Grandparents in Louisiana who take guardianship of their minor grandchildren face the possibility they will be forced to leave their homes. This is what is happening in some seniors-only communities nationwide.

Communities with residences marketed to seniors only are starting to see the realities of modern-day life. As more families lose their homes or jobs and turn to grandparents for housing, that often means a child will be moving in. And as more grandparents take custody of their grandchildren when the birth parents can't raise them, more children are living in seniors only communities.

At one well-known senior community that restricts children in a nearby state, the community board president said he has found 10 cases in the last six months where children have moved in with their older relatives. While he doesn't want to tell the grandparents to kick the children out, age-restricted communities could face troubles if they ignore the trend.

Under the Fair Housing Act, a community may allow up to 20 percent of its residents to fall below the minimum residency age, as long as they are adults. That regulation was passed to allow adult children who inherit property to move in, and it wasn't intended to include minors.

Should communities allow the children to stay, they could lose their ability to restrict ages and be forced to allow in any people who were interested. Some communities also question the costs they would have to bear because of children. Facilities such as swimming pools would require modifications to their insurance if used by children, for example.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 6 million children under 18 live in households headed by grandparents. Ten years ago, at the last survey, the number was 4.5 million.

Source: AOL Real Estate, "The Minor Threat: Age-Restricted Communities Evicting Children," Stefanos Chen, Jan. 6, 2012