Dear Neighbors,
 
I hope summer’s end finds you healthy and happy.
 
Open Board Meeting.  

Our community’s annual open board meeting is scheduled Thursday, 5 Sept, 7pm, in the Weyanoke Elementary School cafeteria. The school is one block out our Irvin Court exit on Braddock – easy walking.  This is your opportunity to have your voice heard regarding community matters, and to hear from the board on the “behind the scenes” work we do to keep our community vibrant.  We have several very important matters on the agenda, particularly revision to our HOA by-laws which have not been updated since 2002, and we want this decision to be community wide.  If you are unable to join us, please consider passing your vote and opinion to a neighbor who will attend.  To do so, fill out the simple proxy form at this link or go the FTHOA website, under the “Documents” tab, for a copy.  You can also pass your proxy to the board, by emailing a completed proxy form to one of us board members with our name included.  We need your vote and your involvement to keep improving our neighborhood.  I ask that you consider serving our community as a board member.  Reach out to me or any HOA board member so we can answer any questions you might have regarding board roles and responsibilities. A few significant agenda items include:
 
-          HOA dues increase vs one-time special assessment
-          Road repairs
-          Penalties for noncompliance with architectural guidelines
-          Fairland Towns Community Sign
-          Transition to online (vs mail) official community notifications (dues, ARB infractions, etc.)
-          Election of board members
 
School’s In – Drive Carefully. 

Our kids are going back to school.  Please stay alert and drive vigilantly on the community streets, especially when entering/existing the community as these are the busiest areas for young people during the school months.
 
FTHOA Website Refresh.

Our website has a fresh face as Abel has done great work in making it is more inclusive of community needs.  We are intending our website to become your “go to place” for urgent and routine communication between you and the board and across the community.  This is where you will find announcements on emerging issues, urgent notifications, HOA documents and guidelines, and resources to maintaining your home.  Please familiarize yourself with our webpage, check in on it regularly, and let us know if you have suggestions for making it more useful to community needs.
 
Way to Go!  

Congrats to Julie and Chris Nam for taking the “Garden of the Month” honors for August. Check out their handywork on Irvin Court.  It’s the one with our FTHOA award sign.  Are you next?
 
Overdue Dues.  

We still have some homeowners past due for July dues, as well several who are further overdue.  Reminders for payment, inclusive of late fees are forthcoming.  Please pay by 31 August before another $50 penalty is added.
 
Guest Parking.

If you have guests on extended stay (more than 7 days) with cars parked in the community, please advise the VP, Ronda, or me, for awareness and so we do not mistakenly tow.
 
ARB Matters.  

A big thank you to those diligent homeowners who have completed repairs from the Spring walkthrough.  However, our ARB Officer, Hector, has not received completion notifications or intentions for repairs from most of you with outstanding infractions.  The 90-day deadline for doing so is 31 August, after which time noncompliant homeowners will be subject to penalties under consideration to “encourage” compliance.  Do be a considerate neighbor and keep your home looking its very best.
An Important Reminder.  If you are planning ANY alterations to your property, major or minor, you must seek approval from the ARB in advance.  Alterations in structure, color, material, etc., all have HOA standards.  We have, unfortunately, had to address several “Oops” by well-intended homeowners whose changes are not allowed under the guidelines.  We all agreed to abide by these rules when we accepted the HOA Covenants as part of our purchase contract.  The Board will not accept a homeowner’s unfamiliarity with the covenants or ARB guidelines as an excuse for an architectural oversight.  Please review the guidelines; if in doubt, give us a shout before you make a change.
 
How to respond if your HOA says you broke a rule:
 
Address it. Ignoring an HOA rules violation won’t make it go away, and can actually make the situation much worse. If you’ve received a violation notice, take steps to understand and correct the situation, and if there is a fine, either pay it or appeal it.

Don’t take it personally. Remember that the HOA’s rules were created to keep the entire community safe and comfortable for residents, including you. You agreed to abide by the rules when you bought your home.

Communicate. While friendly face-to-face communication can address minor infractions or warnings, official communication and documentation helps create clarity for everyone involved. If you’ve been accused of an HOA rule violation, it’s best to address it in writing. If there are extenuating circumstances, like a family emergency that caused you to fall behind on lawn care, for example, communicate that to your HOA property manager. It’s possible an exception can be made, but you won’t know unless you ask.

Get involved. There is usually a correlation between the level of homeowner involvement and the long-term success of a community.  So, if you want to improve your community, volunteer for a board position or attend meetings to see how you can contribute.

That’s it for this month.  We hope to see and meet you at our HOA meeting on 5 Sept.
 
Your Board wishes you a fun and safe Labor Day holiday.  Spread kindness!
 
Cheers,
Kevin (703-772-6216), Ronda, Neil, Jeff and Hector