FAQ
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chevron_rightDoes my community have an Association Management Company, and if so, how do I contact them?
Yes. The Associations management company is Inframark Community Management. You can call the main office at (281)870-0585 or you can call the on-site office which is located in the Main Clubhouse at 14223 Winding Springs Drive. To contact them, please call (281)255-3433.
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chevron_rightHow do I contact my Board of Directors?
You can email the management company at charles.kirkham@inframark.com or taylor.crochet@inframark.com any communications you may want to send to the BOD. They will forward it to the BOD.
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chevron_rightHow do I get access to the fitness center
Residents 15 years and older are eligible to obtain an access card. Access cards are issued by appointment to members in good standing. Please contact the association office to make an appointment to get an access card.
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chevron_rightWhat is a Board of Directors?
In relation to an HOA, Community or other formal organization, a director is an officer charged with the conduct and management of its affairs. The directors collectively are referred to as a board of directors, and are generally elected or appointed. Sometimes the board will appoint one of its members to be the chair, making this person the President of the Board of Directors or Chairman.
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chevron_rightWhat is a Community Association?
A community association is a nongovernmental association of participating members of a community, such as a neighborhood, village, condominium, cooperative, or group of homeowners or property owners in a delineated geographic area. Participation may be voluntary, require a specific residency, or require participation in an intentional community. Community associations may serve as social clubs, community promotional groups, service organizations, or quasi-governmental groups.
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chevron_rightWhat is a Homeowners Association (HOA)?
A Homeowners' Association (HOA) is a legal entity created by a real estate developer for the purpose of developing, managing and selling a community of homes. It is given the authority to enforce the covenants, conditions & restrictions (CC&Rs) and to manage the common amenities of the development. It allows a developer to end their responsibility over the community, typically by transferring ownership of the association to the homeowners after selling. Generally accepted as a voluntary association of homeowners gathered together to protect their property values and to improve the neighborhood, a large percentage of U.S neighborhoods where free standing homes exist have an HOA. Most homeowners' associations are non profit organizations and are subject to state statutes that govern non-profit corporations and homeowners' associations.
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chevron_rightDo I need an Architectural Application?
The purpose of the architectural review is to ensure uniformity throughout the community and maintain property values. Elements such as paint and roof colors, fencing, additions, and outbuildings all impact the aesthetics of our neighborhood.An application for approval, via an Architecture Review Form, accompanied by detailed plans and specifications of the proposed improvements must be submitted to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC). A form must be submitted for projects such as new construction, alteration or modification of existing buildings, and new structures or improvements of any nature. A few key guidelines:
- All exterior painting that is performed requires ARC approval. Paint color change requests must include a colored photo of the brick, a sample of the proposed paint, together with a completed ARC application.
- All roof or fence replacement requires ARC approval. Roofing change requests must include small samples or a brochure of the proposed roofing materials to be used, together with a completed ARC application.
Please be sure to fill out the paperwork completely and submit all needed permits, samples, renderings, surveys, colors, fees, pictures, etc. Incomplete paperwork is the most common reason for delayed approval. Approval must be received in writing, prior to beginning construction. The approval process can take up to 45 days, so proper planning is suggested.Permits: Harris County Engineering Office (HCEO) is the governing body for necessary permits. HCEO involvement in new construction has increased as the Houston area experiences more and more flooding. Please do your permit research before you submit an ARC application.THE REVIEW COMMITTEEThe purpose of a review committee is to administer our community's guidelines by overseeing changes and modifications to the property through an application and appeal process designed to balance the interests of individual homeowners and the community as a whole, ensuring that guidelines are met and property values are protected. Ultimately, the review committee has a duty to put the interests of our community as a whole above the interests of the individual homeowners.Our architectural review committee is responsible for:- Managing the application and approval process;
- Monitoring the community for violations of standards;
- Fairly enforcing standards set forth in our governing documents;
- Making subjective and objective decisions about guideline compliance;
- Making recommendations to the board of directors;
- Reviewing guidelines for adequacy; and
- Educating the community about set guidelines.
THE PROCESSIf a Rock Creek homeowner plans to make an exterior change to their property in the form of an addition or modification, they will need to follow the formal process set forth in our governing documents. The review committee will review their proposed changes and determine whether they are consistent with set guidelines. Typically, the process will consist of:1. Submit ARC application for approval - Submit the application with supporting documents and details.2. Committee Review - The ARC third party will review and make a determination.For the ARC Application Form and guidance on the process, please log in to you Inframark resident portal https://home.inframark.com/login click on the "Requests" tab, then select "ARC Application" and follow the steps to complete the process. You may also get a form from the www.rockcreeklife.com Please see Forms> Architectural Modification Application. However please keep in mind all forms MUST be submitted online through your portal. -
chevron_rightWhat is an Assessment?
Homeowner associations can compel homeowners to pay a share of common expenses, usually per-unit or based on square footage. These expenses generally arise from common property, which varies dramatically depending on the type of association. Some associations are, quite literally, towns, complete with private roads, services, utilities, amenities, community buildings, pools, and even schools. Many condominium associations consider the roofs and exteriors of the structures as the responsibility of the association. Other associations have no common property, but may charge for services or other matters.
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chevron_rightWhat is an Association Management Company and what do they do?
A property management entity contracted by a Board of Directors or community to provide a variety of services including but not limited to collecting assessments, sub-contractor endeavors, financial advisement and statement/reports preparation and analysis, general maintenance and problem resolution, and advisement on legal and other property related matters. Some of these companies manage hundreds of properties simultaneously, while others focus on individual properties.
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chevron_rightWhat is Association Management?
Association management is a distinct field of management because of the unique environment of associations. Associations are unique in that the 'owners' are dues-paying members. Members also govern their association through an elected board or other governing body, along with association committees, commissions, task forces, councils and other units. Typically, the board selects, retains and evaluates a chief executive officer or an executive director who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the association and paid staff. Managers within the association environment are responsible for many of the same tasks that are found in other organizational contexts. These include human resource management, financial management, meeting management, IT management, and project management. Other aspects of management are unique for association managers. These include: membership recruitment and retention; tax-exempt accounting and financial management; development of non-dues revenue and fundraising. Association managers must also be familiar with laws and regulations that pertain only to associations. To attain the knowledge needed to effectively operate in association management, its practitioners may choose to pursue the Certified Association Executive designation.
Association Legal Documents
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chevron_rightWhat Are 'ByLaws'?
A set of rules or guidelines regarding the operation of a non-profit corporation such as a Board. Bylaws generally set forth definitions of offices and committees involved with the Board of Directors. They can include voting rights, meetings, notices, and other areas involved with the successful operation of the Association.
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chevron_rightWhat are CC&Rs?
The term CC&R refers to 'Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions.' A real covenant is a legal obligation imposed in a deed by the seller of a home and or property upon the buyer of the real estate to do or not to do something. Such restrictions frequently 'run with the land' and are enforceable on future buyers of the property. Examples might be to maintain a property in a reasonable state of repair, to preserve a sight-line for a neighboring property, not to run a business from a residence, or not to build on certain parts of the property. Many covenants are very simple and are meant only to protect a neighborhood from homeowners destroying trees or historic things or otherwise directly harming property values. Some can be more specific and strict, outlining everything a homeowner can do to the exterior of their home, including the number of non-familial tenants one may have, acceptable colors to re-paint the home, exactly when holiday decorations are allowed up, automobile placement or repair on property, satellite placement, etc
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chevron_rightWhat are Governing Documents?
The declaration, bylaws, operating rules, articles of incorporation or any other documents which govern the normal operating procedures of an association.
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chevron_rightWhat is a 'Notice of Noncompliance?'
Similar in essence to a lien, the Notice of Noncompliance is a document sometimes authorized under the CC&Rs and may be recorded in the county property records. Its' essential purpose is to notify prospective buyers that the property is in violation of the documents.
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chevron_rightWhat is a Lien?
A monetary claim levied against a property for unpaid mortgage, taxes, contractor work, or other charges. A lien is attached to the property, not the owner, but legally must be recorded in the property records of the county of residence. If a Lien is in place, the property owner has very limited ability to do anything involving the property until the Lien is satisfied or removed.
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chevron_rightWhat is an Estoppel letter?
An estoppel letter is used in a transfer or conveyance of real property prior to the Closing transaction. The document is sent to a bank (or other lender), to an HOA (or Condo Association), to a city/municipality, or a tenant requesting payoff of a mortgage, assessments or taxes due, or rental amounts due on a lease, to incorporate these amounts into the Settlement Statement for the buyer and seller of the real estate. Assessments and payments due must be incorporated into the amounts due at Closing and paid at the time of the Closing. Some amounts may be pro-rated, but all must be included in the Settlement Statement. The estoppel letter is the document that facilitates this process.
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chevron_rightWhat is the 'Declaration?'
The Declaration is sometimes referred to as the 'master deed,' 'documents,' or 'declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions' [CC&Rs]. It describes an owner's responsibilities to the association which can include payment of dues and assessments as well as the association’s various duties to the owners. It is common viewed as somewhat of a 'constitution' of the association. The person or group of persons who either signs the original declaration governing the development and association or acquires the original developer's rights is referred to as the 'Declarant.'