Condominiums

Condominium is Latin in origin and means co-ownership. In a condominium project, owners hold title to their units plus a percentage of the entire project in common with all other owners. The covenants, conditions and restrictions ("CC&Rs") recorded against the entire project restrict the use of the property and define the responsibilities of association as a whole as well as the owners individually.

Condominiums are typically vertically stacked units (usually from 3-stories to 40-stories) and consist of the air space bounded by the floors, ceilings and perimeter walls surrounding the unit.

Membership. Any conveyance, whether voluntary or involuntary, of an owner's interest in the unit automatically includes the owner's membership in the association. Civil Code §1358(b)

Association. Owners automatically become members of a nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association created for the purpose of managing a common interest development. Civil Code §1351(a) The association is governed by a board of directors selected by the membership. Corp. Code §7210

Inherent in condominium ownership is the principle that to promote the health, happiness and peace of mind of the majority of the unit owners, each unit owner must give up a certain degree of freedom of choice which he or she might otherwise enjoy in separate, privately owned property. Nahrstedt v. Lakeside Village

Updated 4/27/2008