Why am I running?
The core of American democracy is the marketplace of ideas, where multiple candidates vie for the endorsement of the electorate. When there is competition in this marketplace, voters have power and candidates must perform. Without competition, voters have no power and candidates have no accountability.
I am running because I believe that the Persimmon Hill HOA deserves to be managed by people who won their offices in a contest of competing ideas, not just by default. And, after living here for three and one-half years, I have come to believe that there are some ideas that are definitely worth pursuing.
I do not think of this in terms of winning or losing an election. I think of it in terms of giving you a voice and a choice. If you agree with my ideas, I will be happy to work on your behalf to help them come to pass. But whatever you decide, I will still be friends with Raul and Troy. Because first and foremost, we are all neighbors.
My Four "Big" Ideas:
1. Improve communications and transparency with Owners on all matters, including finances and Architectural Committee activities.
2. Enhance governance standards to make sure HOA process are well understood and properly executed.
3. Update CC&Rs and Architectural Rules for clarity, logic, legal precision and consistency with Owner desires.
4. Annual Survey of Owners to gauge satisfaction with the HOA administration, to get new ideas, and to make sure we are reflecting the desires of the majority of the Owners.
The Path Forward...
Here is some more detail on how I would suggest approaching each of these four ideas:
1. Communication and Transparency: With the help of interested Owners, the Board should publish a periodic newsletter to Owners. The content could include status updates on curent and future projects, common area maintenance, financial matters, ecological issues, emergency plans, preferred home service vendors, new owner inroductions, etc. The Board should also establish processes to keep our website up to date. (For example, as of this writing - May 31 - our website Projects & Events tab is still leading off with a "save the date" message pertaining to last year's block party.)
2. Enhanced governance standards: The HOA Directors have important duties to enforce the rules and requirements of the Association. These duties are recognized in California statutes, and the courts have affirmed that HOA's have the enforcement power to carry them out. Unfortunately, these issues can become complicated in ways that frustrate people. My proposal is that the Board of Directors should create and communicate a clear process by which all HOA Members can understand the various workings of the HOA, and how they can effectively interact with the HOA. Maybe something like an FAQ section on our website would be a good place to start.
3. Document Revision: With the help of interested Owners, the Board should draft a comprehensive overhaul of the CC&R's and the Architectural Rules. The mission would be to make the documents easier to understand, up to date with current law, and functional for the smooth administration of the affairs of Persimmon Hill. (Click on "The Docs" tab to see several examples of why this is a worthy project.)
4. Annual Owner Survey: With the help of interested Owners, the Board should design and conduct an annual survey of all Persimmon Hill Owners to report on Owner satisfaction with the HOA management and to elicit recommendations regarding potential improvements to the HOA regarding ongoing operations as well as potential capital improvements.