Contacting Your HomeOwners Association

The Timberhillls Homeowners Association website has a new feature: your board members can now be contacted by email. Go to the “About the Board” page and click on the “Contact Us” link. Your message will be forwarded to the HOA board.

New Laws Affecting HOAs

The Texas Legislature passed a number of laws in this year’s session that affect homeowners associations. Some of these laws affect deed restriction guidelines, while others affect how association meetings can be conducted. Homeowners wanting to address the board regarding specific issues related to their property, such as deed restriction violations or collection issues, will be required to request a hearing with the board prior to the date of the meeting. More information regarding these hearings are included on deed restriction and collection letters.

Christmastime is here again, and once again, the Timberhills Homeowners Association is sponsoring our annual Christmas Decoration Contest.

Get out the lights and the ladder and get to work! Prizes are offered for the top three displays in the community.
First Place —  $100
Second Place —  $75
Third Place —  $50
Also, honorable mention of the best display on each street will be made on the website: www.timberhillshoa.com.

Judging will take place in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and will be based on the overall appearance of outdoor decorations as viewed from the street. Displays should be orderly, uncluttered, and attractive. Judges are community volunteers. The decision of the judges will be final. Your home must be located in the Timberhills or Sunset Ridge West subdivision to participate.

Be creative, but please, be safe. Use only lights and electrical devices rated for outdoor use. Connect to ground fault interrupted outdoor circuits to avoid shock. Remember to turn your lights on every evening the week before and the week of Christmas so the judges can see your great displays!

Please be sure that your house number can be viewed from the street. Unidentifiable addresses will not be included in the contest. If the number, either on the curb or the house, cannot be read from the street after dark, you could miss out on a prize!

The homeowners association, its directors, and management company all receive frequent complaints from residents about issues that they regard as a nuisance. This includes loose dogs, excessively high grass and weeds, and trash. The Timberhills Homeowners Association does what it can to address these issues, but corrective actions can take many months due to the legal processes the association is required to follow. The entire Nuisance Violations resolution can be viewed by accessing www.timberhillshoa.com. Click on “Documents” and the first file “Amendment to D.R. Enforcement” includes the resolution outlining what is considered a nuisance under the THOA deed restrictions.

The process that your homeowners association is required by law to follow involves sending letters to the resident/homeowner and requires a waiting period after each letter to give the homeowner the opportunity to correct the violation. If you receive such a letter and are addressing the issue or need more information, please contact CAM and/or attend the monthly HOA meeting that is held the second Tuesday of each month at 7pm at the community room at 14903 Carriage Park.

If you would like to report a nuisance violation in Timberhills or Sunset Ridge West, problems such as loose dogs, abandoned pools, unsafe buildings, unsanitary conditions, tall weeds, etc., you can call CAM at 281-852-1155 and give the address of the property and details regarding the nuisance.

There is an additional resource available through the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement Act. The Environmental Public Health Division offers a complaint form for neighborhood nuisances at their website www.hcphes.org/eph. Click on the “Neighborhood Nuisance” link. If you do not have access to a computer, neighborhood nuisances can be reported by calling 713-274-6300 Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm, and after business hours at 713-274-6300.

Please help keep your neighborhood safe and clean by maintaining your property, helping your neighbors, and reporting problems to the proper entities.

Note: Information regarding the Harris County Environmental Public Health Division contact information was obtained from their website www.hcphes.org/eph

As you are aware, vandalism is running rampant in neighborhoods across Harris County and surrounding areas and although efforts have increased to patrol these neighborhoods, damage is a constant. This type of activity has had a tremendous impact to the HOA’s operating cost across the board. The HOA has investigated and reviewed operating costs for several budgetary items in the community and have decided the best course of action is to try and maintain services without raising HOA dues, as we have had to do in the past. Unfortunately, in order to accomplish this task, we have had to shorten the pool hours for this year's swim season and cancel the opening day festivities. The Board understands that although this may not be a popular solution to some, it is better than closing the pool entirely or raising HOA dues to support the cost of extending operating hours of the pool. If you drive by the Community Center you will also notice several items in disrepair due to age and vandalism. We are also working to get these items resolved very soon and within our current operating budget. Repairs to HOA facilities has been a challenge over the last 12 months as labor and material prices have increased drastically, and repairs to vandalized equipment and structures have drained our reserves. We are working as fast as we can with what we have to work with, so your patience and understanding is appreciated. The HOA would also like to remind everyone that you are automatically an HOA Member if you own a home in Timberhills or Sunset Ridge West. Your involvement and proactive actions in the neighborhoods can only help the physical and financial condition of our community. Please be aware and active every chance you get.

The Harris County Alarm Detail would like to remind residents of the need to obtain a permit for operating an alarm system within unincorporated Harris County. Obtaining the required permit will keep the resident from receiving a citation and excessive false alarm fees. A permit application form as well as the regulations regarding permit requirements can be accessed at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office website at www.hcso.hctx.net. For further information, contact the Alarm Detail office at 713-755-4600.