Assessment
What does the annual assessment pay for?Landscaping and repair of the common areas along Maltby road, the entrance, sport court, three tot lots and pocket park. Other common areas with occasional expenses are the retention pond, the Native Growth Protection Area and open space areas. Insurance, electric, water, and office supply expenses are also part of the budget. A copy of the budget is presented at the annual meeting and is available from the Association treasurer. Why is our assessment so high compared to some other neighborhoods?Our dues are higher than some neighborhoods but not as high as others. Our expenses are related to the common areas of our neighborhood. We have found that when we are compared to other "less expensive" neighborhoods they have little if any common areas. Why does the annual assessment keep going up?The dollar value of the annual assessment does increase, but the buying value of the assessment has not changed. In other words, the costs the Association pays for the same amount of landscape services, repairs, office supplies, postage, etc. have increased. The CC & Rs provide an objective means to determine how to calculate this change and adjust the maximum annual assessment. Our CPI page explains the calculation more fully. Since it is tied to the Consumer Price Index, if the index goes down, so would the dues. Why does the Association have to charge the maximum assessment?The budget is based on real expenses that go up each year. The board is also trying to build up a small reserve so, for example, when the tot lot toys need replacement hopefully it will not need an additional special assessment. Why do these questions sound so negative?These are actual questions from homeowners. In general, on issues affecting the pocketbook people can start out sounding negative but after the questions are answered the discussion tends to be more positive. Thank you for your interest in this page. |