What is the 7655 S. Braeswood Homeowners Association?
The 7655 S. Braeswood Homeowners Association (HOA) is a State of Texas nonprofit corporation. "The specific purposes for which it is formed are to provide for maintenance, preservation, and architectural control of the residence lots and common area...and to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the residents" (Articles of Incorporation, 1974).
How many townhomes are in the HOA?
Within the community, there are 63 townhomes that exist in 15 distinct buildings. Although the units are numbered from 1 through 64, there is no unit 52.
Is 7655 S. Braeswood a rental property?
No. All of the townhomes are privately owned by individuals.
Who are the members of the 7655 S. Braeswood HOA?
Essentially, every homeowner at 7655 S. Braeswood is a member of the HOA. Or, in the exact language of the articles of incorporation, "Every person or entity who is a record owner of a fee or undivided fee interest in any lot which is subject by covenants of record to assessment by the association, including contract sellers, shall be a member of the association."
What is the HOA's leadership structure?
A board of three directors manages the HOA's affairs. HOA members elect each director to serve for a three-year term. HOA members vote by secret ballot at an annual meeting held in March of each year for the open director position.
Who is eligible to be a board member?
Board members have historically been homeowners who live at 7655 S. Braeswood, although one need not technically be a resident to serve on the board. Per a policy resolution passed in October 2007, no member may be a candidate for the board if he or she has been, within 12 months of the date of election to the board, in delinquency for past due assessments, insurance payments, or other charges. Eligible individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by a peer.
Do the board members receive any form of compensation?
No. Board members are entirely uncompensated for their volunteer work. They receive no form of reward, discount, or special treatment. “No director shall receive compensation for any service he may render to the Association. However, any director may be reimbursed for his actual expenses incurred in the performance of his duties.” (Bylaws, Article IV, Section 4).
What is the monthly assessment? What does it cover?
The monthly assessment is a mandatory fee for which each townhome is responsible. The current amount for 2010 is $352 per month. The monthly assessment may be paid by check or credit card and is due on the first day of each month. Monthly assessments not received by the 15th of each month will be assessed a nonrefundable late fee of $25.
The monthly assessment covers the expenses for all amenities and common area resources available to residents at 7655 S. Braeswood. Examples of these amenities and resources include all landscaping and structures in the common area (including grass, trees, shrubs, lighting, fencing, walkways, etc.), access to the swimming pool, and access to the clubhouse (which includes fitness equipment, a ping-pong table, meeting space, and wireless Internet access). In one's townhome, the monthly assessment covers digital cable television and high-speed Internet access. Moreover, the monthly assessment covers all maintenance and repairs for common area structures and specific aspects of one's townhome for which the HOA maintains responsibility (including exterior stucco and wall repair, roofs, etc.). The monthly assessment additionally finances the salary for our on-site property superintendent and management company fees.
What is the management company? What does it do?
Under the auspices of the board of directors, the HOA contracts with a management company to administer its operations. The name of our current company is JDH Association Management. JDH is responsible for administering the HOA's finances, maintaining its records, resolving maintenance requests, addressing resident concerns, and overseeing maintenance and repair work on the property. JDH also helps secure bids for services and advises the board of directors regarding HOA affairs.
Are there any other fees besides the monthly assessment?
In addition to the monthly assessment, each townhome is assessed insurance fees on a yearly basis. These insurance fees finance a policy that applies to all common area structures and resources. The monthly assessment and insurance fees are the only two recurring expenses that all townhomes will incur on a monthly and yearly basis, respectively. However, in certain circumstances, the board of directors may elect to levy a special assessment for specific projects, such as capital improvements. In such cases, payment of the special assessment is mandatory. Special assessments are not routine and typically only occur following a disaster, such as a hurricane or hailstorm, when it becomes necessary for the HOA to pay the deductible on its insurance policy.
What happens if someone does not pay the monthly assessment, insurance fees, or special assessment?
Payment deadlines exist for each of these expenses, and late fees will be added to the amount owed after a predetermined duration (e.g., 15 days for the monthly assessment). The HOA's governing documents allow it to "suspend the voting rights and right to use the recreational or other facilities owned or operated by the association... by an owner for any period during which any assessment against his lot remains unpaid." If someone fails to pay in a timely manner repeatedly, then the HOA will refer the individual to attorneys for collection purposes. All attorney fees that the HOA must pay during the collection process will be added to the balance that the resident owes. If delinquency becomes chronic and/or the total amount that an individual owes the HOA becomes substantial, then the HOA attorneys will initiate foreclosure proceedings to force a sale of the delinquent individual's townhome and recoup the unpaid debt.
Do residents need to obtain flood insurance?
Yes. The HOA's insurance policy does not include flood insurance for individual units, only the clubhouse in the common area.
What should I do if I want to modify my townhome?
All repairs or modifications to the interior of one's townhome may be undertaken without HOA approval provided that such work does not affect party walls (i.e., walls shared with another townhome), the roof, or exterior stucco. Moreover, any modifications to the interior of one's home may not be visible from outside one's home. All other modifications require advance approval from the architectural control committee. Before any such work is undertaken, residents must complete an architectural improvement application and receive approval from the committee. Questions may be directed to architectural@7655hoa.org.
I have a question that is not listed here. What should I do?
Answers to most questions are available on this web site, especially the documents page. Use the Google search box at the bottom of our site to search for specific keywords. Alternately, questions may be directed either to JDH Association Management or the board of directors.