VII. Two Years and Counting!
Since late 2020 things have continued to progress very well. A softball field was added to the park, replacing a section of little-used open grass. A resident suggested adding a kids’ soccer field, which was a wonderful idea. After determining it would indeed fit perfectly, it came into being in less than 2 weeks, at a cost of only about $250.00! All it took was a little planning and effort on the part of 2-3 people, and it was done.
With a huge number of great improvements accomplished, including many they never dreamed of, the HOA devoted more time toward consistent violations enforcement, and collection of bad debts. The legal work done by their superb attorneys let them clarify the violation procedures, so they had a solid guide to follow. The results were almost immediate, and the incidence of violations, almost all of which were minor, began a steady downward trend. Bad debts, which were essentially ignored by the management company, were addressed methodically and with sound legal backing. The amounts collected from these bad debts were held in a reserve account for future big projects and/or repairs. Unfortunately there is massive development going on all around this subdivision, so the HOA is being proactive about the possibility of rising crime. While the sophisticated entrance cameras are doing their job, the HOA is currently exploring newer technologies which may be able to provide blanket coverage of the entire subdivision at the same or lower cost, doing everything the entrance cameras do plus much more.
All of these great improvements and updates are fully paid for! Sometime in 2020, a realtor told SHOAR’s founder that she could not think of a single subdivision in the area, regardless of price level, which had the amenities of this one. She was indeed correct. Yet, all this was and is being accomplished on an annual budget of less than $50,000 (after allowing for non-payers.) Furthermore, there is always money left over before the next year’s invoices are billed.
As shown with great detail in our case study, a management company is an incredibly wasteful expense, and serves only to act as an obstacle to communication, financial stability, and communication. By eliminating this huge obstacle, this subdivision was able to achieve in less than 2 years things which had not been done in the past 15, and much more. All major goals they set were reached, and a great many additional things were completed which hadn’t even been on their agenda. Once unencumbered by a management company, this type of success just requires a little time and effort on the part of a very few people, people who care about the place in which they live. It’s SHOAR’s mission to give such people the initial guidance they need to get an even smoother start than our case study, and to be self-sufficient even more quickly and easily.