An HOA is usually set up as a non-profit organization by a developer or builder when a planned community is first established to help support the sales and marketability of homes in the area. Depending on your state, HOAs must follow the same laws that govern any corporation or non-profit. They are run by a board of directors that are voted in by owners in the community. These board members establish governing documents that include Articles of Incorporation, Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs), and By-Laws that act as the guide book for association members.

The fees that your HOA charges can vary a lot depending on where you live and what amenities they offer. The average monthly HOA fee is somewhere around $125 but expect to pay more for a condo or townhome where HOA fees also include insurance and maintenance for buildings with shared walls.

Yes. Once you move into a home that belongs to an HOA you are locked into paying their fees regardless of how much you plan on using the shared parks, pools, and other areas. Be sure to ask about required HOA payments before buying a home and get a better understanding of what is and is not included with those payments.

Yes. When borrowing money to purchase your home, lenders will look at potential taxes, insurance, and HOA payments. These factors may change how much house you can afford and ultimately how much a bank will lend you. If you’re on a tight budget, be mindful of any HOA fees that may be required once you purchase the home.

In general, HOAs help ensure owners are properly caring for their homes, and that a consistent look and feel is maintained throughout a given neighborhood. This can include regulating what color you can paint your house, or how often you should mow your lawn. Specific rules will be outlined in the governing documents which you can be viewed upon request before purchasing a home.

Most homeowners enjoy the protections that an HOA provides their home and community. Every association is run a little differently, but most of the time, any late payment or violation receives a polite reminder given in person or by mail. Nearly all violations are resolved at this level, but you may receive several warnings before further action is taken.

HOA's will outline an escalation process for continued non-payments or violations. Communication is key, and chances are your HOA will work with you to resolve any issue that comes up. In some extreme cases, an HOA may have to take legal action against owners who continue to violate community guidelines and place a lean on their property until any issues are fully resolved.

https://fgbrca.org/CPIDs-FAQs

A neighborhood election established the parcel fee of 120.00 a year for funding the Sagefield Crime Prevention and Improvement District (SCPID). Since the election, we have had numerous public meetings during which details of License Plate Readers (LPRs) and the Flock System have been discussed. The following are some of the general questions that surfaced and specific questions relative to the access to the data collected by Flock.Add an answer to this item.

3 Cameras have been installed to date. The deployment plan for 2024 is complete

The SCPID has done a year of planning and research. Based on our conversations with other CPIDs, the police and sheriff departments, and comparisons between vendors, financial, and other considerations, the board selected this system.

Will they be selling or sharing this data with anyone? Do they automatically and routinely share this data with the police or sheriff departments? The Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office (EBRSO) will have access to the cloud-based system and can monitor video in real time..

SCPID board will establish who within our organization needs access to the FLOCK dashboard, but it will be limited to specific roles within the seven-member board. Because the BRPD and EBRSO will monitor the data, there is no need for any board member to be responsible for monitoring the data. A resident can request data from the policing agency if a case number is associated with the request.

Flock is a cloud-based system that deletes data 30 days after it is captured unless a law enforcement agency makes a specific request to retain data associated with an active investigation with a case number. The SCPID does not retain any data at any time.

Data is viewable or searchable only by those given access to the Flock system, and an audit trail is viewable to those with access to the platform. The police departments will transfer any information associated with a case to their evidence platform outside our SCPID system.

No.

Flock Safety owns the LPRs. The SCPID has entered into a 2-year services agreement with Flock Safety. The service agreement includes the cameras, cloud-based data, dashboard, and maintenance. At the end of the two-year term, the district can renew or decide to cancel the contract.

First things first, is it even legal for a homeowners association to enact pet restrictions? The short answer is yes. Generally speaking, associations do have the power to impose pet rules. Some HOA communities even go as far as to prohibit pets entirely, though not all state laws allow this. Homeowners who have a problem with their association’s pet policies should first look to federal and state laws for guidance. Remember that these laws take precedence over any other provision or policy in your community. In California, for instance, associations can’t have a no-pets policy. According to Civil Code Section 4715, HOAs must allow homeowners to keep at least one pet. Next, homeowners should check their association’s governing documents. An HOA’s bylaws and CC&Rs should outline the association’s authority when it comes to enforcing pet restrictions.

Pets are great. They offer companionship and, for some people, are totally non-negotiable. But, the fact of the matter is, homeowners associations generally can regulate pets in the community. Why is that? First and foremost, it is imperative to know what the purpose of an HOA is. Fundamentally, a homeowners association’s primary function is to preserve property values by maintaining the community and enforcing rules. Part of this is imposing HOA pet rules so that everyone in the neighborhood remains happy. Let’s face it — pets can be messy and noisy. This is especially true when it comes to the most common type of pet: Dogs. A messy or dirty community is certainly not appealing, and neighbors will start to complain sooner or later. Noisy pets can also interfere with people’s right to quiet enjoyment. Furthermore, aggressive pets can pose a threat to the health and safety of community members. Pet policies and, by extension, homeowners association dog rules address all of these issues.

Like with other covenants and rules, your HOA board is responsible for enforcing your pet policies in a uniform and consistent manner. If an owner violates a pet rule, most boards first send a notice of the violation and give the offender a chance to remedy the situation. Should the owner refuse to comply, though, you can normally take further action. While the actions a board can take can vary depending on the provisions of their governing documents, violations usually carry a monetary penalty. Owners will need to pay a fine as a result of the violation. Your board may even be able to suspend member privileges or take legal action.

This is a common question many homeowners ask, and one without a straightforward answer. It all really depends on the situation. If a homeowner refuses to comply with a pet rule, your board can file a civil lawsuit asking the court for injunctive relief. In other words, you can ask a court to order the owner to remove the animal. Sometimes, even with a court order, an owner will still refuse to comply. In that case, the judge can have a sheriff remove the animal by force and then hold the owner in contempt. This means the owner may face a monetary fine or even time in jail. The answer is different, though, when it comes to retroactive application of HOA pet rules. If a member already owns a dog, and your board enacts a new rule prohibiting dogs, then you can’t force the member to get rid of their dog. The same goes for amendments to HOA dog restrictions. For example, if your association previously did not have a weight limit and now chooses to prohibit dogs over 50 pounds, you likely can’t enforce that new restriction on a member who already owns a 55-pound dog.

Can HOA deny emotional support animals? Even with a no-pets policy, your association must allow disabled members to keep assistance animals such as emotional support animals. This is in accordance with the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) and even some state-level Fair Housing laws. Under the FHA, housing providers such as HOAs can’t discriminate against people based on their disability. It also requires HOAs to provide reasonable accommodation for disabled persons. This includes letting a person with a disability keep an assistance animal no matter what your pet policies say. Similar provisions exist within the Americans with Disabilities Act, though this Act defines service animals as dogs with specialized training. But, according to the FHA, even without specialized training, emotional support animals are considered assistance animals. It is important to note that disabled members must still follow homeowners association pet restrictions that don’t interfere with the animal’s ability to support the person. This includes keeping the animal on a leash and cleaning up after them. But, restrictions related to pet species, breed, and size are unenforceable. If your association faces such an issue, it is best to consult an attorney for guidance. This way, you can protect the HOA and your board from potential liability.

This ordinance maintains the cleanliness and safety of the Sagefield Subdivision by regulating dog owners' behaviors and ensuring that dogs do not defecate on properties other than their own.

Owner: Any person who owns, keeps, or harbors a dog. Public Property: Any property owned by the Sagefield Subdivision or any other governmental entity. Private Property: Any property owned by an individual or entity other than the dog owner.

No owner shall permit their dog to defecate on any private property other than their own. If a dog defecates on public property or private property not owned by the owner, the owner must immediately remove and properly dispose of the feces.

All dogs must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet when outside the owner’s property. The leash must be held by a person capable of controlling the dog at all times.

1. Dog owners must carry a device or bag for the purpose of removing and disposing of their dog’s feces when walking their dog outside their property. 2. Failure to clean up after a dog will result in fines as outlined in Section 7. 3. Proper disposal includes placing the feces in a sealed bag and disposing of it in a designated waste receptacle.

Residents who witness a violation of this ordinance should report the incident to the Sagefield Subdivision Homeowners Association (HOA). Reports should include the date, time, location of the violation, and, if possible, a description of the dog and owner. Reports can be submitted via the HOA’s official website, email, or by calling the HOA office.

The HOA shall have the authority to issue fines for violations of this ordinance. Fines shall be as follows: First offense: $50 Second offense: $100 Subsequent offenses: $200

Damaging, soiling, defiling or defecating on property other than its owners, or public, sidewalks,excessive noise making, excessive odor, excessive barking, molesting, threatening, attacking or interfering with persons on public or private property, chasing automobiles, bicycles or other means of conveyance, attacking other animals, disturbing or turning over garbage cans or running at-large, or interfering with another person's enjoyment, (walking), on public or private property is hereby declared a Nuisance. However, no community cat shall be declared a nuisance for running at-large.

This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the Sagefield Subdivision HOA.

If someone refuses to pay the fines, the Sagefield Subdivision Homeowners Association (HOA) can take further actions to enforce the ordinance. Here are some potential steps the HOA might take: 1. Additional Fines: The HOA could impose additional fines or penalties for non-payment. 2. Legal Action: The HOA may pursue legal action to collect the unpaid fines, which could include filing a lawsuit or placing a lien on the property. 3. Suspension of Privileges: The HOA might suspend certain privileges or access to community amenities until the fines are paid. 4. Reporting to Credit Agencies: In some cases, the HOA could report the unpaid fines to credit agencies, which could affect the owner’s credit score. It’s important for residents to understand the consequences of not complying with the ordinance and to address any fines promptly to avoid these additional measures. If a dog owner claims they didn’t see their dog defecate, the HOA can still enforce the ordinance based on reports from other residents or evidence provided. Here are some steps that can be taken: 1. Witness Reports: Encourage residents to provide detailed reports, including descriptions of the dog and owner, and if possible, photos or videos of the incident. 2. Education: Remind dog owners of their responsibility to always be aware of their dog’s actions and to carry the necessary tools for cleanup.