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                                                                EXHIBIT 5.1


                   [JAFFE, RAITT, HEUER & WEISS LETTERHEAD]


                                          September 12, 1996


Sun Communities, Inc.
31700 Middlebelt Road, Suite 145
Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334

        Re:     Sun Communities, Inc.

Gentlemen:

        We have acted as counsel to Sun Communities, Inc. (the "Company"), a
Maryland corporation, in connection with the registration by the Company of up
to 1,461,513 shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value per share ("Common Stock"),
issued or issuable by the Company upon the exercise of options granted under
the Sun Communities, Inc. Amended and Restated 1993 Stock Option Plan or the
Sun Communities, Inc. Amended and Restated 1993 Non-Employee Director Stock
Option Plan, as described in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 13, 1996 (together with 
all amendments thereto, the "Registration Statement").

        We do not purport to be experts on or to express any opinion in this
letter concerning any law other than the laws of the State of Michigan and the
General Corporation Law of Maryland, and this opinion is qualified accordingly. 
This opinion is limited to matters expressly set forth in this letter, and no
opinion is to be inferred or may be implied beyond the matters expressly so
stated.  In rendering the opinion contained in this letter, we have assumed
without investigation that the information supplied to us by the Company is
accurate and complete.

        Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the
shares of Common Stock to be offered under the Registration Statement have been
duly authorized, and upon the issuance and sale thereof in the manner referred
to in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.

        We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.

                              Very truly yours,
                                      
                         JAFFE, RAITT, HEUER & WEISS
                           Professional Corporation