Renting/leasing bylaws

Those are legal questions, so you need to ask a private attorney. Most of us aren't lawyers and what's legal or not in my state may not be the same in yours - or there's no law on it at all.

You will find all sorts of conversations on this website about renters, rental restrictions, etc. Use the search function and you'll find old conversations to get you started (don't post a response if you haven't seen a recent reply). I live in a townhouse community and I'm not a fan of dozens of rentals, although the current group seem to be nice (now if only we can stop people from dumping mattresses and other old furniture in the dumpsters!)

And that's the heart of the matter. When you travel through the neighborhood, you shouldn't be able to tell if an owner or tenant lives there because everyone should be following the rules. There may or may not be implications for property values if you have too many renters (depending on who you ask), so you may want to focus on what makes for shitty neighbors and enforce rules related to that. There are obnoxious owners and tenants and if you make it clear what will and won't be tolerated, you may stand a good chance of getting good people wanting to live there.

Check your local ordinances, they may address the number of unrelated adults living in a single family home - and local laws often have more "teeth" to them than HOA/COA restrictions do. I work for a new home builder and some years ago worked in a nearby community that did have such a restriction. I don't think they're uncommon, at least around here.

And if a homeowner leases his home, the tenants must also comply with the community's covenants and restrictions - the rules don't change simply because one is a tenant.

No, no, it has to do with defining a single family dwelling and attempts to rent it out to multiple individuals.

Can we make rules to attach to the leasing bylaws to strengthen the single family definition used

Not correct.

From the Michigan Condominium Act:

"559.165 Compliance with master deed, bylaws, rules, and regulations.
Sec. 65. Each unit co-owner, tenant, or nonco-owner occupant shall comply with the master deed, bylaws, and rules and regulations of the condominium project and this act."

The Act has other restrictions on tenants, and allows the association to evict the tenant and pursue damages, among other remedies.

I think the biggest problem with such a rule may be that it violates the federal Fair Housing law with regard to discriminating on the basis of "familial status."

I believe the courts have said, in so many words, that HOA/condo covenants prohibiting homes/condo units from being occupied by unmarried or unrelated people are unlawful. I think putting a limit on the number of "unrelated" people occupying a "single family" residence would likewise be unlawful. What is a "family"? I think the courts have said this is open to interpretation.

... and to six university students. Got it. I'd be unhappy as well.

Your covenants and the Condo Act allow your condo to put restrictions on the lease and occupancy. The courts expect these to be fair and reasonable, and certainly not in violation of any federal or state fair housing law. I will have to ponder whether there is anything you all can do as far as creating a fair and reasonable restriction is concerned. There are some excellent brains here at hoatalk. Let's see what others day.

For now and from where I am sitting, one approach is to enforce rules on noise and nuisances. Call the police every time there is a racket coming from the house (and I do expect this to be often, even with the Coronavirus pandemic). Make sure all neighbors know they can report noise and nuisances that violate the covenants (Master Deed; Bylaws). This was highly effective for me in a single family HOA when years ago some essentially frat boys next door (one a nephew of the stupid owner) were throwing loud parties, leaving their dog in the heat with no shade nor water and all tied up, more. I reported them every chance I got to the HOA, city animal control, the police et cetera. They were gone in a year.

Are the University of Michigan and Michigan State University opening to students in the Fall? Not that you live near either. More that this would go into how to solve the problem of these kiddos possibly being nuisances in violation of the covenants.

Oh! forgot to say..It is still up in the air about Universities opening.....

OMG, I am rolling on the floor laughing!! You are a stitch! I can just envision myself doing such a thing....(unfortunately, it is true...I can!) But I am much older that 35 and think calling police would be the wiser, but then again,....maybe not! Ha Ha. Thanks again. You and your fellow HOAtalk pals are unbelievable!

City code will define what occupancy is for a home. I believe it goes by the number of bedrooms.

Group homes have to abide by these laws. So do rentals. Check with city regulations.

Your bylaws would have to declare whether or not rentals are allowed in your HOA.