Ideas For Spring Community Gatherings

Spring community gatherings can bring in front a lot of excitement and fun, but at the same time, they can also be time-consuming. This does bring in the question, though, how can you bring the community together and how can the HOA create some great community gatherings? Here are some great ideas to keep in mind!

Community dog walk

If your neighborhood is full of dog owners, it can be a very good idea to opt for this type of event. It’s a pleasant experience for sure, and it will impress you with the great results that it can deliver. Everyone will be able to enjoy the time off, not to mention that all dogs can have tons of fun. So, it can be a great bonding experience for everyone.

Spring themed porch flags

You can organize workshops that will help create and install porch flags. This can be a nice way to showcase the strength of your community. If possible, you can also add the neighborhood name or logo on these flags. It’s an exciting and delightful experience that you can try out!

Porchfest

You can organize a local musical talent event that consists of performers which are assigned to different porches. You can invite the local talent to walk around the neighborhood and showcase their musical talent to the entire community.

Gardening contests

These contests are always fun because they encourage residents to increase the curb appeal of their home. Each resident has 1-2 days to prepare their garden, and then a jury selected by the HOA will select the winner. It’s a nice initiative and one that perfectly matches spring and its unique appeal.

Cook-offs

Cook-offs are amazing; the idea is to pick a type of meal that anyone will be able to enjoy. Some opt for chili cook-offs, while other people want something simpler. No matter what you pick to cook, make sure that, each contestant has fair chances. Plus, each person that attends this event has to be from your community.

Bonfires

Evening bonfires are great since they allow the community to share stories and have fun. It’s by far one of the best options that you can focus on if you want to connect with people in your neighborhood and find out more about them.

Outdoor movie night

You don’t need that much for this activity, just chairs, a computer, projector and lots of time. The result is magical, and it can be a delightful way for the community to spend time together. It’s certainly worth a shot!

As you can see, there are many great activities that you can focus on during the spring community gatherings. If you want to make community gatherings stand out, you should consider giving them a shot; you will not regret it. Plus, these are one of a kind activities that everyone can join, so they can quickly bring joy, happiness, and fun to everyone. It’s a good idea to put all these ideas into effect, as they can easily pay off.

Tips For Bringing Your Neighbors Together On NATIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY September 28th

At AMG we like to foster neighborhood togetherness. National Good Neighbor Day is observed annually on September 28. This day was created to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of a good neighbor. It is great to have a good neighbor but it is even a greater thing to BE a good neighbor.

What can you do to bring your neighbors together on NATIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY? 

AMG would like to provide you with some ideas for your neighborhood to have fun, easy, and inspiring activities for your National Neighborhood Day gathering.

Here are a few activities that you can plan.

• Block pot luck dinner or cookout
• Dessert party/ice cream social
• Spaghetti supper
• Pancake breakfast
• Picnic
• Welcome Tea for new neighbors
• Book exchange
• Art show
• Youth performance or Battle of the Bands
• Karaoke party
• Outdoor movie in a community park
• Arts and crafts festival
• Neighborhood site seeing or nature tour/walk
• Bake sale for charity
• Plant a community garden
• Neighborhood beautification clean up

Every community is different. Call a committee meeting and discuss what works best for your neighbors. 

The most important thing is that whatever activity you choose, those activities should focus on building relationships and connections among neighbors throughout the year. Your neighborhood leader may want to reach out and get the involvement and support of  community service agencies. Invite neighborhood firefighters and/or police officers to your gathering. Kids love it when the fire truck and police car show up on the scene.

From the staff at AMG we wish you a safe and happy NATIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY!

The importance of reading your HOA Documents before you close on a home

So you just bought a new home or condo in a great neighborhood and you're super excited about it. You got your set of keys, garage door opener, mail box key, and huge stack of paperwork. You know that the stack or paperwork is probably important, but of course like most new owners, you are so excited about your purchase that the documentation gets thrown into a drawer somewhere during the moving process.

Six months go by and you finally got your home looking the way you want it. All your boxes are unpacked, all your pictures and photos are finally hung straight, and you've even had a chance to use your fireplace once or twice. Then all of a sudden, you get a letter mail saying that you can't park your jet ski in your own driveway. What gives? Then you immediately think to yourself “I wonder if this has anything to do with that stack of paperwork that I got after closing?"

That big stack of paperwork should have contained your HOA governing documents that you ignored reading through. These documents contain the "Laws of the land" as we like to call it. They are made up of several sections of information that pertain to your specific community. We wanted to break down the basic elements of these governing documents to help all owners understand what exactly they are looking at.

Declaration - This is what we refer to as the "meat and potatoes" of the documents. The Declaration is called many various names such as "master deed" or "CC&R's" which is the short for covenants, conditions, and restrictions for the association. This document explains an owner's obligations to the association. These responsibilities can include payment of dues and assessments, minimum maintenance and improvement upkeep, as well as the association's expectations and requirements to the owners. This also contains a majority of the major "do's and do not's" for the community. This is typically the longest portion of the entire document package. It is common viewed as somewhat of a 'constitution' of the association. The declarant is the person or group of people who either signs the original declaration governing the development and association or acquires the original developer's rights to the association.

Bylaws - These are basically guidelines for how the association should operate. This section should clearly lay out information like a board member's term length, voting percentages needed to approve or disapprove new community amendments, and other governing guidelines for the association. Bylaws generally set forth definitions of offices and committees involved with the Board of Directors. Even if you aren't currently on your HOA board of directors or on a community committee, it is still important to know and understand the positions and under what authority they are operating under.

Amendments - These of course are any formal changes that have been made to either the Bylaws or the Declaration. Communities over time discover real life situations which my call for changes to the governing documents. Rules regarding how to go about creating an amendment to your bylaws or declaration vary within each community. Some of these changes can be very difficult because of the required number of community votes it requires to execute the proposed changes. It 's not easy achieving a 66% vote of an HOA community of 500. Organization and education is the key to successfully making any significant changes to the community governing documents.

Community Rules and Policies - Many associations have additional written rules and policies that are separate of the Declaration and Bylaws. These can be specific rules regarding landscaping, parking, pool, and other areas. Many times these rules are necessary because the community's declaration wasn't specific enough regarding a certain subject. It is also advised that HOA and condo associations have specific collection, fine, and enforcement policies written and recorded as well. These policies help inform all residents about specific topics regarding HOA assessment payments, fines for maintenance upkeep or other declaration infractions.

Budget / Financial Information - If your new home is in a condominium association, reviewing and understanding the association's financial health might be the most important part of the documentation. Although they tend to be much smaller than HOA subdivisions, condo associations are usually responsible for much more exterior and ground maintenance. Before purchasing a unit within a condominium community, you'll want to review the current financial situation of the association. Associations that are weak financially add additional risk and potential future costs to any owners in the condominium community. Be sure you fully understand the financials for your association.

Association governing documents don't have to be a confusing pile of paperwork. Once you read and understand the elements that make up your HOA documents. It is important to read through and understand your HOA or Condo association's governing documents. Understanding these documents will certainly help prevent any misunderstanding amongst neighbors, board members, and association management company.

Be A Good Neighbor: 10 Good Reasons To Leash Your Dog

Almost every community has a leash law. The law requires that dogs be kept on a leash at all times when on public property. While on private property, dogs must be under the control of their owners. The intent of this law is to protect the health and safety of the public and to protect your pet. The use of a leash will benefit you, your neighborhood, and your pet. There are many good reasons to keep your dog on a leash. 

1. It’s a great good neighbor policy, preventing your dog from trespassing on neighbor’s property during your walk. It also keeps your dog from jumping on people you encounter, ensuring that your dog has the chance of being properly introduced. 

2. Improved companionship. A well trained and leash-obedient dog is a pleasure to walk with. 

3. Walking your pet on a leash will prevent the spread of disease. It is less likely that your dog will be exposed to Parvo or Distemper. A leashed dog can be restrained from sniffing the droppings of other animals. 

4. A leash is commonly referred to as “Your Pet’s Lifeline,” protecting your pet from traffic and unrestrained animals. Accidents or animal bites are greatly reduced when responsible pet owners obey the leash law. 

5. An obedient and well behaved dog is a positive reflection of its owner. 

6. Re-locating your dog into another household is 100% easier if your dog is obedient and leash trained.  

7. It’s a great way to reward your dog. Your dog will immediately respond with a wagging tail the moment he or she sees you holding the leash. 

8. It’s a great identification tool, symbolizing that the dog has an owner, and enabling someone who sees the leash and identification tag attached to the dog’s collar to find you if you and your pet should become separated. 

9. It’s a great relief to wildlife, keeping your dog from chasing squirrels, deer and other wildlife. 

10. It’s the law! The law is in place to protect other members of the public and your pet from injury. 

Be a good neighbor. Be a good friend. Use a leash.