In case you wonder why we insist that all trash bags are tied and secured, here is a small example. The photo below is after we already swept up 2 boxes full of things that fell out of untied bags and we were not finished for that day. We do an average of 3 to 5 loads of trash each pickup day.
With all our residents who do not properly tie their trash bags, it adds about 2 hours or more to every trash pickup time; extend that to a full year (104 regular trash days) and it results in 208 hours, time which could be better utilized.
So, please tie your trash bags!
This seems like a no brainier, BUT I would recommend one thing to help. There are a HUGE number of renters here at the MCHOA and being one, I have to tell you that landlords do NOT tell us what is going on. I am fortunate enough to have lived here long enough to have neighbors and Board Members who are friends/neighbors who DO tell me, but it was not always that way. HOW MANY do not get this information about the parking rules, the tying trash and more? It MIGHT be a good thing to put them in receipt of a letter or something? Perhaps a waste of time, I do not know.
We have renters moving in and moving out on a per week basis here. I fear if without a Plan of Action to address those people as well, this will be a continuous battle for you. Have you considered having a resident home owner per building who keeps in touch with people/renters in their building? Not as law enforcement agent, but as someone who just keeps everyone in a building up on information and on the same page of the Hymnal, as it were. It would also help everyone to get acquainted and would help with neighborhood watch issues. Just a thought……
Debi, Whenever there is a violation of our rules, we issue a “Warning” letter to the resident and/or the person who owns the property and let them know what rule they violated. This Warning gives them 15 days to correct the violation and any repeated violation within that 15 days will result in things escalating to the issuance of a fine. We send out these Warning letters weekly, and the Fine letters go to the property owners. In some cases the people violating the rules have owned property here for over 10 years. I fail to see how they do not know the rules, as new buyers are furnished copies of said rules by the title company.
In addition, all of our rules are on this website and our letterhead on which warnings and fine letters are sent also lists the website address. What’s the old saying about leading a horse to water?
Thank you for the clarification. But just to add to this thought process I had, I have lived here for 15 years and it has ONLY been THIS year I have been aware of HOW to learn about rules or about this site as a RENTER at Mt. Creek Townhome Assn. It is from THAT perspective that I was addressing this issue. I personally have experienced the lack of information that RENTERS who do NOT come to the clubhouse to read signs, go to meetings, know about websites OR see any rules from their landlords. I was blessed to have neighbors who were on the Board to answered questions or I would not have known what I have learned. I totally GET the lead a horse to water..I truly do. Just thinking there might be a “friendlier” way; to teach rather than to threaten with fines, so it were. I have always found that processes should always be open to improvement and that growth comes from improvement in those processes. Thanks for explaining though; appreciate you and all you do 🙂
Debi, Sadly, most landlords, just like yours, fail to inform renters that this subdivision has restrictions, rules and procedures. I’ll bet some homeowners are also unaware of the rules. As far as Fines go,they get a warning giving them 15 days to correct or stop violating. In some cases, we send out 2 warnings, just to make sure they understand the consequences of their actions. In the case of rental property, we notify the property owner and the tenant. When the 15 day period elapses and if nothing is done to correct, or there is another violation, they are then sent a statutory Fine and Enforcement letter as dictated by Texas Property Code, Section 209. (You can find the Fines and Enforcement Policy under “Governing Documents” from the menu above) The Fine letter gives them 30 more days to correct/stop violating. It also gives them the opportunity to send in a written request for a hearing before the Board to state their case. The Board would then decide if the Fine remains or what other actions need to be taken.
This Fines and Enforcement Policy is less than a year old and is filed with Dallas County; yes, there were enforcement actions before, but in 2011-2012, new Property Codes were enacted and we follow those.
I truly appreciate your time in explaining this to me and appreciate all you do for our neighborhood to make it a better place to live in. Not all renters think of their location here as a home and THIS is something that has more to do with their issues and not the Associations. Again, you ARE appreciated for all you do….