February 2007 Newsletter

February 2007 was a busy month - Good things beginning to happen

January 31,2007 Board Issues First Newsletter- click here for newsletter

New Year's Weekend 2006 A Large Truck Damages Carport

December 20, 2006, Dallas, TX - Today the Board of Directors of the Williamsburg condominiums passed an unprecedented assessment to the property owners of the Williamsburg Condominiums. The total gross assessment said to be in the neighborhood one hundred thousand dollars is for the purpose of catching up on pass due and delinquent operating expenses including various utilities and amounts due to vendors incurred in late 2005 and throughout 2006. The move is the second step, following increases in HOA monthly dues in a series of moves by the newly formed board to secure sound finances for the community. It appears no consideration will be given to property owners within the community who did not own their condominiums during all or part of the period or periods that the previously mentioned debts were incurred.  The board of directors with a quorum of homeowners and proxies passed the assessment with over 90% affirmative of those represented.

 

In a significant second move, a change of service to the community was put in place effective January 1, 2007 which will eliminate long standing door to door trash pick up. This service in place for over five years allowed residents to set their trash out to the curb three days per week where it was then collected by onsite staff and taken to a centrally located compaction unit. The new plan replaces the previous trash handling service with the placement of five trash dumpsters around the property which it is said will be emptied three days per week. Has consideration has been given to the increased long term costs associated with increased driveway and parking lot maintenance? With the average American producing around 4.5 pounds of trash per day and the size of the trucks used to service properties like the Williamsburg it can easily be anticipated that trucks weighing over 50,000 pounds will be running the drives and parking lots of the Williamsburg condos three times per week. Further, and yet to be addressed is the impact on value to those condominiums in close proximity to trash collection areas that now must look at, smell and listen to the issues surrounding the placement of new trash collection areas. Additionally, it remains to be seen what impact the new move will have on landlords who have leased their units with the promise of door to door trash collection as part of the service provided to their tenants. Still further, a question remains as to how property management plans to keep contractors from using the property's new open fill dumpster service for their heavy remolding waste. The previous collection policy made it very difficult for contractors to toss sheet rock, appliances, carpet and the like because the compactor had much more restricted access.