association fees

[Tyler Pantell]

Does anyone know if renters have to pay association fees? I have heard no. But maybe Larry or Bob would now this. I ask this because if there are alot of renters around here and they do not have to pay does anyone know the percentage of this? Typically when people don't have to pay for things they trash it. I have to pay the fees associated with this neighborhood and to see things not being taken care of bother me. Is this going to get worse? I know you are suppose to ask this questions to the hoa. I however do not have faith in them. I have more faith with people who actually live here.

I want to now if the reason things don't get taken care of are because they don't have the budget for it due to homes not paying the dues.

I also want to know the budget they showed us last year was only this neighborhoods budget or all the neighborhoods they are associated with.

Thank you

[Bob]

I am sure its not the renters paying the dues, it would be the actual person who owns the home.
I brought up this exact point a few months ago in one of my posts about the concern of the amount of renters we now have in the additions. Far be it from me to judge anyone but its a well known fact that in most cases a renter isnt going to take good care of the home or yard. Pretty much every renter I have seen on my street, and there are several, the yard looks like crap with weeds and high grass, many are noisy and disrespectful. It certainly drops all of our property values having this many renters. If I were looking to buy a home, the first question I would ask would be how many renters are on the street and with the amount we have, no way would I buy here.
I am with you in not having faith in the hoa. You can drive through pretty much any addition and see yards full of weeds and places that are not well taken care of, and I ask why has the hoa let it get this far out of hand?
As far as dues not being paid, they should sue the homeowner for the money. I pay mine on time everytime and so should everyone else.

[HCResid]

Yes, every home in HC pays the dues - renters included. Some renters may be oblivious to this fact as it may be included in their rent. Our HOA is very good about getting the dues collected (court if necessary).

I do agree with Bob about the upkeep of the yards. It is in our restrictive covenants that the yards must be kept up. Section 2.6 Part T "Maintenance of Lots and Improvements":
i) "Mow and care for the lawn at such times as may reasonably be required in order to prevent the unsightly growth of vegetation and weeds"
iii) "Prevent the existence of any other condition that reasonably tends to detract from or diminish the aesthetic appearance of the Development"

There are countless homeowners who violate this covenant. I doubt they get letters unless someone specifically complains about it. They may send a letter for tall grass but I even doubt they send one for weeds. This is interesting given that they seem much more worried about trash cans on property. I believe in equal enforcement of the covenants, not this find violations as you see fit mindset. Existing case law supports equal enforcement of the covenants.

Do I disagree with some of the covenants - yes I do - but if you are going to enforce them, do it equally. Of course, critics will say it is too big to police this sort of thing regarding all of the covenants, but that isn't my problem - it's the developer's, Mr. Timothy Shrout's. After all, his attorneys drafted the covenants.

[Bob]

I totaly agree with you, it isnt our problem because of their excuses, in fact from a legal standpoint, you cant let one homeowner slide on a violation (no matter how small it might be) and send a letter to another homeowner for a violation they committ, that is discrimination and illegal under the law, so it up to the hoa, who are the ones that contracted to enforce the covenants to do a good job of enforcement accross the board and not make excuses for why they dont get the job done. You are right about the picking and choosing of which ones they wish to enforce by way of letter. What kills me is the hoa says they do weekly drive by inspections, so if thats the case how do they miss so many of the ones I have to report, maybe they need to visit Dr. Tavel and get an eye exam.
As far as the dues, I agree take the ones who dont pay on time or at all to court and sue them. Its not like everyone here doesnt know they will come due, its as simple as puttting away a dollar a day to pay them.

[Tyler Pantell]

My thing is if people are all paying the dues around hear and the hoa still is unable to take care of things that need taken care of why don't they ask for another dollar a day? That would be double what we are paying, but I think this neighborhood is really nice and would not want to see it get all trashed out. Someone said this area is turning into mars hill. I never paid attention to mars hill but I guess that is bad.

Since they are not asking and things are falling apart. I wonder what is going on.

I was told before we purchased our house that alot things that havn't happened were going to be taken care of. I bought here and not in Fishers or Carmel because of the potential around here but I am loosing faith in it. I don't want to sell our home here because it will probly take a year to sell anyhow and why go thru all that for a year. That is ulimate chaos.

[Bob]

Well I think that the amount we are paying right now is plenty. They just need to set their priorities and get their job done and if that means they need to hire a couple more people then they should do that. If that means shorten the pool season a little or cut a few other things to do that then so be it. To me the most important things they need to concentrate on is keeping us secure and protect the value of our property. I was also told when I purchased the home that the hoa strictly enforces the covenants, and what a lie that was. I am almost to the point of wanting to sell as well but would take a big hit because of the presant housing market.

[Danielle]

Does anyone know if our dues go to remove dead trees in common areas? There is a huge dead tree along Heartland Blvd. (back of Valley Ridge) that has been dead since the storms a couple of weeks back and no one has touched it.

[Tyler Pantell]

?? call them and ask, i'll do the same.

[John Suter]

As a homeowner and a renter in Heartland Crossing, I think the more proper question is why you are paying so much for Association fees.

I rent my house to a couple whom keep the yard looking good, and never cause issues. I know this as I make frequent drive-bys, and have a good relationship with neighbors.

I figure association fees into the rent. So essentially, they are paying them.

Now, Considering association fees for me are $182.50 every 6 months, and the association doesn't do squat for me, i.e. no pool in my addition, can't stop graffiti, every years shovels 3 feet of snow onto the end of my driveway, I have to wonder why I am paying so much.

I have another house where I currently live, in Hendricks County, where my dues are $119 every 6 months. The home is worth appx $70k more, we get good services, quick snow removal, security, and landscaping.

Now, with more houses to pull from, why are we paying $126 more per year? THAT is what I would like an aswer to!

[Tyler Pantell]

I am with you on that. I have had a few weird things in the neighborhood happen. When I have called the hoa they say I am the only one to have this problem. Then I will find out others have asked the same questions.

I could make a list of things but to make it tie into what John said is the fact that I am paying my dues they want and all I get from the hoa is bad answers.

For instance I was being told by a life guard at our pool who spoke no english to take my son out of the pool for adult swim. He said this in broken english so I asked him if he spoke english and he replied no habla english. He seemed nice and all but what if there was an emergency. I called the office and all I got was chewed out by the lady and all she said was I am only one to call her on this matter.

My point has been for awhile the same as your why are we paying for this type of treatment. My favorite is they threaten to drive by your house and check and see if they can fine you for anything.

I know they pull in over a million a year on dues if everyone pays. I think the money goes to the lawyer because I haved heard if you don't pay your dues they sue you and if you leave the garbage can out they fine you 200 bucks and then sue you if you keep doing it. But if you mailbox is falling over or all beat up no big deal.

Our neighborhood is a major money maker for our hoa you would think they would want things to stay nice. I mean its ridiculious when you go for a walk around the neighborhood and every time you get close a structure made of wood you get attacked by carpenter bees for the past 4 years. That is why I was wondering if we don't pay enough, that doesn't mean I want to pay more I just think our hoa dues are not going back into the neighborhood like they should.

[John Suter]

I agree with you Tyler.

It seems that the Home Owners Association should adequately represent the Home Owners.

I saw where requests have been made about the building of pools, and that responsibility is shoved off on Tri-County Conservancy. Since when should a utility company be in charge of whether my neighborhood builds a pool?

If they cannot be responsible enough to collect debts, than they are in a sad shape, business-wise. Maybe they should actually get some information on individuals they provide services to. Did they ask you for your SSN or any credit info? They didn't ask me squat.

Why can't we, as Homeowners, vote to get another company to represent us and our Association? It seems that they definitely want the money, but are not really that interested in doing for the homeowner.

[Tyler Pantell]

I have been told homeowners votes don't mean anything in this neighborhood.

[Bob]

Well first of all the hoa wasnt hired by the homeowners. They were hired by the developer and the problem is neither of those above mentioned live here so they can be selective in what they enforce. I really dont want any more pools built or anything else for that matter, who is going to pay for building another pool, and I am sure the answer is the homeowners, which would result in higher dues, which we already seem to have several people who refuse to pay on time or at all, and I dont want the dues going up.
We the homeowners cant vote on anything, and even if we could it would end in the same result, of selective enforcement of the rules