How does the Greencrest HOA protect my property value?
An HOA (Homeowners Association) can protect property values in several ways:
- Enforcing community rules and regulations: The HOA enforces community rules and regulations, which can help maintain a consistent standard of appearance and behavior throughout the community. This can help prevent unsightly or potentially harmful situations, such as unkempt lawns, abandoned vehicles, or loud parties, that could negatively impact property values.
- Implementing architectural standards: The HOA may regulate the appearance of homes and landscaping to maintain a consistent aesthetic throughout the community. This can help ensure that all homes are well-maintained and visually appealing, which can enhance property values.
- Representing the community: The HOA board represents the community in dealings with local government, developers, and other entities. This can help ensure that the community’s interests are protected and that any proposed changes to the area will not negatively impact property values.
Does the Greencrest HOA own property? Who owns and maintains the roads and sidewalks?
- No, the Greencrest HOA does not own property. The City of Colorado Springs owns and maintains the roads and sidewalks in our neighborhood. If you know of a problem with the streets or sidewalks, you can report it to the City using the GoCOS app.
- Because the HOA does not own property, it is not subject to the Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (CCIOA).
What are the benefits of being a member of the HOA?
- While an HOA without common areas may have a different focus than a traditional HOA, it still serves to maintain and enhance the value and quality of life in the community.
- Consistency: The HOA enforces community rules and regulation set forth in the community’s covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs). This helps ensure that all homeowners follow the same standards for home exterior appearance and landscaping. CC&Rs maintain property values and promote a sense of community pride.
- Quality of Life: The HOA may provide other services, such as trash pickup, sidewalk maintenance, snow removal, or security patrols, depending on the neighborhoods needs. This can help ensure that the community looks attractive and well-maintained.
- Representation: The HOA board represents the community in dealings with local government, developers, and other entities. This can give homeowners a stronger voice in community affairs.
- Sense of community: By participating in community events and meetings, homeowners can build relationships with their neighbors and create a strong sense of community.
Is membership of all lot owners in Greencrest automatic and mandatory?
Yes. Upon purchasing a home and becoming a record owner as identified on the property deed, those owners are automatically obligated to be members of the Greencrest Homeowners Association. Note too that under Colorado law, a seller of the property is required to disclose that the home is part of an HOA so all new owners should be aware of the compulsory membership in the Association.
What are the fees for being a member of the HOA?
- $50 annually- That’s only $4.16 per month! Brag to all of your co-workers that you have one of the lowest HOA fees in Colorado Springs. You spend more at Dutch Brother’s in a month than you will on your HOA.
- Since 1974, GHOA has had NO other regular or special assessments and none are planned. Greencrest’s dues are low and have only been raised twice 50 years! Our goal is to provide value to the neighborhood that exceeds the cost of the dues assessed. We do this with programs like Dumpster Days and our Annual picnic.
How often are the HOA fees assessed, and when are they due?
Fees / Assessments / Dues are all terms for the same thing. In our governing documents, Greencrest HOA uses the term Dues. GHOA Dues must be paid by October 31 for the following “Dues Year.” (For example, 2025 Dues will need to be paid by October 31, 2024). Since 1974, GHOA has had NO other regular or special assessments and none are planned. There is no pro-rating of dues for partial years.
Are HOA “Dues” considered “Assessments”?
Yes. As used in the Governing Documents for Greencrest, there is no distinction between a “due” and an “assessment.” The terms are often used interchangeably when referring to either monthly or annual fees owed to the Association on a regular basis.
How are HOA Board members elected, and can I become a Board member?
The Board of Directors is elected at the Annual Meeting, held in October each year. GHOA has a 7 or 9 member Board. Typically an odd number is elected in odd years, and an even number in even years. Board members can serve 2, two-year terms before they become term-limited.
If you want to become a Board member, the best place to start is by attending one of our Board Meetings, held monthly. There you can learn about how the Board functions, and what projects we are currently working on. Find the next one by going to the GHOA Events page.
Board Members must be in good standing with the HOA and must be current on dues before they can serve.
What services are covered by the HOA dues?
Covenant enforcement is the primary service covered by the HOA dues.
For some background, it does take a small amount of money to cover the “day-to-day” costs of running a non-profit corporation. The Board strives to maintain these costs to the lowest level possible, while still providing value. These costs include things like hosting this website, insurance, newsletter publication, and financial / business software.
The HOA has the ability to provide many more services to the neighborhood including: snow removal, security patrols, sidewalk repair, and debris / trash collection. When we combine our small dues, we can make significant, valuable changes to our neighborhood.
Additional services are dependent on the dues paid in by members in the previous year. All expenses must be included in the annual budget and approved by a majority of the quorum present at the Annual Meeting.
What are the covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) of the HOA, and where can I find them?
Our governing documents can be found at www.greencresthoa.org/hoa
Can I make changes to my property, such as adding a fence or making exterior renovations?
Only with approval from the Board of Directors, for certain items. The Architectural Control Committee (ACC) will help you through the process to obtain Board approval.
GHOA is all for improvements to your property! We don’t want the process of improving your property to be a burden on you, but we also want to ensure that it fits the style of our community as a whole. Generally this is a quick and easy process. Go to greencresthoa.org/acc for full review of the process.
What is the process for submitting an architectural review request, and how long does it typically take to receive approval?
Easy! Follow this link for the full process and a form to get the process started.
Are there any community events or activities organized by the HOA?
We strive to put on several community events each year. For a list of upcoming events go to www.greencresthoa.org/events.
If you are up to the challenge of putting on one of our events- we’d love to have your services to our neighborhood! We’re also open to any ideas that you have! Please let us know what other events you would like to see. We do rely heavily on non-Board volunteers to make these events happen. T
he Board is tasked with running the non-profit organization that is the HOA, and conducting other activities such as covenant enforcement and ACC reviews. This is a lot to ask of our volunteer Board- our busy neighbors who volunteer their time to, “keep the lights on.”
How can I get involved in the HOA community and activities?
Easy- shoot an email to board@greencresthoa.org. The Board is already a group of people passionate about the neighborhood. We’d love to see you get more involved and will assist you with finding a place to plug in.
Also be sure to join our email “list-sever” and Facebook page to get fully immersed in our neighborhood.
We encourage participation from all members of our neighborhood at our Board meetings, if you’re interested in seeing the Board in action. As we hold the meetings in our homes, we kindly request that you give us a heads up a few days in advance. This will help us make sure we have enough room to accommodate everyone comfortably. We look forward to seeing you there!