Castlegate Community

Before you complain, please read this

Posted in: Castlegate
  • Stock
  • roughneck
  • Respected Neighbor
  • Queen Creek, AZ
  • 68 Posts
  • Respect-O-Meter: Respected Neighbor

I forgot one point. Nobody is complaining the dues are going up. People are worried they may go up. With gas prices shooting up and everything else goes up with it. Hasn't anyone noticed that yet? It was an informative article about how other HOA's around the valley are getting creative to save money.

First paragraph in the article: Homeowners associations strapped by unpaid assessments related to the foreclosure-ridden real-estate market are mustering volunteer work crews, cutting maintenance jobs and scrimping on landscaping to save money.

One other paragraph says: Like miniature governments that depend on revenue to finance upkeep of common areas, community pools and private roads, HOA boards have to cut expenses or raise fees when revenues fall.

That is what makes people nervous.

Roughneck I will say you were definitely not in the forefront of my mind when I typed that post, in fact I think you have done a lot and I truly commend you for it.  But I'm not sure what you want the management company to do or even what they CAN do besides send out fliers in the mail to people (which IMO is a waste of money for sure).  The sad fact is, 99% of the community doesn't give a rip.  We used to try to get people to go to block watch meetings and it was a disaster despite signs despite fliers on mailboxes even despite the postcards (yes I have heard the song and dance).  But that post was definitely NOT directed at you and I meant to put a little footnote at the end and forgot (been a long day and I've been sick to boot). 

Originally I stopped going to the meetings (oh probably 2 years ago) because it was the same old BS every dang blasted meeting, mainly weeds and street lights, now our circumstances have changed, I work mainly nights, we also have a small child and I don't care to pay a sitter AND take a cut in pay for that night (I work from home) to go to the meetings (hubby's on the board, he has to go, so if I want to go I have to hire a sitter and take a decreased work load that day which cuts my pay AND I'm paying out money too) to listen to people complain about the same old stuff I just grew tired of it quite honestly.  When there's something worthwhile to do I would have no problem helping out if I am able to, unfortunately working nights and picking weeds at 7:00 a.m on a good weekend doesn't work too well but on top of it I have one of the worst head colds I've had in YEARS and have been sick as a dog for over a week now so it just wasn't happenin' for me which is the reason I was not there. 

I will say, for the Block Watch, you know that I would be interested in going to, however the signs seem to pop up the morning of the meeting.  For those of us that don't work traditional shifts or who have children, it would be helpful if that info was posted AT LEAST one day prior, preferably 5-7 days prior so that we could make arrangements and juggle some things so that we could go.  Me driving by the sign at noon saying the meeting is at 7:30 that night doesn't do me a whole lot of good.  I may be in a minority but I'm sure I'm not the only one that has this issue, or is there an e-mail list to be put on so we can get re-caps of the meeting or something?  My son goes to bed at 7:30 and has school and my husband works nights so if I want to attend this stuff I have to make plans and 5 hours notice makes it pretty much impossible.  Just a thought.

Well our dues are some of the cheapest in QC, so we're still doing better than most.  Yes, with probably 50% of homes vacant and banks not paying dues, it wouldn't surprise me, personally I'm okay with it as long as it's reasonable.
  • Stock
  • roughneck
  • Respected Neighbor
  • Queen Creek, AZ
  • 68 Posts
  • Respect-O-Meter: Respected Neighbor

That's cool. I have no problem with people speaking their mind. Just seemed likes ome of your post was directed towards me. We're cool though. No worries. Not sure who your husband is. I will find out at the next meeting. Don't post it here!! LOL 

We need to get the community to notice what is being done. I am just not sure how. Nobody comes to the meetings with ideas or reads a letter sent to them.

Is a post card sent a waste? Probably. But if we could get 50-60 people out to clean up our community maybe it would be worth it. The 6 of us cleaned 2 homes in 3-3.5 hours. Just think how many we could clean if we could get 10 times that? That terrible street Shapinsay? (Spelling?)

I am just one man trying to make a difference. If we could find more people like us, who knows where we could take this community.

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