About Us

What is an HOA?
 

An Association has many purposes and advantages. Through the Association:

Every homeowner is ensured that all other homeowners are obligated to follow provisions in the covenants for the development. The covenants help to ensure that the appearance of the development is maintained. One example of how this is accomplished is with the Architectural Improvement Application.

The Association provides a means for maintenance of the commons area/recreational facilities, etc., by collection of an association fee from each homeowner;

The Association provides a means to express concerns, make suggestions for improvements and solve problems related to the development;

The Association provides a democratic way of governing the Association of Homeowners through election of a Board of Directors.

In the beginning, the land was void and lacking development. And the developer said, "I shall fill the land with many dwellings and they shall be called condominiums and planned communities. I shall populate the dwellings with numerous homeowners and I will reap great profit from so doing. When my work is complete, they shall govern themselves in an honorable and forthright manner. And it will be good."

—Richard Thompson, regenesis.net

Homeowners Associations, while becoming the standard for new developments across the nation, remain a mystery to a lot of us. Many of us either build a home or purchase a resale without realizing we are becoming mandatory members of an HOA. It is the responsibility of the seller and the agent to disclose the fact that the home is in an HOA. The association is most often formed by the developer before the first lot is sold in a PUD or subdivision. HOAs are incorporated and bound by government regulations for nonprofit organizations. Holly Tree Homeowners Association was signed into existence as a nonprofit corporation on November 1, 1999. It is governed by a board of directors elected by the members and a set of rules found in the governing documents. Books and records of financial transactions must be kept, taxes paid, and certain services provided to members. The board has an annual budget prepared to estimate expenses, and then assesses each member a share of the costs.

Becoming familiar with our governing documents can help clear up some of the mystery. Our Declaration of Protective Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions and Bylaws for Administration of Holly Tree Homeowners Association can be found and printed on our website, or can be obtained by contacting our Timmons Property Manager, Ralph Jones. (615-822-3509)

“Automatic and mandatory homeowners associations are part of an overall concept of residential property ownership. Purchase of the home or lot brings with it membership in the association which provides the structure for operation and management of the residential community concept. Membership includes certain mandatory obligations, financial responsibilities and rules of the association.”

—The Homeowners Association Manual, by Peter M. Dunbar, ESQ.

The main purpose of the HOA is to ensure our property values by maintaining and improving our common areas and enforcing the conditions and restrictions set forth in our Declaration and other policies. It provides for consistency in the appearance of the neighborhood, which increases curb appeal when you are trying to sell your home. While rules and regulations slightly vary from community to community, there are many similarities. Among the most common restrictions are regulations for fences, paint color and the parking of recreational vehicles such as boats and motor homes.

Want to learn more? There are many excellent resources on the web. Among them are

http://realtytimes.com/rtcpages/richardthompson.htm

www.caionline.org.

A copy of CAI’s publication, An Introduction to Community Association Living, is available at CAI Online.

What Can You Do?

Help the Association help you:

Be considerate of the difficulties involved and the trial and error of the relatively new Association.

Remember we're living in our neighbor's pocket‑‑think about how your neighbor is affected.

Consider running for a Board member position.

Consider volunteering for committees to help actively involve as many homeowners as possible in the Association.

Put your concerns, "good and bad," in writing so the Board can represent you as a homeowner and what you want for your neighborhood.

Helpful LInks:

Link to Governing Docs

Link to Architectural Changes

Website:

The Holly Tree website is designed and maintained by Carolyn Hall, a Holly Tree resident. The only cost to the HOA is the annual domain registration and host fees (currently $59.95 per year)

Contacts: