Your HOA

Manager’s Report

By Kathe M. Barnes, CAAM, LSM, PCAM Executive Director

Why Compliance Matters

In an age where there seems to be more and more restrictions on other areas of our everyday lives, residents sometimes question why the requests for compliance to the CC&Rs (of what seem to be trivial things) matter.

It is a necessary (but, admittedly, not the most popular) job to perform inspections of our residences, streets, and common areas to be sure that properties are being maintained according to the guidelines set forth by the developers of Scottsdale Ranch. When our community was first built, those developers started with a vision of a pristine and beautiful lake community where families could be raised, and homeowners could live happily and retire. Certainly, there are many locations to select when looking for a place to live in Scottsdale; however, those of you reading this article chose Scottsdale Ranch as their home, I hope, because it is a unique and welcoming community.

Unfortunately, any community that is over 40 years old will start to show its age. Homes require painting and updating, the landscape is becoming tired, windows and roofs need repair or replacement. These types of maintenance and upkeep can be costly but are necessary to preserve investments and to maintain the marketability of Scottsdale Ranch. Aside from cosmetic maintenance, there are other matters that residents may have to be reminded of from time to time. Parking vehicles on the street, storing supplies and equipment outside the garage, allowing weeds to grow, garbage cans remaining out at the street or in view for days – all of these little items contribute to slowly changing the look and desirability of a well-maintained community. It becomes evident when visiting other communities that are not part of a homeowners’ association the difference in the look of the homes, landscaping and overall curb appeal when compared to Scottsdale Ranch; and it certainly can be reflected in the property values and sale prices of homes.

We realize that no one appreciates receiving compliance notices from our office; as I said, it is not a popular job; but the goal of our staff is to work with residents on their timelines, their personal setbacks, and overall strategies to help all of us assure that Scottsdale Ranch continues to be a premier location and a forever desirable place to call home.

The SRCA staff and board are here to work with you. Have a question or concern, give us a call, we are happy to assist.

Board Briefs

May 2023

• No regular board meeting was held in May.

June 2023

• The board heard two homeowner appeals for architectural decisions.

• Insurance renewal was approved for the Property and Liability coverages for SRCA.

• Employee Handbook revisions were adopted.

• Board decided to reassess entryway monument renovation plans based on cost.

The SRCA office will be closed Monday, September 4th in observance of Labor Day.

President’s Message

By Matt Metz SRCA Board President

I am writing this article after having attended the Community Association Institute’s annual conference in Dallas, Texas, at which the organization celebrated its 50th year.

These conferences create an exceptional opportunity to learn and to network with management companies, service providers (such as attorneys and companies that sell software and other services to HOAs), and other homeowner association leaders.

This year’s event again highlighted for me how well Scottsdale Ranch Homeowners Association is run. Your Board of Directors, Executive Director and able staff, and the scores of volunteers do an exceptionally proactive job of ensuring a stable, reliable, and financially secure future for our community.

Several topics were on the front burner at this year’s conference, but none are more important than financial stability and viability. Scottsdale Ranch stands out for ensuring our reserves are fully funded. This means we have, and always will have, the funds to pay for major replacements without the dreaded special assessments. We also have a capital fund for improvements to help us stay up to date, to make sure we don’t suffer from aging infrastructure, and ensure we don’t get that aged appearance you may have noticed in some other associations in the Valley.

Our superb financial condition and planning also mean we have the funds to keep our assets running in top condition, and that we don’t try to save pennies by deferring maintenance – something we know can lead to very large and avoidable expenditures down the road.

Another way we protect our homeowners’ property values and quality of life is to stay current with technology by using appropriate cybersecurity measures to protect our systems and your personal information.

We also work very hard to keep up to date on the latest HOA legislation and case law. By budgeting some of our annual expenses for legal advice, we ensure we continue to act within the law and keep us out of court.

If Scottsdale Ranch is the first homeowner’s association in which you’ve lived, you might be tempted to take the great leadership for granted. But I can assure you that the excellent organizational and financial health of SRCA is the result of hard work and careful planning and sets us head and shoulders above the typical HOA in the country.