North Creek Village

Well, here it is May 23, almost time for the pool to open Memorial Day weekend.  What a joke.  I walked down to the pool this morning.  The water is green, scummy, full of debris (including beer cans) and the concrete around the pool is broken up and chipping.  I know from last year that there is repair work needed to the bottom of the pool.  Is it really going to be drained, repaired, refilled and ready to open by next week?  I doubt it.

Other observations along the way to the pool include sagging sidewalk and street along Pomona Avenue due to washout underneath.  The shrubbery around the clubhouse is overgrown in need of trimming and weeds are quickly overtaking the plantings.  Clubhouse porch is sagging and pulling away from the doors and the wood trim paint is badly chipped. 

Other than those who mow their own lawns or hire it done themselves, many lawns are badly overgrown. 

The entire community is taking on a seedy look and now it's said Ferrelview is wanting to annex us!  How much worse could it be?  I hope Union Bank reads this website and is aware how property values will plummet if we become part of Ferrelview. 

With sinking sidewalks and streets, weedy clubhouse grounds, a swimming pool that looks more like a cesspool and the prospect of opening the door to Ferrelviewers, do you wonder why I call myself "Worried Homeowner"? I can't afford to move.  I just hope we can stop this annexation and get the bank's help cleaning this place up and work together to keep it clean and maintained.  It's certainly in the bank's best interest to see that these things are taken care of unless they want to lose money on their investment, as we all are going to do if it keeps up. 

Pretty valid post for the most part. However, I think that we need to stop worrying so much about the pool/clubhouse and face the facts. We bought into a bankrupt neighborhood. There is no way that 25% of the planned occupancy of NCV can afford to maintain/upkeep a pool and clubhouse.

Do you wonder why I call myself "Almost Broke"? We can not afford the pool/clubhouse. Throw a padlock on it until a future builder can come through and afford to maintain it/repair it. In the mean time, each home owner should work on maintaining their lot to the best of their ability.

Some people in this neighborhood act like it is impossible to live in a neighborhood where there is NOT a HOA. Focus on your own house and make this neighborhood a place worth living in. If you want to go swimming, join a pool. If you want your yard mowed, utilize the free market economy and hire someone to do it!

Union bank is not going to do anything that will help us out. They are only in it to recover some of their loses. They have already lost money by having to forclose on the builder.

I'm climb off my soapbox and see what everyone else has to say.

I totally agree with your summation.  However, how can we not pay HOA dues without getting a lien slapped on our property?  For years now, developers have collected our HOA dues and not kept their end of the bargain.  It's a standoff.  They say they can't provide the amenities if people don't pay their dues.  People refuse to pay dues for something they're not getting, so there you have it.   

This is the first place I have ever lived that had an HOA.   Everyone mowed their own lawns or hired it done, usually by neighborhood kids or other folks who wanted to make a little extra money.  People took pride in their places and kept them up.  They went to swimming pools and joined a gym if they wanted to work out.   I have never lived anywhere that the residents were responsible for street repair.  Does this mean it's our job to keep Pomona Avenue from falling into the ditch?  With only one entrance to the community, how do we get out if the street collapses?  Worse yet, what if it collapses while someone is driving over it?  How does Union Bank think they're going to get rid of all the foreclosed properties with the street caving in?  What a mess.

You're right about not being able to afford the pool and clubhouse...however, that doesn't relieve anyone of paying dues.  That's the bite.  I wonder if there's any legal action to be taken against the original developers who created this mess and left us residents in the middle of it.  If I could afford to move, I would before the whole place turns into a ghetto.  Since I can't, I am hoping Union Bank will make repairs to the street, clean up the overgrown vacant lots, weed the common areas and work with the water dept. to have individual meters and be billed accordingly.  As for the clubhouse and pool, I agree it's probably not affordable, especially with all the vandalism caused by, guess who...the Ferrelview kids who come crashing and trashing every summer. 

If the bank is willing to protect their investment and try to recover their loss by doing the above, it is every resident's responsibility to keep their own places up.  We may not be able to afford the clubhouse and pool, but we can sure as heck take back the neighborhood and show pride in our own places.  No one is going to do it for us. 

I get frustrated because I am the one who keeps up the two sign beds.  I've spent my own money and time to plant those flowers.  If other people are bothered by it, why not go out and pull some weeds?  I got so sick of it I decided to do something about it.  I know there are other residents who have done the same, especially with picking up trash.  Personally, I am grateful because I do not want to pick up trash, but I can plant some flowers!  I'm not going to wait for some group to get together and decide to do it; it will never be done that way. 

That said, in the near future, I will probably be the one out there pulling weeds.  Feel free to join me!