HOA PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT

I am the Hidden Lakes President and my attempt to share our plight has been constant and tiring. I share any and all information with anyone who will listen, owners and renters. Sharing information has become our last stand to fight the neglect from the builders/owners who rent their properties and don’t pay their dues.
The Board Members are home owners and work in this position as volunteers with the goal of keeping our community in the best possible condition for the whole community. If residents mow and maintain OUR common community areas you reward the builders/owners who are renting or selling their homes at your expense. You are defeating the last and final action that we will have to save our Neighborhood. If you are maintaining these areas it is a short term solution while the builder is collecting funds that should be applied to the HOA budget.
I have been a part of the Board in one form or another since the conception of the board. It was established and determined by the builder Prospect Homes. During 2007 Bill Riley, Prospect Homes was in control and still trying to sell his homes, he was keeping up his responsibilities with the HOA while it was in his best interest. When the housing market fell and they were forced to start renting the Builders stopped supporting the development with the strict ACC rules and all finances stopped coming to the HOA. The Board was dependant on only the homeowners that paid there dues.
Meetings:
During the mid months of 2008 the Hidden Lakes Board went door to door to explain what was happening with the finances and the lack of payments from the builders and many homeowners. Every homeowner and renter was invited to a meeting in the park of which 7 people turned out, 4 were Board Members! Later in the year a formal invitation to the annual Board meeting was sent to all Homeowners and Builders and this was done through Association Services. The weekend before the Annual Board Meeting was to take place, the board went door to door to remind and invite all Hidden Lakes Homeowners of the date and time. The Board rented a hall (with out of pocket money) in anticipation that the homeowners and builders might have an interest about the financial budget for 2009, concerns for the condition of the budget and help try to solve the constant issue of non payment of dues. The turn out to the Annual Board Meeting consisted of 4 Board Members and 2 Homeowners.
If you are a Homeowner where were you?
If you are a renter, you need to talk to your Rental Management Company as they work for the largest non contributing entity affecting our community. Additionally the Board has been informed that each renter is paying a portion of their rent toward the Association Dues. Recently the board had a meeting with the BRC-Homes about bringing his dues current. This meeting resulted in an offer to pay up current only his balance for the 2008 Special Assessment which would be about $3000.00. I asked BRC-Homes what the check amount would be and I asked for a plan of how they intended to bring the outstanding balance current for 2009.
To date the board still has not received an answer to either question.
The owner of Prospect Homes also owns the majority of the rentals under a different company and some of these homes have assessed fees and fines which are all outstanding. The builder expects the HOA Board to accept a minimum check and operate with no possible means to pay bills or bring the development back up to the standard that we all enjoyed.
The landscaper and association management company supported the board and provided services for 2 months without payment in hopes that Hidden Lakes could collect back assessments and in addition to the maintenance and up keep cost the HOA pays for PSE and Insurance for the development at a budget of $5000.00 per month.
Hidden Lakes 2009’s Budget to date has received payments from 29 homeowners.
Do the math!