~ Neighborhood News ~ |
Diamond Management And Consulting
Management Agent for Stanton Run Association
click here to contact Diamond Management
2009 Annual Meeting Held
The Stanton Run Annual meeting was held on October 27th. Click here to view the HOA progress report and plans for 2010. Minutes will be available soon.
updated November 18, 2009
Do you know what is going on around you and your home? Click on Crime Watch to get the lastest community alerts, a recap on recent incidents, and other relevant information impacting the safety of our community.
Help make us safer by letting us know of an incident you witnessed. You can remain anoymous. Just provide some details about what happened, the name of the street, and the approximate time and date. The information will be posted in the crime watch section. Just click here to contact us
Code Compliance Solves Problems
Are you having problems with neighbors or other residents on your street who simply do not care about the community or their property value? We have a powerful cure on hand that has not been utilized enough. It is called code compliance.
Bexar County Code Compliance will answer complaints or a reported nuisance. Examples of these include abandoned or inoperable vehicles in driveways or the street, tall grass in a back yard, filthy pools, operation of a business from home, storing trash in the back yard, and oil stains from leaky cars.
The direct number is 337-6700. Ask to be transfered to code compliance. Either Carol Kendall or Mike Lara will answer. You can remain anonymous if necessary. Don't hesitate to call and do a follow-up. You may email as well and the addresses are:
Another department within Bexar County is the Sheriff's "Directed Patrol". The person there who can assist is Deputy Leonard Lopez, and he can be reached at 335-5791. They also can assist with these same issues. The email address is leonardlopez@bexar.org
This contact information can be very effective in helping anyone that has a problem with any of these concerns. In some cases citations can and will be issued, and the violator will have to appear before the JP.
This is a another way to keep our neighborhood clean and also help maintain our property values. You may report anything that seems wrong in the community, not just your neighbor. We all pay County taxes, so let's see them go to work. Remember, Stanton Run is a great place to live and we all can help keep it that way.
Click here to view or print the code compliance quick reference guide. The HOA, management company, and concerned residents are now using this remedy to clean up the neighborhood.
5 Types of Neighbors and How to Handle Them
You can pick your friends, but not your family -- or your neighbors. Here's what you need to know.
By Geoff Williams, FrontDoor.com
It used to be that everyone knew their neighbors. At the very least, you'd meet them after the kid next door accidentally hit a baseball through your living room window, or an apron-clad housewife appeared on your back porch to borrow a cup of sugar. But that's so 1950s. During these days of two-paycheck parents commuting and cocooning because they're afraid to let their kids run unsupervised outside, it is becoming increasingly common to buy a house and eight years later realize that you have never met your neighbors.
If that's your situation, consider yourself lucky, because oddball and unusual neighbors do still exist. You may find yourself in constant contact with them, especially if you live in a community with yards that are just about a yard long. How you co-exist can make all the difference between living happily ever after or litigiously ever after. That's why we've created a primer on some of the neighbor archetypes you might expect to find and how to handle them.
Signs Are Prohibited
Please be reminded that all advertisment related signs, with the exception of those specifically permitted in Article 15 of the Covenants are strictly prohibited. If prohibited signs are not promptly removed, the property owner is subject to the prescribed legal remedies. Residents will be billed for the forceful removal of violations, including yard maintenance and the removal of prohibited signage.
All property owners agreed to the restrictive covenants when their property was purchased and are obligated to comply with the deed restrictions. Our homes are our largest investments and we need to care the appearance of our property, our neighbors' property, and the general appearance of the neighborhood!
click on text to enlarge
Bexar County Sheriff
When you see teens wandering in the neighborhood, ask them where they reside. If they do not reside in Stanton Run then notify Bexar County Sheriff of suspicious persons on our streets. Everyone must make a concerted effort to report suspicious people to the sheriff to help prevent or mitigate crime.
The community has security partols active every week; however, they cannot be on all streets at once. As residents who have a vested interest in the preservation of our property values and our personal safety we must each do our part to help control crime and vandalism. Here are some helpful tips to help us fight crime:
- Park your vehicle in the garage. This removes attractive targets, unclutters the streets, and makes it easier for security patrols to identify suspects.
- Call Bexar County Sheriff when you notice suspicious people wandering in the streets or drainage ditches.
- Report all crime and vandalism as soon as you notice it. As more reports are filed with the Sheriff's Office our community will get more attention from law enforcement.
- Provide the Safety Committee with your observations and ideas. You may also ask about joining our Citizens On Patrol Program to help protect our community. Click on the "contact us" link.
Tell Us What You Would like to Hear About
You may contact us and provide a question or topic you think might be helpful to the community or one that you would like to know more about. Have a helpful hint or suggestion for fellow residents? Send it to us and we will put it on the home page to share with others.
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~ Special Announcements ~ |
Update Your Email Address
Be sure to logon to www.stantonrun.com and update your email address. You will need to logon using your old email address, or, you can re-register using your new one.
Walking Your Dog?
Everyone enjoys walking their dog(s) around the neighborhood. While the exercise is good for both people and animals, there are some important things to remember. Here is a story of one homeowner that illustrates some of the problems when pet owners allow their dogs to trespass on other property owner's lawns:
"I have to deal with this a lot. I myself am an avid dog-lover, and it makes me angry when people are so irresponsible. The other night I was taking my trash to the curb after dark, in my slippers, when I stepped in a big pile. I didn't notice until I had tracked it all through my house and finally realized what the smell was. After an hour of obsessively scrubbing my floors and spraying off my slippers with the hose, I was faced with the challenge of calming down enough to get to sleep. I decided that I have had enough, no more Ms nice guy, I am going to put up... a sign!
So I think it'll say the following: Please be neighborly and kind... Pick up what your dog leaves behind. or maybe... We love dogs as much as you... but please pick up it up."
Though signage is prohibited by the deed restrictions, some residents are now using small video cameras to monitor their property. So if common courtesy on the part of the animal owners won't work, then property owners will have to resort to formal complaints to law enforcement and even legal action. You can avoid this by being considerate of your fellow residents when walking your dog. After all, you may be on camera.
Making Improvements to Your Property?
If you have any questions concerning improvements on your property, don't hesitate to contact any ACC member or RealManage. Click here to print the ACC Improvement Form.
How You Can Help Preserve Your Property Values
While many factors influence the value of our homes and property, certain ones are at the top of the list. The most obvious factors include a well maintained fence without missing or broken boards, a well trimmed lawn, and the prompt removal of trash cans, basketball goals, and other objects not in use.
Additionally, any vehicle that does not have attached a current license plate and current inspection sticker or has one or more flat tires, or is otherwise disabled or partially disassembled also hurts the neighborhood and affects all of our property values. It is also a violation of the covenants that were agreed to when the property was purchased, specifically Article 16 of the Declarations.
Just by using common sense most of these violations and threats to our property values can be avoided. We must all work together to insure our neighbor well maintained and appealing at all times. As if depressed values were not enough to deal with due to abandoned vehicles and equipment, these violations will result in action by the property owners association. The violation is subject to removal at the owner's expense.
Residents harboring violations like these not only hurt their own property values, but they also affect their neighbors and the entire community. You can find a more complete description regarding the requirements for vehicles in our neighborhood. Just click on the DOCUMENTS link at the left navigation bar and then click on the COVENANTS.
SAFETY COMMITTEE UPDATE
by
The idea of the committee is to keep a constant vigil on the safety and welfare of homeowners existing, or entering the Stanton Run Community. Get to know your neighbors, which vehicles are common on your street and watch for trends like extremely slow driving or seeing the same vehicle circling the block multiple times. Let people know that you are paying attention. If you see someone circling the block in a suspicious manner step in your view and let them see you watching, since criminals prefer not to be seen, this can be a deterrent like no other!
Keep your doors and windows locked even when you are at home. If you have a monitored alarm system make sure the sign is visible out front to warn away potential burglars. It is proven fact that homeowners, who advertise it are less likely to be burglarized, regardless of whether or not you have it monitored. If you walk alone at dusk, take a stick or umbrella or walk with someone or your dog (if you have one) as all can be deterrents, making you less of a target.
Lock your vehicle at night. If you do not have a car alarm, you can purchase a simple, easy-to-install car alarm at any auto parts store. If you are a victim of or witness to a crime REPORT IT!! The police watch for trends or even the most insignificant crimes, like defacement of property. If there is a spike in reported crimes, then they in turn increase patrols.
Where Does The HOA Money Go?
Texas law establishes that home owner associations collect dues from members (residents) for the purpose of maintaining the community. What does maintaining mean? It means fulfilling the HOA's obligation to help protect property values, keep the common areas in good order, and to keep the community a safe place to live.
We have put the HOA check book online. Just click here to see the actual expenses for 2009 and where every dollar is spent. Residents who have participated in meetings already have a good understanding of this and some have provided feedback that has influenced some of the expenses.
The board has been making all of the HOA business tranparent to residents. As we fulfill our duty to protect residential property values and help maintain a safe place to live, we are also providing residents the information they need to be informed and to take a greater interest in the community.
This is your association. Not only does the HOA have a duty to you as a resident, but some residents feel a duty to support the HOA and give back to the community. Consider volunteering for an existing committee or chartering a new one. Think about how your time and talent can make Stanton Run a better place to live. We get things done when everyone helps make things happen. To those of you who have been caring and generous with your time, talent, and resources the HOA expresses its gratitude.
Click here to find out who can help you
Click on the "Documents" link on the left menu and read the last section titled "Who Does What? Who Do I contact for help?" The information found here can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration.
Deed Restriction Violations Harm Everyone
The agreements we all entered into when we bought our homes included a list of prohibited activities on our properties. These activities are also known as "deed restrictions." The most common violations include operating a business out of a single family residence, incessant barking dogs, and lack of maintenance of the front or back yard. These activities not only result in lower property values for you, for your neighbors, and for the community, but they also cost everyone time, money, and frustration.
Since the prime responsibility of the Board is to protect property values, board members have a fiduciary responsibility to all residents to insure the property management company acts on and mitigates all violations. A resident with an ongoing violation not only disturbs their neighbors; but also, opens themselves to costly litigation. The old practice of sending multiple courtesty letters for several months in succession has been replaced with a new process. This process is in compliance with Texas law and consists of one warning letter with a subsequent referral to an attorney for action.
The property owner is responsible for all legal fees, court costs, and the cost to remove the violation. Although you can click on the "documents" link on this website or pull out a copy of the Stanton Run Covenants and read the examples of deed restrictions and violations for yourself, there is a simpler way to be assured you are in compliance. The Golden Rule usually is the only thing we really need to remember. Just ask yourself would you be annoyed if your neighbor's dog constantly barked, if they had several parked cars in front of their home with a lot of constant traffic in and out, or if they failed to maintain their yard? If the answer is yes, then you would probably fix the issue promptly.
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