12 minute read
Association News
From The Board of Directors
Our mission as the SCOV Board is to lead in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in Sun City Oro Valley as an active adult community.
All Board minutes, agendas and reports are available online and in the SCOV Library. Board meetings are open to residents.
Planning for SCOV’s Future
by Tim Kelley August brings an effort by your Board of Directors to explain the September vote by the homeowners to increase the home purchase Capital Contribution Fee (CCF) multiplier from 1.5 to 2.5 times the annual homeowner dues (see page 4).
The CCF is a real estate closing fee. The CCF does not affect annual dues paid by homeowners. The CCF provides capital resources for updating, improving and building facilities and allows us to avoid dues increases, special assessments or debt. These capital resources are necessary to maintain SCOV’s competitive position among age 55-plus active adult communities in Southern Arizona.
Without incremental capital resources, SCOV’s ability to update our buildings and amenities may be delayed and/or occur over an extended period.
SCOV is now 35-plus years old. Our buildings and amenities need renovation and updates to address the current and forecasted interests and needs of residents. Task forces are/ will be addressing our buildings and the areas around them: 1) Artisan Center; 2) Catalina Vista; 3) Desert Oasis; and 4) Welcome Center. Also, amenities that include: 1) Exercise/ Recreation and/or Resort/Leisure Pool; 2) Pickleball, POP Tennis and Tennis; and 3) Others.
Planning for SCOV’s future is becoming more inclusive and comprehensive and with greater transparency. Moving forward, there will be two special board meetings a year that will focus on SCOV planning. The first will be held on Tuesday, September 13, 9 AM, Catalina Vista. Residents can attend in-person or by Zoom.
The agenda for these meetings will include: 1) Long Range Planning Committee discussion of Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) and 2023 resident survey; 2) Individual project committees; 3) Finance-Budget Committee; and 4) Discussion of Board’s guidance for prioritizing CIPs.
The meetings provide an opportunity for participants and residents to listen and learn about the CIPs on the horizon. You will learn about the scope of the CIPs and their impacts for our community. Part of the discussion will be how we pay for these CIPs, when the funds will be available and the timing of projects.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
By planning for our Association’s financial future, we protect our investment in our homes and our community here in SCOV for our enjoyment today and for many years to come. The future of SCOV depends on all of us. General Manager - Mark Wade mwade@suncityorovalley.com 520-917-8080
Investing in SCOV
When my wife and I go to buy a house, we generally look at several in search of the home that is perfect for us. We look at the foundation, the paint, the appliances, yard, trees, plants and irrigation system. We pay attention to water heaters, air conditioning units and whether the home has gas or is all electric. When we are satisfied, we hire a professional inspector to look it all over again. Then before we buy, we look at the governing documents of the HOA and their stability of finances. We look at the common elements including amenities. We look at how modern they look and how they’ve been maintained. I look to see if something is past its expiration date, so to speak. Has this community replaced the old expired with new?
I expect many of you do or did the same.
Deferring maintenance or replacement of old expired amenities is a sign that a community is willing to live with dated facilities. We always like to see that our investment in a home is matched by the community’s investment in their amenities.
Your vote to increase the Capital Contribution Fee from 1.5 to 2.5 will allow SCOV to continue to improve our aging amenities and provide funding into the future. This will diminish the possibility of a future special assessment and it gives future residents the opportunity to help fund the amenities they will be using.
Please join me in full support of our Board by approving this noble cause and keeping the Capital Contribution fund strong and viable into the future.
Join Us for Board of Director and General Manager Chat with Residents
Friday, August 19 10 – 11 AM, WC3
Association News...........................3 Association Committees ................6 On the Cover .................................7 Golf.................................................8 Coming Events .............................10 Workshops and Classes................10 Memoriam....................................11 Clubs ............................................11 Arts, Crafts & Hobbies..............11 Continuing Education ................15 Cultural & Social........................16 Dance ........................................19 Exercise.....................................19 Games .......................................22
What’s Inside
Music .........................................24 Sports ........................................24 Travel.........................................27 Partnered Organizations ..............27 Classifieds.....................................28 Extended Community ..................29 Volunteer Opportunity.................29
It’s More Than Living... It’s A Lifestyle!
What You Need to Know about the Home Purchase Capital Contribution Fee
by Ronna Heinig This month, a special vote will be held to increase our home purchase Capital Contribution Fee from 1.5 to 2.5 times our annual dues. The following market research indicates that all types of senior housing will be in high demand for years to come. What are the alternatives to passing the change in the home purchase Capital Contribution Fee? • Raise homeowner annual dues • Charge a special assessment to our homeowners
According to the American Senior Housing Association and the U.S. Cen- • Borrow money sus Bureau, baby boomers are retiring at a rate of 10,000/day and will Why should I care about community improvements? continue at that rate for another six-plus years. GenXers are retiring earlier Buyers interested in homes in SCOV are not just buying a house. They or taking advantage of being able to work from home and are looking for can buy that anywhere. Buyers want the community and amenities that an active retirement community. Senior housing needs are projected to our Association provides. The state of our amenities has a direct impact on continue to rise due to high demand and low supply as new construction the amount a buyer is willing to pay for a home here in SCOV. Keeping our is not keeping pace. facilities attractive and current in the market is essential to maintaining
In 2020 there were 56 million of us 65 and older. By 2035, there will and increasing home values in our community. be 79.2 million age 65 and older. As seniors retire, the southern states are seeing a population increase due to warmer weather and a lower cost of living. Arizona is among the top-five states that are growing. According to The National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries, “Senior housing is a recession resilient asset class.” These market conditions make this an ideal time to take advantage of the high demand for our homes here in SCOV and provide our Association with funds to improve our community amenities over the next several years. What is the home purchase Capital Contribution Fee? This is a fee charged by our SCOV HOA at the close of escrow on a home sale and is the buyer’s initial investment in the SCOV Association which provides all the amenities that our residents enjoy. Who pays for the Capital Contribution Fee? The buyer of the home typically pays the fee at the closing of escrow. Why is the Capital Contribution Fee needed? The fee is the primary source of funding for our Capital Reserve. What is the Capital Reserve? Think of the Capital Reserve as funds restricted for use to build, add to, renovate, remodel and improve our capital assets such as buildings, pools, courts or other amenities. What projects have been funded by SCOV reserves without special assessments? A few recent examples are: • 2022 Activity Center, $4.5 million • 2021 Solar Purchase, $664,413 • 2020 Greens Replacement, $1.2 million and Driving Range $134,042 (funded by our Asset Reserve) And there are many more. Why should SCOV fund our Capital Reserve? SCOV has buildings that are older and amenities that will need upgrading in the next 5-10 years. Money set aside in the Capital Reserve Fund pays for these community improvements. If money isn’t available from the Capital Reserve, other sources of funds will need to be identified to pay for these types of improvements. Can the Capital Contribution Fee be financed? Yes, as with any of the closing costs the buyer can negotiate those fees into the home purchase price. How many home sales are we talking about? Our average home sales have been 160 homes per year. This change will add approximately $360,000 additionally to our Capital Reserve each year. I don’t remember paying this fee when I bought my house. Is this something new? No, the Capital Contribution Fee has been paid on all home purchases during the closing process as part of the closing costs since 2005. Do other HOAs charge this fee? Yes, this is a common way for HOAs to fund improvements for common property used by their residents. It can be a multiple of annual dues, or a percentage of the purchase price of the home. Will this affect the sale of my home? Our research has shown that charging the Capital Contribution Fee has not prevented any home in SCOV from closing. I heard that new home loan applications are down. Does that mean the market is slowing? No. Recently MSNBC published a headline that home loan applications have dropped; however, they go on to say that mortgage applications are down due to a reduced number of homes on the market. The article pointed out that mortgage rates continue to be below the 1971 average. Why the special vote in August/September? By implementing the change in the home purchase Capital Contribution Fee by October 2022, approximately $270,000 in additional funds will be added to our reserve in the remaining months of our 2022-2023 fiscal year. Waiting until April 2023 will be a missed opportunity. If necessary to support home sales in the future, can a future Board reduce the Capital Contribution Fee? Yes, the Board can propose a change and the change would need to be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of our resident voters.
Asst. General Manager - Robin Coulter rcoulter@suncityorovalley.com 520-917-8070
Have You Signed Up for CodeRED?
There are instances when the 911 system goes down. The service to keep you informed in these types of situations is provided by the Town of Oro Valley. It’s called CodeRED. I’ve borrowed, with permission, an article from the Town that explains the system and how to sign up for it.
“CodeRED is a free emergency notification service provided to all residents within Oro Valley that will notify you of emergency information through phone calls, text messages, emails and social media. The system will be used to keep you informed of local events that may immediately impact your safety. As a local resident, you are encouraged to take action and register your cell phone for this service and verify your home location during the enrollment process, so you will receive notifications that directly impact your home or business. To learn more or register, visit the Town’s web page www.orovalleyaz.gov and type Code RED in the search bar. Select the Register for CodeRED page for complete details and step-by-step instructions.” Controller - Randy Trenary rtrenary@suncityorovalley.com 520-917-8060
The fiscal year for the Association ended June 30, 2022. As in the past, the financial statement for June is not included in the August Tipster due to time constraints for completion of year-end procedures. Financial statements can be found on our website www.scovaz.com and in our SCOV Library.
An audit will be conducted in September, and the complete audited financials will be available on the website and in the SCOV Library before October 31, as mandated by the Bylaws. A copy will also be available in the Administration offices.
Money Matters will return with the September issue of the Tipster. Questions? Email rtrenary@suncityorovalley.com or call 520-917-8060. Community Services - Katy Mosier Architectural Coordinator, Katy Mosier scoroval@ciramail.com 520-917-8058
Planning Ahead for an Expansion to your Home
If you are contemplating adding a patio cover or room addition to your home, it is important to plan ahead. Board Policy ARC-006 was adopted by the SCOV Board in February 2022. You can access this policy on our website under Members > Documents > Board Policies > ARC-006. This document outlines all the steps that may be necessary to gain the ARC approval you will need to add either of these extensions to your house. If you need to verify which model home you have, please contact us to verify that information.
Once you have read through the policy, you may have specific questions. Please email the Architectural Coordinator, Katy Mosier at scoroval@ciramail.com, and she will reply. As you plan your project, it is important to know that this submittal process is more involved and will take more time for final approval than a regular ARC submittal. To avoid disappointment and/or delays, please be proactive and know the steps you need to take. We are here to help. 002 Don & Nancy Davenport 002 Wilson Davila 003 Gerald Fabre 003 Gene & Lea Grubbs 003 Robert Neuendorf & Donna LaManche 003 Michael & Kimberly Riley 005 Gene & Janet Pexton 005 Brian & Cindy Gerk 006 Robert & Monique Kantor 007 Randall & Donna Goodman 007 Deborah Hames-Jones & Franklyn Jones 012 Cynthia Cilyo & Brian Aut 012 Mary Klootwyk 012 Noel Nguyen 014 Joseph & Susan Mayfield 015 Michael & Connie Luppes 015 Patricia Jacobson 017 Melanie & Kevin Greening 017 Steven & Patricia Baltazar
Oro Valley, AZ Sandy, UT Oro Valley, AZ Cheyenne, WY Tucson, AZ Bend, OR Tucson, AZ Lakewood, CO Minneapolis , MN Selma, TX Kalispell, MT Spokane, WA Tucson, AZ Oro Valley, AZ Oro Valley, AZ Fruita, CO
Plymouth, MN WA
017 Edward Peters & Cathy Harrison 011A Michael Veleke & Sultana Graham Oro Valley, AZ Chelan, WA
June Housing Resale Information Resales For the Month YTD 2022 20 106 2021 14 115 2021 Total Sold - 208
2022: Active Listings as of 6/30/2022............................5 2021: Active Listings as of 6/6/2021..............................6
Source: MLSSAZ® June 2022 Average Age of New Owners: 67 SCOV Library - Michelle Mooney www.suncityorovalley.com/amenities-facilities/library Online catalog: https://evolveopac.infovisionsoftware.com/suncityorovalley mmooney@suncityorovalley.com 520-917-8083
As the weather continues to warm up, puzzles, watching movies and reading are wonderful indoor activities. Volunteers have recently updated the puzzle wall. Thank you for your continued donations making this possible.
Puzzles do not require an official checkout through the Library; we just ask that you return them to the desk volunteers, so we can reshelve them and keep the collection up to date. Should you find a puzzle with a missing piece, just let us know. We have a lost and found for puzzles and pieces and we do our best to match these up.
The entire DVD collection is now complete with cover images in our Webopac system. You can access our online catalog through the SCOV website. If you need a refresher or help navigating this system, our volunteers are happy to show you the steps on the patron computer in our Library.
If you need something or have a book request, please feel free to stop by anytime.
