When you are considering buying a home in a planned residential development chances are that you are also purchasing in a Homeowners Association (“HOA”), which comes with certain responsibilities. When you live in an HOA you become a member of the Association and as such you agree to certain obligations such as paying monthly assessments and agreeing to live by the governing documents established for the community.
Benefits
Most people choose to live in an HOA because of the tremendous benefits it provides. Here are just a few examples:
1. Common area maintenance
The common areas are the window to the community and the responsibility of the HOA. The association pays for this by collecting monthly assessments. Yes, you part ways with money but in exchange for that, the HOA ensures maintenance of all the amenities and ensures through the governing documents your property looks fresh and pleasing. It is welcoming to those who visit or are thinking of purchasing in the community, preserves and protects the value of homes, and provides pleasing aesthetics and amenities for the resident’s peaceful enjoyment.
2. Use of amenities
When you live in an HOA community, you do not just get a pleasing place to live but you and your guests get to enjoy access to beautifully maintained amenities. These amenities can be enjoyed by the members, and are great for socializing and recreation, especially when entertaining guests.
Cottonwood Canyon Hills is one of the larger developments in the Lake Elsinore area with approximately 160 acres of Common area landscaping consisting of roughly 7,000,000 million square feet of irrigation and over 6,000 trees; three upscale recreation centers with large pools, barbeques, tot-lots, outdoor dining areas, two spas, one basketball court and one Clubhouse. HOA dues for the Cottonwood Canyon Hills master operating budget is relatively low compared to other managed communities in the area that are smaller and provide only one recreation center or pool.
3. Helps build communities
Perhaps the greatest benefit of living in an HOA is being part of a community. An active HOA creates a friendly and healthy living environment building a closely knit community. It is a blessing to be on good terms with your neighbors who become friends, or even family. Some of the best neighborhoods are those where people develop lifelong relationships. From watching your children grow together to assisting in times of need and even staying connected when you move away, these are the relationships that form in Communities that foster these values. Cottonwood Canyon Hills is a well-connected community of residents that care for and look out for one another.
There are multiple opportunities to connect in the Cottonwood community through our fun social functions, participation on HOA committees or even the Board. Stay connected by providing us with your most current contact information and follow us on Instagram.
4. Well maintained neighborhoods
Imagine coming home every day to a neighborhood where every other home is in a state of disrepair, trash cans line the street, lawns are full of weeds and the neighbor across from you painted their door neon green. Let’s not forget about the broken down ’68 wagon on the front lawn! When you become a member of an HOA you and your neighbors agree to follow the guidelines set forth in the governing documents to maintain the aesthetics of the community, in turn protecting your property values.
Cottonwood Canyon Hills Community Association is professionally managed which provides oversight of the condition of each property and neighborhood throughout the community. We conduct regular inspections using established procedures to help ensure residents are complying with the Governing documents. While inspections are not always the most popular task of the HOA, it ensures you maintain your property values. We have provided some seasonal maintenance tips for your home.
5. Promotes community engagement
In an HOA the Board of Directors is the governing body elected by the members (homeowners) and entrusted with the authority to make important decisions to accomplish all of the above. As fellow residents, they not only have a stake but a fiduciary duty. As such they are committed to perform their duties in a consistent, collaborative and fiscally responsible manner.
The Board of Directors promotes community engagement through various committees that participate in the decision making process. The committees and Board have regularly scheduled monthly meetings. These committees carefully review facilities, finances, architectural applications, landscape and social events to prepare recommendations for the Board of Directors. The benefits of joining the HOA are worth the time and energy you invest in it. When living in a community, it is always a good idea to be an active member of the homeowners association. To join a committee or volunteer your time at Social events contact the Management office for next steps.
Responsibilities
Your Responsibility as a Homeowner
Assessments: Assessments are due on the 1st of every month and considered late on the 15th. You can access all of your account information, print payment coupons and sign up for e-statements on the Resident Portal*. Every year the new budget is provided to residents. You are responsible to review the budget for any changes to your regular or cost center assessment amount. If you wish to receive this and other documents via email, please complete the email consent form on the Resident Portal and send it to the office. The Assessment and Collection policy can be found on the Resident Portal.
The Governing Documents: Familiarity with the Association’s governing documents is an important part of HOA living. This includes the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs), Bylaws, Rules & Regulations, and Design Guidelines. Knowing what is and is not allowed as well as what is and is not required is a key element of living in an HOA. Any actions that do not follow these documents can result in violations and unnecessary expenses. If in doubt, call the office before making any small or large decisions regarding your property.
Property Maintenance: In addition to the beautiful amenities, the number one reason residents choose to live in an HOA is the promise that all of its members will be held accountable for maintaining their property. As a homeowner, you are responsible for the maintenance of the exterior elements of your home. Any portion of the exterior of your property that is in a state of disrepair, up to and including vehicles are subject to non-compliance notices and complaints by other residents. The interior maintenance of your home and any warranty questions or issues should be directed to your Builder and/or home warranty provider. All residents care about property values. Curb appeal throughout the Community and pleasing aesthetics are what attract future homeowners to Cottonwood Canyon Hills.
Parkway/Street Trees: Homeowners are responsible for maintaining the Parkway and Parkway tree adjacent to their property. These areas were part of the approved plan and installed by the Builder. Please refer to the Parkway tree letter located on the Resident Portal for more information. (Not applicable to the Parkside Cost Center)
Improvements (also known as changes): While we want you to be proactive about property maintenance, keep in mind that any changes need approval by the Architectural Review Committee. Please visit the Home Improvements page for more information.
Contact Information: It is your responsibility to ensure we can reach you. Please update your contact information at least once a year, or more frequently if necessary including your email and any tenant information. By default, all communication is sent to the property address and made available on the Resident Portal. If you have a tenant living in your property, you will want to be contacted in the event of a non-compliance matter. Failure to respond to or correct non-compliance matters can result in fines and penalties.
*The Resident Portal is a convenient tool to access all things regarding your property. The portal includes access to governing documents, account information, open violations or architectural requests, important forms, work order submissions, etc.
**Parkside I & II residents: Front yard maintenance is included as part of your monthly Cost Center assessment. Some minor changes are allowed but must be requested in writing. If approved by the Board of Directors, changes must be completed by the HOA landscape vendor and paid for by the resident.
Assessment Fees: What Do They Cover?
As a member of the Cottonwood Canyon Hills Homeowner’s Association, you are responsible for an assessment fee of $130 per month. Homeowners Associations are non-profit organizations, which means that your assessments contribute directly to the maintenance, daily operations, and future replacement costs known as “reserves” for the Community.
The community has six “Cost-Centers” that make up a portion of the Cottonwood Canyon Hills community. These areas have additional maintenance and reserve items that are not part of the overall community therefore, they have an additional assessment.
Each year the Board of Directors prepares the budget for the following year. Additionally, a certified professional Reserve Analyst prepares the reserve study. Combined, these determine the financial needs of the HOA. As costs to operate and maintain the community increase and future replacement cost estimates go up so does the budget.
Top 5 Violations & How to Avoid Them!
The positive and negative of HOA Living is enforcement. All residents are expected to maintain their property following the guidelines provided in the governing documents. The HOA has duty to inspect the community on a regular basis. Non-Compliances are noted and an initial courtesy notice is sent. When a resident does not comply this can result in additional notices, fines and even small claims. Your HOA prefers to see their community well maintained and enjoyed by all and is here to help if you are experiencing a non-compliance issue. For more information regarding non-compliance procedures visit the Resident Portal. Here are the Top 5 MOST COMMON violations, and how to avoid them.
General Yard Maintenance: This includes maintaining a green lawn or well-manicured drought-tolerant front yard and removing dead plant material and weeds. Remember that any areas without turf (live or artificial) should have plants every three (3) feet on center. Assess your yard on a regular basis to avoid this violation. For the greenest lawn in this climate, the landscape vendor has provided a suggested watering schedule. This can be found on the Resident Portal under My Community -> Documents -> Architectural.
No Approval: Making changes to your home can be exciting, Common changes include the addition of new plant material, removing trees, installing a shed in the rear yard, installing solar panels, painting your shutters or front door a new color, etc. We encourage residents to maintain the exterior of their home and property BUT any changes require that you submit an Architectural Application prior to making a change. An example of maintenance versus change is a tree; say a tree is dying and you remove it; that is considered a change. However, if you remove the tree and replace it with the same species, that is considered maintenance. We have provided more detailed information regarding Architectural approvals on the Home Improvements page of this website.
Trees: Ensure that the trees on your property are well maintained including removing dead branches or palm fronds, ensuring a clear path for pedestrians and cars, assessing for sidewalk lifts caused by roots, and replacing dead trees. We have teamed up with Park West Landscaping to offer bi-annual tree trimming at a discounted rate, please check our calendar for the next sign-up date!
Trash Cans: Containers must be stored out of sight the day following trash pick-up and should not be placed on the curb until the day before pick-up. If you are out of town and are unable to maintain your trash schedule, talk to a neighbor about helping you out or call the office to request a variance. Neighbors don’t let neighbors get trash violations. Be sure to place your cans in front of your property on trash day, not your neighbors. For extra measure, paint your house number on your trash cans (verify with CR&R that this is acceptable).
Commercial Vehicles: Commercial vehicles are prohibited from parking within the community. Vehicles with logos, multiple toolboxes, truck beds or racks with materials, and/or heavyweight trucks are all considered commercial vehicles. Please park these types of vehicles in your garage. If parking in your garage is not possible, please contact the office.
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Home Improvements
Exterior improvements to your home, including landscaping, must be approved by the Architectural Review Committee (“ARC”) prior to installation. Common changes that require an application include but are not limited to, adding a shed, converting to drought-tolerant landscaping, changing your garage door, installing solar panels, etc. The ARC typically meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month. The plan submittal deadline is 5:00 p.m. the Tuesday prior to the week of the Architectural Review Committee meeting. Dates are subject to change due to holidays. Please check the HOA calendar for the most up-to-date information.
All Homeowners submitting an application for the first time must include a one-time application fee of $150.00. Fees paid by prior owners do not roll over to the new owner.
Please refer to the Association’s governing documents for the HOA’s specific requirements prior to completing any exterior improvements. Architectural applications and governing documents are found on the Resident Portal.
Please make sure your application is complete to avoid any delays with your application being reviewed on time. Review the Design Guidelines and the checklist on Exhibit C to ensure you have all the required materials. Have you looked at the Design Guidelines and still have questions about what is required for a complete application? Please reach out to us as soon as possible so we can help you before the deadline. Incomplete applications do not get approved by ARC. One of the most common missing items is neighbor signatures on the Neighbor Awareness form. This is required for every application. This is not an approval by your neighbors. It simply shows that you made them aware of the pending improvements on your property.
PAINT SCHEMES
Is it time to refresh your exterior paint? Please contact the office for your paint scheme. We have been provided with most of the paint schemes for the community by the various builders, but not all. Please contact us for this information. We recommend going to the local Sherwin-Williams and obtaining samples prior to purchasing and painting. If we do not have your paint scheme, please color match the existing paint colors by taking a paint chip sample to the paint supplier of your choice.
You do not need an application if you are matching the original paint scheme; however, an application must be submitted prior to changing your home’s paint scheme. Typically only entire paint schemes are approved.
