Help with Condo Rental Denial

What is the name of your state? Michigan

My father bought a 3 bedroom condo near my university with the idea that I could live there while he rented the other two bedroom out to 2 of my friends. It turns out he needed to obtain a rental permit which he applied for. We just found out he was turned down due to the fact that my condominiums were zoned in an area specified for "single family dwellings". Basically, they aren't going to give us this permit so now the investment is turning sour. I need some help. Is there any way I can get around this? Would I be able to add names to the deed or change anything that would make it possible for my two friends to live at the condo with me? It would only be for a year and then my brother would move in and I would only have a single friend living which is okay because it is not more than the mandated 2 unrelated residents.

jefflong3323 said:

What is the name of your state? Michigan

My father bought a 3 bedroom condo near my university with the idea that I could live there while he rented the other two bedroom out to 2 of my friends. It turns out he needed to obtain a rental permit which he applied for. We just found out he was turned down due to the fact that my condominiums were zoned in an area specified for "single family dwellings". Basically, they aren't going to give us this permit so now the investment is turning sour. I need some help. Is there any way I can get around this? Would I be able to add names to the deed or change anything that would make it possible for my two friends to live at the condo with me? It would only be for a year and then my brother would move in and I would only have a single friend living which is okay because it is not more than the mandated 2 unrelated residents.

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**A: please post word for word exatly what the "turn down" letter stated.

I don't have the letter because they don't actually decide until Tuesday. My father called the city to ask about the permit and they told him it is probably going to be denied to him on the basis of our condominium bylaws preventing the rental of my unit to anybody that is not "single family only" which means there cannot be more than 2 people that are unrelated living in the condo.

Another idea I had was to have my two friends go out and sign up to live in an apartment. They could then actually live with me while they paid the apartment fees (I would let them live here free of charge). This may sound stupid; however, 15 days before school starts there is little available in terms of apartments and all the good ones and prime locations are already filled. They would be forced to live in a bad location and a not-so-nice apartment building. My condo is fairly large and has great campus location. I would be living there otherwise and at least this way, I would have some friends to live with and split the bills between 3 rather than just myself. Now I am wondering if we were ever cited for a rental violation (500$ a day), would documents proving my friends are renting an apartment hold up in court or to the city? Would they take this as proof I was not "renting" and my friends were not actually "living" at my place?

Why don't you go to Vermont with one of your friends, marry him, then come back and adopt the other friend, so you all fall within the one-family exclusion?

Too complicated.