December 2016 HOA Meeting Agenda
The December 6, 2016 HOA Meeting Agenda is available for download. Click the link below.
QUALITY OF LIFE
The purpose of the Memorial Northwest Home Owners Association is to preserve property values and enhance the quality of life. If you google “quality” looking for methodologies or how to control, you will get a lot of content on this very subject.
We can find the quality standards by which we live written in the Deed Restrictions for our property. This is a promise made to each other when we purchase our homes.
From a governance perspective, it is hard to comprehend our neighborhood HOA processes are overseen by mere volunteers. Volunteers receive no compensation other than a willingness to believe that investing some personal time and effort, it may result in attracting and retaining the best families to live in Memorial Northwest.
Just five short years ago, home owners met at Theiss Elementary school to see a presentation on a Master Plan being proposed for the community center property. For our community, there was nothing more contentious at the time invoking frustration and anger for a variety of reasons. This story is a common one that continues to play out today. After nearly 30 years of use as a private club, the previous owner could no longer afford or perform the required maintenance to preserve the property in a quality manner; the longevity of neglect accelerated its final demise. It took the entire community vote to rescue the community center property and another vote to begin the restoration process. There wisdom of conducting a community vote is an affirmation of quality expectations we are willing to sustain together.
The same story applies to our homes. The methodology we use to ensure quality is a periodic inspection of all 1,957 properties. When an inspector notes a perceived violation, this note is sent in a form of a letter notifying the owner of the deficiency requesting to be improved. Some homeowners expressed concern that we are spending too much effort on minor violations and not enough on the major ones. I assure you we are focusing on all perceived violations equally. I drive by the same homes you do and get frustrated by the obvious deficiencies where a homeowner refuses to take the necessary corrective action or has even abandoned the home.
In this situation, our only recourse is to take legal action to hold the owner accountable to the promise. The Board has approved legal action to be taken on 26 delinquent accounts in order to recover about $95,000 in past due assessments, late fees, legal fees and interest. In the area of deed restriction violations, the Board has approved legal action to be taken on 29 accounts where the home owner has refused to take corrective action. Please be patient as these processes do take time. The outcome is inevitable where the court does not look favorably for reneging on a promise.
Another quality process protecting new owners is the “resale certificate and transfer fees.” When a home has a contract and going to closing, the Title Company is required to contact the Association to determine if there are any unpaid balances resulting in a lien against the property. We have received nearly $59,000 from the delinquent accounts for the homes sold this year.
The volunteers on the Board of Directors and Committees are committed to quality of life. The bottom-line: take care of property and take care of each other. This is the promise volunteers commit to when serving. Want to make a difference in our community? Volunteer.
October 2016 – BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS
Greg Schindler
One of the most important actions a homeowner can do is serve on a committee or the Board of Directors. The second best action is to vote. It is time to vote and seat the 2017 Board of Directors.
At the September membership meeting, the floor was opened for nominations. The following volunteer positions are uncontested: Alan Blankenship (Area 1), Gerome D’Anna (Area 3), Brian Thomas (Area 5), Vincent D’Anna (Area 7) and Michelle Eubank (Secretary).
For the contested volunteer positions are: for Treasurer – Jamie Deloatche and Troy Spencer and for 3rd Vice President (Deed Restrictions) – Judy Gordon, Hana Taha and James Tran.
On behalf of all homeowners, we thank both Connie Shinaver (Area 1) and Sandra Remson (Area 7) for their contributions and service to the community on the Board of Directors.
All ballots are due by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 3. The candidate receiving the highest number of ballots is elected. The results of the election will be announced at the Membership Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
On Tuesday, October 4, we will be having National Night Out at the Community Center from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. National Night Out an annual community-building event that strengthens neighborhood spirit and police/community partnerships to make our neighborhoods safer, and better places to live.
Our goal is to increase community awareness through knowledge of various services and program’s available to all our residence. Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Vehicles will be on display. This event will feature Michael the Balloon Artist, a face painter, a justice league super hero’s bounce & slide, and other giveaways for the children. Complimentary chick-fil-a sandwiches, lemonade and Kona Ice as well as popcorn supplied by Esanet Benedict, Jamie Berlin and Lynne Sanders, realtors of Better Homes & Gardens real estate Gary Greene. Mark your calendars and plan to attend.
August 2016 – At the Cross Roads
We seem to be at a crossroads for our neighborhood. There are so many needs yet not enough volunteers to help tip the balance in assuring that Memorial Northwest is the best place to live.
The Board of Directors has been focused on improving the governance processes by adhering to our governing documents, federal and state laws as well as other governing regulations. This fundamental process tends to be slow yet necessary to safeguard all.
This month, the Board of Directors will be selecting a nominating committee to solicit and register candidates for the 2017 Board of Directors. The nominating committee then reports to the membership at the September meeting those desiring to be on the ballot for the annual election meeting in October. The 2017 Board of Directors positions open are: Third Vice President (Deed Restriction & Architectural Control), Treasurer, Secretary, Area 1 Director, Area 3 Director, Area 5 Director and Area 7 Director. If you want to make a difference, please consider serving. All home owners may serve on the Board of Directors.
Another crossroad is maintaining our homes as they age. This is where Deed Restriction enforcement is a necessary tool maintain a minimum standard of quality. We are anticipating increasing our legal actions on your behalf in property foreclosures and lawsuits. This is one of the most difficult decisions a Board Members must make, but it is necessary to preserve our neighborhood. We anticipate using foreclosures and lawsuits on homes that have been abandoned or those owners refusing to pay assessments that provide for security, amenities and reserve funding for the future. As of June, we have nearly $174,000 in delinquent accounts. We will be focusing on those homes that neglect to make the major repairs to their property like rotten wood, damaged siding, painting, broken gutters and windows, dilapidated fences, etc.
So don’t get upset about the paragraph above. There is a high probability that I am not referring to you. Over 97% of the homes in our neighborhood are in great shape. Some homes are selling above $300,000. These homes have updated exteriors like concrete siding (not original cardboard), new mold/mildew resistant paints, double pain energy efficient windows, cedar fences, manicured landscaping, etc. Interior wise, bathrooms have been remodeled with modern fixtures and finishes. Kitchens have granite countertops (not laminate), new appliances and flooring. These investments appear to bring in top dollar and sell quickly.
Concerning our pool amenities, much work is needed to determine viable options for homeowners to consider. The previous planning work is no longer valid as market conditions have changed. Renovation and replacement costs have soared as pool companies have more projects than skilled labor can handle. New pool construction projects include competition, water play features and architecturally fabric deck shading. Renovation projects are trying to incorporate the same features.
Lastly, our committees consisting of homeowners have made great contributions in improving our operations and maintaining high quality standards. We still need help with safety and security and the social and educational committees.
Presidents Message July 2016
Zika virus is one of those current event subjects that grab everyone’s attention. Are we being manipulated in fear because someone is selling something or should I be concerned and take some sort of action? Every one of us can greatly reduce the risk of infection by taking personal accountability of the things we can control. Before we jump into the details, let’s discuss what we do know about Zika.
The Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 in the Zika Forest in Uganda. This virus has been known for quite some time. In our global environment, the speed and the number of people travelling have significantly increased the spread of tropical viruses like Zika.
Mosquitoes are the primary source of transmission of this virus. It should be noted that most individuals will not even know they were infected. “The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes); the illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito” (source CDC.gov website). The symptoms of Zika virus usually diminish within a few days to a week. Once infected and recover, it is very unlikely to get re-infected.
The main public concern with the Zika virus is the potential for birth defect (microcephaly) of the developing child during pregnancy. Most mothers infected with Zika virus during pregnancy will deliver a normal healthy child. Of all U.S. births, microcephaly occurs about 0.02 percent to 0.12 percent; “For Zika-infected pregnancies, microcephaly risk may be as high as 13 percent” (source: Washington Post, Lena H. Sun on May 25, 2016).
Understanding the life cycle of a mosquito can greatly increase your situational awareness: (1) female lays eggs near or into a container holding water, (2) eggs may hatch within days to month(s) once covered with water, (3) larva/pupae stage between 7 to 10 days.
What are we doing? In our neighborhood we are mosquito spraying just about every other day. It is only effective for adult mosquitos and kills on contact. The mist when settling on vegetation will harmlessly break down and becomes less effective. The coverage area is mainly effective in the front of your home and less effective in the back. The type and application of spraying is intended to kill adult mosquitoes and not be hazardous to people, animals, aquatic life or other beneficial insects.
What can you do? (1) Treating your backyard with an insecticide on occasion can greatly help decrease the population of mosquitoes. Read the product label carefully as it may affect animals or other beneficial insects; (2) repair doors and window screens; (3) at a minimum (once a week – remember mosquito life-cycle above) remove all standing water available to produce mosquitoes: (a) scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out any items that hold water like tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpot saucers, or trash containers, (b) tightly cover water storage containers (buckets, cisterns, rain barrels) so that mosquitoes cannot get inside to lay eggs, (c) for containers without lids, use wire mesh with holes smaller than an adult mosquito, and finally (d) use a larvicides to treat large containers of water that will not be used for drinking and cannot be covered or dumped out. And finally (4), use a repellant on skin and clothing to minimize your risk of getting bit by a mosquito.
Did you know HCPHES investigates complaints that may violate the Texas Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement Act? For more information, GOOGLE “Harris County Neighborhood Nuisance” to find out more.
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