2023 Assessment Survey Results
In May of 2023, the board send a survey to the HOA residents via email. Assessments had fallen so far behind that the HOA would no longer be able to afford landscaping services before the end of 2024. Fee increases of more than 5% cannot occur without a vote in which at least two-thirds of the membership agrees. This survey was not a voting ballot, but rather a request for feedback. The survey results will be used by the Board of Directors to determine our community’s best path forward.
Results
Of a total of 57 residences, we received 42 responses via Google Forms and 1 response via hardcopy, for a total of 43 responses (75.4% response rate).
For the 2024 annual assessment, which option would you be most likely to support?
| Percentage | Count | Response |
|---|---|---|
| 18.6% | 8 | Nominal fee increase of $0.50/month ($132/year total billed annually). Landscaping services of the open spaces, sidewalks, and sign areas will cease before the end of 2024. This does not require a vote of the membership. |
| 16.3% | 7 | Minimal free increase of $5/month ($181/year total billed annually). This is the minimum amount required to keep up with existing landscaping services and minimum-required operating budget items (insurance, PO box, printing and postage, state registration, etc.). |
| 30.2% | 13 | Moderate fee increase of $7/month ($213/year total billed annually). This amount would cover existing landscaping services and minimum-required operating budget items plus the ability to establish a prudent reserve fund to save for planned, periodic projects such as beauty bark, signage, and gravel pathways or to take on new projects to improve our neighborhood’s appearance. |
| 34.9% | 15 | Fee increase of $9/month (or $234 total billed annually). This amount would cover existing landscaping services and minimum-required operating budget items plus reserve fund and new or unexpected, emergency projects. |
Changes to our billing frequency would require a vote of the membership with 75% in agreement. Would changing our current annual assessment schedule to a quarterly schedule change your support of an assessment increase?
| Percentage | Count | Response |
|---|---|---|
| 23.3% | 10 | Yes |
| 76.7% | 33 | No |
If quarterly HOA dues assessment payment options were available, which option would you now be most likely to support?
| Percentage | Count | Response |
|---|---|---|
| 22.2% | 2 | Nominal fee increase of $0.50/month ($132/year total billed annually). Landscaping services of the open spaces, sidewalks, and sign areas will cease before the end of 2024. This does not require a vote of the membership. |
| 22.2% | 2 | Minimal free increase of $5/month ($181/year total billed annually). This is the minimum amount required to keep up with existing landscaping services and minimum-required operating budget items (insurance, PO box, printing and postage, state registration, etc.). |
| 11.1% | 1 | Moderate fee increase of $7/month ($213/year total billed annually). This amount would cover existing landscaping services and minimum-required operating budget items plus the ability to establish a prudent reserve fund to save for planned, periodic projects such as beauty bark, signage, and gravel pathways or to take on new projects to improve our neighborhood’s appearance. |
| 44.4% | 4 | Fee increase of $9/month (or $234 total billed annually). This amount would cover existing landscaping services and minimum-required operating budget items plus reserve fund and new or unexpected, emergency projects. |
We’d love to obtain more of your feedback on our HOA and/or learn how you’d like to volunteer with our HOA community. Please let us know your preference(s) for involvement.
| Percentage | Count | Response |
|---|---|---|
| 72.2% | 26 | Send email to Board of Directors at board@heronwood.org whenever I have a suggestion, concern, or question. |
| 44.4% | 16 | Attend “Annual Meeting” each May; next meeting is Thursday, May 11 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. |
| 16.7% | 6 | Attend quarterly Board of Director meetings. |
| 38.9% | 14 | Attend annual Neighborhood Community picnic. |
| 8.3% | 3 | Nominate myself or someone else for Board position elections (held in May) – positions include President, Secretary, and Treasurer. |
| 5.6% | 2 | Nominate myself or someone else for Architectural Committee position elections (held in May). |
| 11.1% | 4 | Join our volunteer Landscape Committee. |
| 52.8% | 19 | Volunteer at one (or more) of our quarterly Neighborhood Cleanup parties. |
| 8.3% | 3 | Volunteer to help organize our annual Neighborhood Community picnic. |
| 2.8% | 1 | Other |
Additional Feedback
- The first few questions I feel are deceiving. You have no option for a no increase in HOA dues. Another question was worded in a way to try to get more support for a fee increase if it was done quarterly or something like that. I think many people would like to choose from a no fee increase option, but I was forced to agree with a fee increase even though I do not agree with it. Or maybe even a choice for a lowering of the dues and see how much support there is for something like that too to get a more accurate feeling of what the community thinks of the HOA dues.
- There has been minimal support for those of us away from the pond. We certainly should continue that, but look for opportunities to improve other parts of the neighborhood. Pertaps a pedestrian bench near the sign at the top of the hill on Briarwood. We should also encourage Pierce Transit place a bus stop at the corner of Briarwood and point Fosdick. Improve walkability of our neighborhood.
- The board has done a marvelous job. We hope some of our newer homeowners will be nominees to the board. It doesn’t hurt to remind us all of our responsibilities to maintain landscaping, especially homes with backs toward Briarwood. Finally thanks to Howard Cushner for maintaining the weeds along the sidewalk buffer strip. Thanks to all volunteers!
- You Board members are doing an excellent job communicating and taking care of the neighborhood. Thanks for all you do. It is appreciated.
- Maintaining the beauty of our neighborhood is very important without being overbearing. Are greenbelts being monitored in any way?
- Thank you for your work on our behalf. It is a small fee we pay to keep our neighborhood looking good
- Thank you for all you and Joel and other board members hard work.
- I think it could be billed twice a year instead of quarterly.
- Actually the annual HOA fee was $48 when I moved in 2002.
- Thank you for all your time and efforts.
- Make annual meeting in person again.