I live in a developement whhere there are covenants. It says each home shall be a single family dwelling. What is the definition of a single family dwelling. If a person rents out part of their home is it still a single family dwelling?
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Chinook
ANSWERS: 5
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It means that you cannot split your home up into multiple units/apartments. You can have other people living in your home (like renting out a room), as long as it is still a single home, not multiple "homes" in one building.
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Single Family Dwelling generally refers to the type of structure, not the number or status of the occupants. Your Neighborhood Association doesn't want anything besides SFD's built in the development. They would be opposed to an Apartment Complex, condominiums, duplexes, semi-detached houses, or townhomes/terrace houses.
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Renting out part of your home means that the home is no longer a single family dwelling (unless you take on a roommate). For example, if you turn your basement into an apartment, your house is no longer a single family dwelling. This would violate the covenants of your neighborhood and open you to legal action.
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Different Townships, Borroughs, Cities and such may have different laws that govern housing allowed in different areas. A single family dwelling means only that the house was built with the idea that a single FAMILY would be living in it...as opposed to it being rented to several different and unrelated families. Large single home dwellings refer to the structure, however, in some cases you CAN take a large single home and divide it up into individual living spaces to be rented out. This could be used as a boarding house, where all residents share common spaces, Bath, Kitchen, Dining and Living rooms. OR...even individual spaces with a small kitchen and bath in each. Depending upon the local area laws for Housing, you might have to secure a Variance or some other sort of paperwork/permit to do this. Location, such as Commercial or non-commercial could also reflect the ease of doing such a thing. I can assure you that in a "Gated" community it would NOT be permitted. Hells bells some of those dictate what color you can paint your house, and what flowers you can plant in your yard!
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A single family residence is any structure ordinarily occupied by a single family, such as a tradtional home, a townhome (attached or detatched), a condo, or a coop. Unless the structure has been formally declared as and is taxed as a two or more unit structure, it is a single family dwelling. Renting out a room to a boarder does not count. Although revalation of this salient information to an agent of local government may bring about an inspection of your property. In turn, this may yield a citation and fine, if any special licensing is required. Then again, you might also be accountable to the HOA for infractions of the covenants, in the event that they also disallow rentals. Take comfort in knowing that you live in a single family dwelling and keep quiet about your renter ... until you get caught.
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