination of the common interest community;
(13) The recording data for recorded easements and licenses appurtenant to or included in the common interest community or to which any portion of the common interest
community is or may become subject by virtue of a reservation in the declaration; and
(14) All matters required by sections 47-225 to 47-228, inclusive, sections 47-234
and 47-235 and subsection (d) of section 47-245.
(b) The declaration may contain any other matters not inconsistent with this chapter
that the declarant considers appropriate, including any restrictions on the uses of a unit
or the number or other qualifications of persons who may occupy units.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 25, 96; P.A. 95-187, S. 9.)
History: P.A. 95-187 amended Subsec. (a) to delete in Subdiv. (12) the requirement that the declaration contain restrictions on "use" and "occupancy" of the units and add the requirement that the declaration contain "any restrictions on leasing
which exceed the restrictions on leasing units which executive boards may impose pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection
(c) of section 47-244" and amended Subsec. (b) to allow the declaration to contain "any restrictions on the uses of a unit
or the number or other qualifications of persons who may occupy units".
Cited. 208 C. 318, 326.
Cited. 38 CA 420, 428.
Subsec. (a):
Subdiv. (5) cited. 207 C. 441, 445, 446, 452, 453.
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(b) After the declaration for a leasehold condominium or leasehold planned community is recorded, neither the lessor nor the lessor's successor in interest may terminate
the leasehold interest of a unit owner who makes timely payment of a unit owner's share
of the rent and otherwise complies with all covenants which, if violated, would entitle
the lessor to terminate the lease. A unit owner's leasehold interest in a condominium
or planned community is not affected by failure of any other person to pay rent or fulfill
any other covenant.
(c) Acquisition of the leasehold interest of any unit owner by the owner of the
reversion or remainder does not merge the leasehold and reversionary or remainder
interests unless the leasehold interests of all unit owners subject to that reversion or
remainder are acquired.
(d) If the expiration or termination of a lease decreases the number of units in a
common interest community, the allocated interests shall be reallocated in accordance
with subsection (a) of section 47-206 as if those units had been taken by eminent domain.
Reallocations shall be confirmed by an amendment to the declaration prepared, executed
and recorded by the association.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 26, 96.)
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(b) The declaration shall state the formulas used to establish allocations of interests.
Those allocations may not discriminate in favor of units owned by the declarant or an
affiliate of the declarant.
(c) If units may be added to or withdrawn from the common interest community,
the declaration shall state the formulas to be used to reallocate the allocated interests
among all units included in the common interest community after the addition or withdrawal.
(d) The declaration may provide: (1) That different allocations of votes shall be
made to the units on particular matters specified in the declaration; (2) for cumulative
voting only for the purpose of electing members of the executive board; and (3) for class
voting on specified issues affecting the class if necessary to protect valid interests of
the class. A declarant may not use cumulative or class voting for the purpose of evading
any limitation imposed on declarants by this chapter nor may units constitute a class
because they are owned by a declarant.
(e) Except for minor variations due to rounding, the sum of the common expense
liabilities and, in a condominium, the sum of the undivided interests in the common
elements allocated at any time to all the units must each equal one if stated as a fraction
or one hundred per cent if stated as a percentage. In the event of discrepancy between
an allocated interest and the result derived from application of the pertinent formula,
the allocated interest prevails.
(f) In a condominium, the common elements are not subject to partition, and any
purported conveyance, encumbrance, judicial sale or other voluntary or involuntary
transfer of an undivided interest in the common elements made without the unit to which
that interest is allocated is void.
(g) In a cooperative, any purported conveyance, encumbrance, judicial sale or other
voluntary or involuntary transfer of an ownership interest in the association made without the possessory interest in the unit to which that interest is related is void.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 27, 96.)
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(b) Except as the declaration otherwise provides, a limited common element may
be reallocated by an amendment to the declaration executed by the unit owners between
or among whose units the reallocation is made. The persons executing the amendment
shall provide a copy thereof to the association, which shall record it. The amendment
shall be recorded in the names of the parties and the common interest community.
(c) A common element not previously allocated as a limited common element may
be so allocated only pursuant to provisions in the declaration made in accordance with
subdivision (7) of subsection (a) of section 47-224. The allocations shall be made by
amendments to the declaration.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 28, 96.)
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(b) Each survey shall show or project: (1) The name and a survey or general schematic map of the entire common interest community; (2) the location and dimensions
of all real property not subject to development rights, or subject only to the development
right to withdraw, and the location and dimensions of all existing improvements within
that real property; (3) a legally sufficient description of any real property subject to
development rights, labeled to identify the rights applicable to each parcel; (4) the extent
of any encroachments by or on any portion of the common interest community; (5) to
the extent feasible, a legally sufficient description of all easements serving or burdening
any portion of the common interest community; (6) except as provided in subsection
(h) of this section, the approximate location and dimensions of any vertical unit boundaries not shown or projected on plans recorded pursuant to subsection (d) of this section
and that unit's identifying number; (7) except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, the approximate location with reference to an established datum of any horizontal
unit boundaries not shown or projected on plans recorded pursuant to subsection (d) of
this section and that unit's identifying number; (8) a legally sufficient description of
any real property in which the unit owners will own only an estate for years, labeled as
"leasehold real property"; (9) the distance between noncontiguous parcels of real property comprising the common interest community; (10) the approximate location and
dimensions of any porches, decks, balconies, garages or patios allocated as limited common elements and show or contain a narrative description of any other limited common
elements; and (11) in the case of real property not subject to development rights, all
other matters customarily shown on land surveys.
(c) A survey may also show the intended location and dimensions of any contemplated improvement to be constructed anywhere within the common interest community.
Any contemplated improvement shown shall be labeled either "MUST BE BUILT" or
"NEED NOT BE BUILT".
(d) Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, to the extent not shown or
projected on the surveys, plans of the units shall show or project: (1) The approximate
location and dimensions of the vertical boundaries of each unit, and that unit's identifying number; (2) the approximate location of any horizontal unit boundaries, with
reference to an established datum, and that unit's identifying number; and (3) the approximate location of any units in which the declarant has reserved the right to create additional units or common elements identified appropriately.
(e) Unless the declaration provides otherwise, the horizontal boundaries of part of
a unit located outside a building have the same elevation as the horizontal boundaries
of the inside part and need not be depicted on the surveys and plans.
(f) On exercising any development right, the declarant shall record either new surveys and plans necessary to conform to the requirements of subsections (a), (b) and (d)
of this section, or new certifications of surveys and plans previously recorded if those
surveys and plans otherwise conform to the requirements of those subsections.
(g) Any certification of a survey or plan required by this section shall be made by
a licensed surveyor, architect, engineer or landscape architect and such certification
shall be made in accordance with chapter 390, 391 or 396.
(h) Surveys and plans need not show the location and dimensions of the units'
boundaries or their limited common elements if:
(1) The survey shows the location and dimensions of all buildings containing or
comprising the units; and
(2) The declaration includes other information that shows the approximate layout
of the units in those buildings and contains a narrative or graphic description of the
limited common elements allocated to those units.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 29, 96; P.A. 86-218, S. 1; P.A. 95-187, S. 10.)
History: P.A. 86-218 amended Subsec. (g) by replacing "registered" with "licensed", authorizing certification by a
landscape architect, and requiring certification to be made in accordance with chapter 390, 391 or 396; P.A. 95-187 amended
Subsec. (b) to require survey to show "or project" the enumerated items, add in Subdivs. (6) and (7) "except as provided
in subsection (h) of this section" and "approximate" and revise Subdiv. (10) by replacing "the approximate location and
dimensions of limited common elements not shown or projected on plans recorded pursuant to subsection (d), including
porches, balconies and patios, other than parking spaces and the other limited common elements described in subsections
(2) and (4) of section 47-221" with "the approximate location and dimensions of any porches, decks, balconies, garages
or patios allocated as limited common elements and show or contain a narrative description of any other limited common
elements", amended Subsec. (d) to add "Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section," add in Subdiv. (1) "approximate", add in Subdivs. (2) and (3) "the approximate location" and delete Subdiv. (4) re the approximate location and
dimensions of limited common elements and added Subsec. (h) re when surveys and plans need not show the location and
dimensions of the units' boundaries or their limited common elements.
Subsec. (e):
Cited. 207 C. 441, 452.
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(b) Development rights may be reserved within any real property added to the common interest community if the amendment adding that real property includes all matters
required by section 47-224 or 47-225, as the case may be, and, in a condominium or
planned community, the surveys and plans include all matters required by section 47-
228. This provision does not extend the time limit on the exercise of development rights
imposed by the declaration pursuant to subdivision (8) of subsection (a) of section
47-224.
(c) Whenever a declarant exercises a development right to subdivide or convert a
unit previously created into additional units, common elements or both: (1) If the declarant converts the unit entirely to common elements, the amendment to the declaration
shall reallocate all the allocated interests of that unit among the other units as if that unit
had been taken by eminent domain; and (2) if the declarant subdivides the unit into two
or more units, whether or not any part of the unit is converted into common elements,
the amendment to the declaration shall reallocate all the allocated interests of the unit
among the units created by the subdivision in any reasonable manner prescribed by the
declarant.
(d) If the declaration provides, pursuant to subdivision (8) of subsection (a) of section 47-224, that all or a portion of the real property is subject to a right of withdrawal:
(1) If all the real property is subject to withdrawal, and the declaration does not describe
separate portions of real property subject to that right, none of the real property may be
withdrawn after a unit has been conveyed to a purchaser; and (2) if any portion is subject
to withdrawal, it may not be withdrawn after a unit in that portion has been conveyed
to a purchaser.
(e) If a declarant fails to exercise any development right within the time limit described in the declaration pursuant to subdivision (8) of subsection (a) of section 47-
224 and in accordance with any conditions or limitations described in the declaration
pursuant to subdivision (10) of said subsection, or records an instrument surrendering
a development right, that development right shall lapse.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 30, 96; P.A. 84-472, S. 10, 23.)
History: P.A. 84-472 amended Subsec. (e) to provide that a development right shall lapse if a declarant records an
instrument surrendering it.
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(1) May make any improvements or alterations to his unit that do not impair the
structural integrity or mechanical systems or lessen the support of any portion of the
common interest community;
(2) May not change the appearance of the common elements, or the exterior appearance of a unit or any other portion of the common interest community, without permission of the association;
(3) After acquiring an adjoining unit or an adjoining part of an adjoining unit, may
remove or alter any intervening partition or create apertures therein, even if the partition
in whole or in part is a common element, if those acts do not impair the structural integrity
or mechanical systems or lessen the support of any portion of the common interest
community. Removal of partitions or creation of apertures under this subsection is not
an alteration of boundaries.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 31, 96.)
Cited. 207 C. 441, 452.
Subdiv. (3):
Cited. 207 C. 441, 452.
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(b) Subject to the provisions of the declaration and other provisions of law, boundaries between units and common elements may be relocated to incorporate common
elements within a unit by an amendment to the declaration upon application to the
association by the owner of the unit who proposes to relocate a boundary. Unless the
declaration provides otherwise, the amendment may be approved only if persons entitled
to cast at least sixty-seven per cent of the votes in the association, including sixty-seven
per cent of the votes allocated to units not owned by the declarant, agree to the action.
The amendment may describe any fees or charges payable by the owner of the affected
unit in connection with the boundary relocation and the fees and charges are assets of
the association. The amendment must be executed by the unit owner of the unit whose
boundary is being relocated and by the association, contain words of conveyance between them and on recordation be indexed in the name of the unit owner and the association as grantor or grantee, as appropriate.
(c) The association (1) in a condominium or planned community shall prepare and
record surveys or plans necessary to show the altered boundaries of affected units, and
their dimensions and identifying numbers, and (2) in a cooperative shall prepare and
record amendments to the declaration, including any plans necessary to show or describe
the altered boundaries of affected units, and their dimensions and identifying numbers.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 32, 96; P.A. 95-187, S. 11.)
History: P.A. 95-187 added new Subsec. (b) re relocation of boundaries between units and common elements and
procedure therefor, redesignating former Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c), and amended Subsec. (c) to replace "altered boundaries
between adjoining units" with "altered boundaries of affected units" where appearing.
Cited. 207 C. 441, 452.
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(b) The amendment to the declaration shall be executed by the owner of the unit to
be subdivided, assign an identifying number to each unit created and reallocate the
allocated interests formerly allocated to the subdivided unit to the new units in any
reasonable manner prescribed by the owner of the subdivided unit.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 33, 96.)
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 34, 96.)
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(P.A. 83-474, S. 35, 96.)
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(b) In a planned community, subject to the provisions of subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of section 47-244 and section 47-254, the unit owners have an easement (1) in
the common elements for purposes of access to their units and (2) to use the common
elements and all real property that must become common elements for all other purposes.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 36, 96.)
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(b) No action to challenge the validity of an amendment adopted by the association
pursuant to this section may be brought more than one year after the amendment is
recorded.
(c) Every amendment to the declaration shall be recorded in every town in which
any portion of the common interest community is located and is effective only on recordation. An amendment, except an amendment pursuant to subsection (a) of section
47-231, shall be indexed in the grantee's index in the name of the common interest
community and the association and in the grantor's index in the name of the parties
executing the amendment.
(d) Except to the extent expressly permitted or required by other provisions of this
chapter, no amendment may create or increase special declarant rights, increase the
number of units or change the boundaries of any unit or the allocated interests of a unit,
in the absence of unanimous consent of the unit owners.
(e) Amendments to the declaration required by this chapter to be recorded by the
association shall be prepared, executed, recorded and certified on behalf of the association by any officer of the association designated for that purpose or, in the absence of
designation, by the president of the association.
(f) By vote or agreement of unit owners of units to which at least eighty per cent
of the votes in the association are allocated, or any larger percentage specified in the
declaration, an amendment to the declaration may prohibit or materially restrict the
permitted uses or occupancy of a unit or the number or other qualifications of persons
who may occupy units. The amendment must provide reasonable protection for a use
or occupancy permitted at the time the amendment was adopted.
(g) The time limits specified in the declaration pursuant to subdivision (8) of subsection (a) of section 47-224, within which reserved development rights must be exercised
may be extended, the number of units may be increased and new development rights
or other special declarant rights may be created by amendment to the declaration if
persons entitled to cast at least eighty per cent of the votes in the association, including
eighty per cent of the votes allocated to units not owned by the declarant, agree to that
action. The amendment must identify the association or other persons who hold any
new rights that are created. Written notice of the proposed amendment to the declaration
must be delivered to all persons holding development rights or security interests in those
rights. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, the amendment
to the declaration is effective thirty days after the amendment is recorded and notice is
delivered unless any of the persons entitled to notice under this subsection records a
written objection within the thirty-day period, in which case the amendment is void, or
unless all of the persons entitled to notice under this subsection consent in writing at
the time the amendment is recorded, in which case the amendment is effective when
recorded.
(h) Provisions in the declaration creating special declarant rights may not be
amended without the consent of the declarant.
(i) If any provision of this chapter or of the declaration of any common interest
community subject to this chapter requires the consent of a person holding a security
interest in a unit as a condition to the effectiveness of any amendment to the declaration,
that consent shall be deemed granted if no written refusal to consent is received by the
association within forty-five days after the association delivers notice of the proposed
amendment to the holder of the interest or mails the notice to the holder of the interest
by certified mail, return receipt requested. The association may rely on the last-recorded
security interest of record in delivering or mailing notice to the holder of that interest.
(j) If the declaration of a common interest community, whether created before or
after January 1, 1984, contains a provision requiring that amendments relating to the
use of units, the relocation of boundaries between units and common elements or the
extension or creation of development rights may be adopted only by the vote or
agreement of unit owners of units to which eighty per cent or more of the votes in the
association are allocated, such a proposed amendment shall be deemed approved if:
(1) (A) Unit owners of units to which at least eighty per cent of the votes in the
association are allocated vote for or agree to the proposed amendment;
(B) No unit owner votes against the proposed amendment; and
(C) Notice of the proposed amendment is delivered to the unit owners holding the
votes in the association that have not voted or agreed to the proposed amendment and
no written objection of the proposed amendment is received by the association within
thirty days after the association delivers notice; or
(2) Unit owners of units to which at least eighty per cent of the votes in the association are allocated vote for or agree to the proposed amendment but at least one unit
owner objects to the proposed amendment and, pursuant to an action brought by the
association in the Superior Court against all objecting unit owners, the court finds that
the objecting unit owner or owners do not have a unique minority interest, different in
kind from the interests of the other unit owners, that the voting requirement of the
declaration was intended to protect.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 37, 96; P.A. 95-187, S. 12, 29.)
History: P.A. 95-187 amended Subsec. (a) to replace "except as limited by subsection (d) of this section" with "except
as limited by subsections (d) and (f) of this section", amended Subsec. (d) to delete prohibition on an amendment changing
the uses to which any unit is restricted without the unanimous consent of the unit owners, added a new Subsec. (f) to authorize
an amendment that prohibits or materially restricts the permitted uses or occupancy of a unit, specify the percentage vote
required for the adoption of such amendment and require the amendment to provide reasonable protection for a use or
occupancy permitted at the time the amendment was adopted, added a new Subsec. (g) authorizing an amendment that
extends the time limits within which reserved development rights must be exercised, increases the number of units or
creates new development rights or other special declarant rights and specifying procedure for adoption thereof, redesignated
former Subsec. (f) as Subsec. (h), added Subsec. (i) re when a person holding a security interest in a unit is deemed to have
granted his consent to the adoption of a proposed amendment and added Subsec. (j) re when an amendment relating to the
use of units, the relocation of boundaries between units and common elements or the extension or creation of development
rights that requires at least an eighty per cent vote is deemed approved, effective June 28, 1995.
Subsec. (d):
Cited. 22 CA 497, 498, 504.
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(b) An agreement to terminate shall be evidenced by the execution of a termination
agreement, or ratifications thereof, in the same manner as a deed, by the requisite number
of unit owners. The termination agreement shall specify a date after which the agreement
will be void unless it is recorded before that date. A termination agreement and all
ratifications thereof shall be recorded in every town in which a portion of the common
interest community is situated and is effective only on recordation.
(c) In the case of a condominium or planned community containing only units having horizontal boundaries described in the declaration, a termination agreement may
provide that all of the common elements and units of the common interest community
shall be sold following termination. If, pursuant to the agreement, any real property in
the common interest community is to be sold following termination, the termination
agreement shall set forth the minimum terms of the sale.
(d) In the case of a condominium or planned community containing any units not
having horizontal boundaries described in the declaration, a termination agreement may
provide for sale of the common elements, but it may not require that the units be sold
following termination, unless the declaration as originally recorded provided otherwise
or all the unit owners consent to the sale.
(e) The association, on behalf of the unit owners, may contract for the sale of real
property in a common interest community, but the contract is not binding on the unit
owners until approved pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section. If any real
property is to be sold following termination, title to that real property, on termination,
vests in the association as trustee for the holders of all interests in the units. Thereafter,
the association has all powers necessary and appropriate to effect the sale. Until the sale
has been concluded and the proceeds thereof distributed, the association continues in
existence with all powers it had before termination. Proceeds of the sale shall be distributed to unit owners and lien holders as their interests may appear, in accordance with
subsections (h), (i) and (j). Unless otherwise specified in the termination agreement, as
long as the association holds title to the real property, each unit owner and the unit
owner's successors in interest have an exclusive right to occupancy of the portion of
the real property that formerly constituted the unit. During the period of that occupancy,
each unit owner and the unit owner's successors in interest remain liable for all assessments and other obligations imposed on unit owners by this chapter or the declaration.
(f) In a condominium or planned community, if the real property constituting the
common interest community is not to be sold following termination, title to the common
elements and, in a common interest community containing only units having horizontal
boundaries described in the declaration, title to all the real property in the common
interest community, vest in the unit owners on termination as tenants in common in
proportion to their respective interests as provided in subsection (j) of this section, and
liens on the units shift accordingly. While the tenancy in common exists, each unit owner
and the unit owner's successors in interest have an exclusive right to occupancy of the
portion of the real property that formerly constituted the unit.
(g) Following termination of the common interest community, the proceeds of any
sale of real property, together with the assets of the association, are held by the association as trustee for unit owners and holders of liens on the units as their interests may
appear.
(h) Following termination of a condominium or planned community, creditors of
the association holding liens on the units, which were recorded before termination, may
enforce those liens in the same manner as any lien holder. All other creditors of the
association are to be treated as if they had perfected liens on the units immediately before
termination.
(i) In a cooperative, the declaration may provide that all creditors of the association
have priority over any interests of unit owners and creditors of unit owners. In that event,
following termination, creditors of the association holding liens on the cooperative
which were recorded before termination may enforce their liens in the same manner as
any lien holder, and any other creditor of the association is to be treated as if he had
perfected a lien against the cooperative immediately before termination. Unless the
declaration provides that all creditors of the association have that priority:
(1) The lien of each creditor of the association which was perfected against the
association before termination becomes, on termination, a lien against each unit owner's
interest in the unit as of the date the lien was perfected;
(2) Any other creditor of the association is to be treated on termination as if the
creditor had perfected a lien against each unit owner's interest immediately before termination;
(3) The amount of the lien of an association's creditor described in subdivisions (1)
and (2) of this subsection against each of the unit owners' interest shall be proportionate
to the ratio which each unit's common expense liability bears to the common expense
liability of all of the units;
(4) The lien of each creditor of each unit owner which was perfected before termination continues as a lien against that unit owner's unit as of the date the lien was perfected; and
(5) The assets of the association shall be distributed to all unit owners and all lien
holders as their interests may appear in the order described above. Creditors of the
association are not entitled to payment from any unit owner in excess of the amount of
the creditor's lien against that unit owner's interest.
(j) The respective interests of unit owners referred to in subsections (e), (f), (g), (h)
and (i) of this section are as follows:
(1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the respective interests
of unit owners are the fair market values of their units, allocated interests and any limited
common elements immediately before the termination, as determined by one or more
independent appraisers selected by the association. The decision of the independent
appraisers shall be distributed to the unit owners and becomes final unless disapproved
within thirty days after distribution by unit owners of units to which twenty-five per
cent of the votes in the association are allocated. The proportion of any unit owner's
interest to that of all unit owners is determined by dividing the fair market value of that
unit owner's unit and its allocated interests by the total fair market values of all the units
and their allocated interests.
(2) If any unit or any limited common element is destroyed to the extent that an
appraisal of the fair market value thereof before destruction cannot be made, the interests
of all unit owners are their respective common expense liabilities immediately before
the termination.
(k) In a condominium or planned community, except as provided in subsection (l)
of this section, foreclosure or enforcement of a lien or encumbrance against the entire
common interest community does not terminate, of itself, the common interest community, and foreclosure or enforcement of a lien or encumbrance against a portion of the
common interest community, other than withdrawable real property, does not withdraw
that portion from the common interest community. Foreclosure or enforcement of a lien
or encumbrance against withdrawable real property, or against common elements that
have been subjected to a security interest by the association under section 47-254, does
not withdraw, of itself, that real property from the common interest community, but the
person taking title thereto may require from the association, on request, an amendment
excluding the real property from the common interest community.
(l) In a condominium or planned community, if a lien or encumbrance against a
portion of the real property comprising the common interest community has priority
over the declaration and the lien or encumbrance has not been partially released, the
parties foreclosing the lien or encumbrance, on foreclosure, may record an instrument
excluding the real property subject to that lien or encumbrance from the common interest
community.
(P.A. 83-474, S. 38, 96; P.A. 95-187, S. 13.)
History: P.A. 95-187 amended Subsec. (k) to provide that foreclosure or enforcement of a lien or encumbrance "against
common elements that have been subjected to a security interest by the association under section 47-254" does not withdraw,
of itself, that real property from the community.
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