This is a reminder to all residents that the deadline to submit the HOPA forms is OCTOBER 28, 2026.
These surveys are mandatory under the The Housing for Older People Act* (HOPA) which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on December 28, 1995, following approval by the Senate and House of Representatives (Public Law 104-76). This federal legislation was designed to protect residents of 55+ communities, ensuring those communities are exempt from the Fair Housing Act** (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.) which allows people of any age to purchase property within a planned retirement residential common interest community. This federal law requires communities (including co-ops) to verify that at least 80% of their occupied units contain at least one person aged 55 or older and which explicitly orders housing providers to develop reliable procedures for verifying the ages of occupants through surveys or forms at least once every two years. However, if the number of persons age 55+ in a given community falls below the 80% threshold, the community could lose its age-restricted status (and loss of such status would be permanent).
Furthermore, New Jersey State Regulation: N.J.A.C. Title 13, Chapter 15 coordinates its anti-discrimination and housing policies with federal law through the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ LAD). To clarify how age-restricted communities must operate under state law, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights established clear and precises rules under the New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C. § 13:15-1.1 et seq.) entitled Housing for Older Persons.
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Specifically, N.J.A.C. § 13:15-1.5 closely mirrors the federal regulation. It states that a community must maintain its 55+ intent by adopting age-verification procedures and conducting periodic surveys.
- New Jersey rules depend heavily on these regular verification surveys to protect the community from civil rights lawsuits regarding housing discrimination.
Why the Form is “Mandatory” even for Co-op Residents
The federal and state statutes do not print a standardized “Government HOPA Form”; rather, they mandate that the Co-op Association collect the age data.
Remember, federal and state statutes always prevail.
What does this mean for Crestwood Village Four?
Without HOPA, for those who bought homes here in CV4 with intentions of enjoying your retirement among peers, losing our 55+ status could change everything that you enjoy socially and economically.
If you haven’t turned one in yet, you can obtain one from the main office or from the website under the FORMS tab or attached here. If you are unsure if you filled out the form, call the office or email – reception@crestwooodvillagefour.com to confirm.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.
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