24 replies to this topic

[Terry]

Anyone have any experiences with the Parkway and its HOA?

Have some friends considering buying there, but they had a bad experience in a previous development governed by an HOA - arbitrary guidelines that were never incorporated into the CC&Rs but attempted enforcement actions, etc.

Let me know if you have experiences, good or bad with Parkway HOA

[Farley]

I have no personal experience with Parkway HOA, but at the time those first homes were models, the HOA dues already seemed high to me.

In 1994 I moved into a development in Folsom managed by an HOA. It was a terrible mistake. I moved out in 2001 vowing never to live in another HOA again.

They indeed are arbitrary. Though there are established rules, some homeowners get by with a lot, while others are come down on hard. And the board of five members that run the show along with the management company are generally not above playing favorites.

They have you in a vise, because if one does not do what they demand, then the fines start and next thing you know they actually take your house.

If one can avoid living in an HOA, I certainly would avoid them. Vierra-Moore manages Woodbridge, Oak Villas, and Coventry all in Folsom. They may also manage Parkway. If they are the management company, I would run fast the other direction.

[bordercolliefan]

Farley,

Can you provide more info?

Which HOA were you in?

What types of problems did you (or others) run into?

Thanks.

[Farley]

I was in the Woodbridge Homeowners' Association. I was there from the start as the board was still made up of three people from the builder's office and two homeowners. As the homes sold, at a certain number, the builder's people left the board, and it became an all homeowners board. Just so you know I was the first president of the board and served three years. After me there were two or three presidents of the board. The last was the most exasperating due to cronyism.

Monthly dues can go up every year by 20% without a vote of the homeowners.

We had maintenance of the front yard landscaping. Generally very poor maintenance was done by at least four companies in four years. They weekly broke sprinkler heads in the lawns. Getting management to respond to a request was nearly impossible.

They also maintained the street lighting. Once when calling in to tell them the street light was burned out. I was told by the management company that they knew it already, but were waiting for other street lights to burn out to make fewer trips.

Street parking was not permitted. You already know there is a thread here about "what's in the garage? probably not cars." So there were constant hearings and threats of towing away offenders. In eight years no one was ever towed.

We had four different management representatives in eight years; each with their own style of managing. Only the first one ever responded prudently to homeowners directly or in a timely manner.

The issue that broke the camels back, so to speak, was political signage before elections. Signs were not allowed on your own private property. This was clearly a violation of the First Amendment, but a large number of homeowners had to write letters, ring doorbells, talk to attorneys, etc. All this even though in 1994 Sandra Day O'Connor had written that banning political signage before elections on private property is illegal. I was threatened several times a fine of $50.00 per day that I had a political sign in my yard.l

The HOA controlled the color of all houses. One couple had the color approved by management. After the house was painted, the board said it was not a good color. It took about two or three years, but again after attorneys, etc. the HOA (our money) paid to have the house repainted.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea, HOA really do take away one's freedom. Many people who moved out told me they would never live in a HOA again.

[billsfan]

I live in the Parkway and have been very satisified with the Homeowner's Association here. When initially moving, I was a little apprehensive since I had not lived in a development with a Homeowner's association before. The Parkway's appears to be consistent and gave me quick approval to my landscaping design and quick fixes to other minor problems. They do a good job maintaining the front yard and common ground landscaping. They also maintain the lighting and extensive trail system (contracted out to the city for what I heard is a lower cost than what it would cost the city). There is also 24 hour security.

HOA's and CCR's are not for everybody - yes we need to keep our cars off the streets overnight, adhere to architectural/landscaping CCR's, etc - but it has resulted in a very well kept development that I enjoy living in...in fact, I'd like to see a similiar design of integration of houses, trails, open spaces, parks used when they develop the other side of 50....

[Terry]

Thanks for the input - friends have heard from others in the Parkway who are satisfied with the HOA and its operations. Thanks again.

[bishmasterb]

My only experience with the association so far is them insisting I paint my DirecTV dish to match the house (argh!). Yes, I'm sure it's buried in the 900 page CC&Rs somewhere, but still, it's a pain. Nonetheless, the last HOA I belonged to required this as well, so it's nothing out of the ordinary apparently.

[Stinger1]

I moved to "The Parkway" about four month's ago from a neighborhood that did not have an HOA. I was tired of all the stuff going on in my old neighborhood and thought an HOA would be the answer. Having lived here for a short time, now I am a little concerned about numerous changes happening in the newer areas of the development that appear to be a little out of control. I am noticing people reversing their fence gates, leaving garbage in their front lawns not related to landscaping projects, autos parking backwards on the wrong side of the street -or in no parking areas, people consistantly parking over night in the street, most people driving 10-20 MPH over the speed limit, satellite dishes not painted and/or not installed right, boats parking for extended periods of time in the driveway, floodlights illuminating houses to show them off, construction going on until 9pm at night, and trees being planted less than five feet from the fence, just to name a few. What will it take to get the HOA to respond? Don't get me wrong, but the parkway is a great place to live! It just appears that many of the new people living here don't get it! Did they even read their CCRs before they moved here?? It appears that too many people are only concerned about their own needs and do not understand that we need to live together and respect each others rights. What's up with the roundabout at the entrance to the new section near the bridge at Kidder Way and Parkway Dr???? Someone keeps tearing up all the dirt and plants with their 4x4 on purpose! Maybe we need to put steel posts to stop it from happening....

[rlsliger]

I moved to "The Parkway" about four month's ago from a neighborhood that did not have an HOA.  I was tired of all the stuff going on in my old neighborhood and thought an HOA would be the answer.  Having lived here for a short time, now I am a little concerned about numerous changes happening in the newer areas of the development that appear to be a little out of control.  I am noticing people reversing their fence gates, leaving garbage in their front lawns not related to landscaping projects, autos parking backwards on the wrong side of the street -or in no parking areas, people consistantly parking over night in the street, most people driving 10-20 MPH over the speed limit, satellite dishes not painted and/or not installed right, boats parking for extended periods of time in the driveway, floodlights illuminating houses to show them off, construction going on until 9pm at night, and trees being planted less than five feet from the fence, just to name a few.  What will it take to get the HOA to respond?  Don't get me wrong, but the parkway is a great place to live!  It just appears that many of the new people living here don't get it!  Did they even read their CCRs before they moved here??  It appears that too many people are only concerned about their own needs and do not understand that we need to live together and respect each others rights.  What's up with the roundabout at the entrance to the new section near the bridge at Kidder Way and Parkway Dr???? Someone keeps tearing up all the dirt and plants with their 4x4 on purpose!  Maybe we need to put steel posts to stop it from happening....

I live on Parkway Drive and agree with most of what you said, especially the speeding. There's one house down the street that's had a boat in the driveway for at least a month, their garbage can has sat in front of the gate for probably just as long, and they usually have a car on the street overnight. I think the tire tracks in the roundabout are from the large contruction/pool trucks turning the corner too tight.

[bishmasterb]

I know the state/city (?) requires gates to open outward on any home with a pool, that is likely the reason you've seen those.

[Stinger1]

Your right! I talked to the HOA and they say the city of Folsom actually requires the reversed fence modification when a pool is installed on the property. They said it has something to do with being able "To push the door outward" in case of an emergency????. Has anybody living in the Parkway experienced a problem with loud pool pumps near their house. My neighbor recently installed a pool and they put the pump between the houses - really close to the fence. Now I can't open my side windows because the noise vibrates between the houses. Sometimes it can be really loud, especially when they run the jacuzzi or waterfall. When they are in the spa, I have to raise the volume of the TV to hear it. They have also installed outdoor speakers on the back side of the house as well. From the sound of things, they plan on being party central. It is really annoying. There is no peace and quite after a hard days work. Can anyone offer any experiences or suggestions on how to deal with it. The neighbor is not very cordial and we are not really on speaking terms.

[Stinger1]

I live on Parkway Drive and agree with most of what you said, especially the speeding. There's one house down the street that's had a boat in the driveway for at least a month, their garbage can has sat in front of the gate for probably just as long, and they usually have a car on the street overnight.  I think the tire tracks in the roundabout are from the large contruction/pool trucks turning the corner too tight.

FYI...I talked to the HOA about the boat on your street. They commented that they have received several complaints about it. They are currently addressing the issue and said it will be resolved through the compliency process. I think they will get fined $50? a month if they don't fix the problem or respond to the HOA about the complaints.

[Steve Heard]

I am noticing people reversing their fence gates, leaving garbage in their front lawns not related to landscaping projects, autos parking backwards on the wrong side of the street -or in no parking areas, people consistantly parking over night in the street, most people driving 10-20 MPH over the speed limit, satellite dishes not painted and/or not installed right, boats parking for extended periods of time in the driveway, floodlights illuminating houses to show them off, construction going on until 9pm at night, and trees being planted less than five feet from the fence, just to name a few. ... It appears that too many people are only concerned about their own needs and do not understand that we need to live together and respect each others rights. 

Stinger

Those things you cite are the reason so many of us DON'T want to live where there are HOA's.

I am all for keeping people driving safely (though the HOA has little control), construction going on until 9pm can be a nuisance no matter where you live, and no one likes to see garbage on front lawns.

I live in a nice neighborhood, without HOA's, and I don't see any of those things.

I am so happy I can park my car outside if I want to, and my guests can do the same. I don't care which way the cars are facing. I don't know what qualifies as a tree, but there are many large plants within 5 feet of fences, so I'm glad no one is measuring.

Thank goodness I live in a free country...I mean, neighborhood.

[old soldier]

last week I visited a friend in Gold River and the first thing I noticed was no cars or boats on the street and I remarked that was unusual. My friend said that was because of the home owners group that fined folks for not following the ccrs.

I was telling him about the folsom problems and how there are ccrs but folks do what they want and nothing is done to them. he said that was because in the beginning they didn't train folks to obey them and that once they got untrained then there was no way to enforce them without a war.

he said he parks his car inside and makes enough money to keep his boat in storage so he wasn't upset about not parking in in his driveway. he said they can't put their car up on blocks to work on them on weekends. the bottom line he said was the property values are a lot higher and houses sell quick

it was his suggestion to the folsom folks in new neighborhoods who don't like boats and jand cars parked all over to get an association going before a lot of folks get bad habits and then think its their right to do what they want. he said the gold river rules have a person sign a contract that they understand the rules and that allows the association attorneys to get after the rule breakers.

I'll draw the line when folks start keeping old junk cars on their lawns or having goats tied to the front tree.

[firemedic238]

I have lived in the Parkway for 1 1/2 years for the most part the HOA has done a good job but, they do tend to be very strict.
Twice We have had a car on the street over night and twice we received a letter stating thats not allowed. I have even received 3 letters for cars that were not mine or anyone staying at my home. According to law enforcment ,we are allowed to park over night( up to 72 hours) on the street as long as its a public street which the last time I check all roads were public in the parkway. I have received a letter for having a pile of bark dumped on my driveway for less then 24 hours. While I agree HOA are a good thing, we must let people live. Cars on blocks I understand one car or even a boat left on the street for less then 24 hours Lighten up