Dear Strawberry Cove residents,
Spring has arrived! Warmer weather, green plants, and flowers are back and just as the seasons have changed, so has the organization of our HOA. My name is Bob Jackman and I am your new HOA president. Along with Efrain Olivares as treasurer, you can expect many great changes around here!
As you’ve more than likely noticed, we’ve hired a new lawn care company to keep our lawns and sprinklers in top-notch condition. This service is being provided by Independent Landscaping, LLC and they are doing a wonderful job. So far, the lawn has been aerated to improve the soil quality, de-thatched to help nutrients reach the roots and help the roots breathe, and mowed to keep it looking nice. Edging around the entire property has also cleaned up the appearance of our homes.
There are several other improvement ideas in the works as well, including monthly newsletters, an HOA website, and email reminders to remind you when HOA payments are due.
I am still working on getting all the HOA’s paperwork and legal documents organized and in order. A few years ago, the Patriot Act was signed into law and this had several effects on the way business bank accounts are handled and the documentation required for them. Since the Strawberry Cove bank account was created before the Patriot Act was signed, it didn’t have to meet the new, more stringent legal requirements. Now that our organization is changing, and new people are associated with the bank accounts for the HOA, we must update our paperwork in order to be compliant with the new laws. This process will take about 3 months. In the meantime, if paying by check, please make your HOA payments payable to “Bob Jackman” or “Strawberry Cove, C/O Bob Jackman”. This will allow us to use our bank account while we are in the process of submitting our new paperwork.
This brings me to my next topic which is that of the amount of our HOA dues. For several years we have enjoyed an incredibly low HOA premium, far less than any other HOA in the area. Unfortunately, as the cost of living rises for us personally, so does it rise for the HOA. Water, sewer, trash, insurance, repairs, and maintenance all cost more. This being the case, it is time for an adjustment to the HOA dues. Currently the monthly cost per household is $50.00. Starting June 1st, 2008, HOA dues will now be $75.00 per month with an early payment incentive of $10.00 if paid before the 10th of the month. In other words, if you pay before the 10th, it’s only $65.00. We are also considering offering credits to you, the homeowner, for time spent caring for and maintaining the common areas of our property which could discount your monthly HOA dues significantly; more on this in the upcoming weeks.
Thank you to everyone who has paid their dues this month! Together with all of you, Efrain and I are excited to make and see all the new changes and upgrades that will soon be coming our way! Please don’t hesitate to call either Efrain or myself with any questions, comments, or concerns!
Sincerely,
Bob Jackman
President, Strawberry Cove HOA
