A 55+ community (frequently referred to as an active adult community or age-restricted community) is a residential neighborhood or condominium association operating under a specific legal exemption to the federal Fair Housing Act: the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 (HOPA).
Under federal law, at least 80 percent of the occupied units must include at least one permanent resident who is 55 years of age or older. Individual communities have the legal authority to set specific local rules governing secondary occupants, visiting guests, pets, leasing, and architectural aesthetics through their recorded Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs).