Cooperative and condominium boards frequently wish to modify longstanding governance policies to accommodate shifting needs, trends, and demographics within their communities. However, they are confronted with the dilemma of how to deal with longstanding residents who have been granted allowances in accordance with existing board policies (e.g., permission to harbor pets, sublet their apartments, maintain washing and drying machines within their apartments, or even install hot tubs) and have adjusted their life styles in reliance upon these licenses such that their modus vivendi would be uprooted by an abrupt change in regimen.

One popular solution to this dilemma has been to “grandfather” existing accommodations so that those who have received licenses are permitted to retain their privileges until they naturally expire (i.e. their pet passes, their sublet term comes to an end, or their appliance cannot be repaired), while the new policy applies immediately to those who have not been granted prior approval.