What is the Grand Oaks Homeowners Association?
The Grand Oaks Homeowners Association is a non-profit corporation designated by the CCR’s (Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions) to maintain and enforce the Articles of Incorporation and the Rules and Regulations of the Grand Oaks Planned Unit Development. In short, when Grand Oaks was established, part of the incorporation included the declaration of certain rules and regulations to which all homeowners and occupants must adhere.
The Home Owners Association is made up of all homeowners in Grand Oaks.
Upon purchase of property in Grand Oaks, all homeowners have agreed to the terms of the CCR’s and are beholden to both the restrictions and enforcement of the restrictions. Homeowners are responsible for ensuring rental properties within Grand Oaks also adhere to the CCR’s.
The Association is responsible for the legal and fiscal well being of the neighborhood, as well as maintenance and improvements in common areas such as our parks, trails and private drives.
Homeowners and occupants are encouraged to participate in committees, events and HOA Board meetings. Any homeowner may participate in elections or voting.
Documentation:
The Home Owners Association is made up of all homeowners in Grand Oaks.
Upon purchase of property in Grand Oaks, all homeowners have agreed to the terms of the CCR’s and are beholden to both the restrictions and enforcement of the restrictions. Homeowners are responsible for ensuring rental properties within Grand Oaks also adhere to the CCR’s.
The Association is responsible for the legal and fiscal well being of the neighborhood, as well as maintenance and improvements in common areas such as our parks, trails and private drives.
Homeowners and occupants are encouraged to participate in committees, events and HOA Board meetings. Any homeowner may participate in elections or voting.
Documentation:
- Article 1 of the CCRs
- Article 3.19 of the CCRs
- Article 6 of the CCRs
- Definition of PUD - City of Austin
What is the HOA Board (Grand Oaks Homeowners Association Board)?
The Grand Oaks Homeowners Association Board is a body of five elected representatives of the Grand Oaks Neighborhood Association. The Board members serve in a volunteer capacity for terms lasting three years.
The Board meets every two months, with occasional off-calendar meetings for urgent matters requiring a quick decision or vote. All meetings will be announced to the general Homeowners Association via email, the GO HOA website and some links in social media.
The responsibilities of the Board include:
How Are Board Members Selected?
Board members are either nominated from within the community or self-nominated. Elections are held for open positions each year at the annual meeting, which usually occurs in November. New board members begin their term at the first meeting in January.
Does the HOA Board have officers?
The HOA Board has elected positions serving one-year terms, with the opportunity for these positions to be renewed each year. Voting occurs at the January board meeting.
The three positions are:
Documentation
The Board meets every two months, with occasional off-calendar meetings for urgent matters requiring a quick decision or vote. All meetings will be announced to the general Homeowners Association via email, the GO HOA website and some links in social media.
The responsibilities of the Board include:
- Hiring and working with an Association Management company
- Oversight and management of the Grand Oaks Neighborhood Association Treasury, derived from HOA dues - Development and management of the HOA budget
- Nomination of committees and committee members
- Selecting improvement and maintenance projects
- Selection of landscape companies for maintenance of common areas (park, trail, etc…)
- Responding to queries and requests from homeowners
- Overseeing enforcement of CCR’s, HOA Rules and Regulations
How Are Board Members Selected?
Board members are either nominated from within the community or self-nominated. Elections are held for open positions each year at the annual meeting, which usually occurs in November. New board members begin their term at the first meeting in January.
Does the HOA Board have officers?
The HOA Board has elected positions serving one-year terms, with the opportunity for these positions to be renewed each year. Voting occurs at the January board meeting.
The three positions are:
- President
- Vice-President
- Treasurer
Documentation
- Article One of the CCR’s (1.07, 1.08)
- Article 6 of the CCR’s
- Article 8 of the CCR’s
- Article 10.06 and 10.08 of the CCR’s
What is CAM/ What is an Association Management Company?
In order to provide day-to-day oversight of the neighborhood and ensure we can benefit from the experience of professionals who oversee multiple communities, Grand Oaks HOA employs a company to manage a range of issues impacting Grand Oaks. Currently, we are served by Community Association Management, a local Austin-based company.
A major role of the association management company is to provide a neutral, third-party for reporting of violations, neighbor disputes, or issues within the community. Contacting the management company provides homeowners with documentation of issues and a path to resolution.
The association management company is *not* a concierge service for Grand Oaks.
Identifying issues and reporting them does not mean that the association management company will be able to immediately address any given issue. Many factors may impact whether a request to CAM can be fulfilled. However, CAM can raise issues with the HOA Board for consideration and to determine a path of action.
In addition, the association management company provides service at the direction of the HOA Board. These services include:
A major role of the association management company is to provide a neutral, third-party for reporting of violations, neighbor disputes, or issues within the community. Contacting the management company provides homeowners with documentation of issues and a path to resolution.
The association management company is *not* a concierge service for Grand Oaks.
Identifying issues and reporting them does not mean that the association management company will be able to immediately address any given issue. Many factors may impact whether a request to CAM can be fulfilled. However, CAM can raise issues with the HOA Board for consideration and to determine a path of action.
In addition, the association management company provides service at the direction of the HOA Board. These services include:
- Locating meeting spaces for Board meetings
- Overseeing standard documentation and management of board meetings
- assistance with budgets
- finding vendors for services such as landscaping
- Assisting with emergency situations within the community
- Providing guidance to the HOA Board
- Tracking violations of CCRs and HOA Regulations
- collecting HOA fees
- assessing fines for late and delinquent fees
- working with our legal representation
How are issues addressed by CAM and the HOA Board?
- Please submit all issues which residents would like to see considered to the contact form on the Grand Oaks website. In order for any request to be considered, it must go to CAM who will forward the request to the HOA Baord.
- Issues discussed only via social media will not be considered. Social media is not a formal channel for the Grand Oaks HOA.
- The urgency of the submitted issue may be determined by deadlines, timelines, or impact to the neighborhood.
- For many topics, the issue may be placed on the agenda for the HOA bi-monthly meeting.
- In the case of issues requiring rapid decision-making, CAM will alert the board that a decision must be made.
- Discussion of an issue can occur via email in the interim prior to a board meeting or may be held until all board members are present at the Board meeting.
- CAM may be asked to obtain additional information to assist in decisions making. This may include:
- Securing bids for potential work
- Consulting with the Grand Oaks legal representation
- Reviewing documentation or state and local statutes and providing legal language to GO legal representation or the board.
- CAM may provide the board with information regarding experiences in other communities
- Once all relevant information is secured and options reviewed, the board will make a decision by vote.
- Votes which occur in-person at regular meetings require a majority (3 votes) to pass.
- Votes which occur via emergency vote via email require a majority of four votes in order to succeed.
- On special occasions, the board may call an emergency meeting. Unless dealing with private legal matters, this meeting will be announced to the HOA via the website and social media. Votes taken at these meetings require a majority of 3 votes to pass.
- Those requesting assistance will receive a follow-up communique from CAM
- Either the decision determined by the board
- Or what questions remain and a timeline for completing research to make a decision.
- When a decision is made - CAM will then implement the decisions and recommendations of the board.
- If no decision is made, next steps will be determined and followed before the next meeting.