A Vision for Vint Hill
Manor
(As of February 10 ,2007)
On rare occasions a group has the chance to create a new
community. We 100 homes at Vint Hill Manor now have the opportunity to define
the nature of the community in which we will spend the next phase of our
lives. This document is intended to prompt a creative process.
Below are some thoughts to start the process. If the
community is to become something special we need to establish our collective
vision. Please read the thoughts that follow with a mind as to what we can
become beyond what the covenants require.
The “Official Functions”
The Home Owners Association (HOA) documents spell out the
official duties and responsibilities of the HOA. When one reads through the
articles of the covenants one sees that the purpose of the covenant is 1) the
maintenance of the common areas 2) the management of services like trash pick
up, 3) approval of external home changes, and 4) “ to take other acts or
actions which would promote the health, safety or welfare of the owners and
residents.” (Page 6, article III). The covenants spell out the role of the HOA
on the “official” duties associated with the first three purposes. We have
hired a management firm and contractors to handle the housekeeping functions.
While these are important, the actions that truly define our community,
however, will be those associated with promotion of the health, safety or
welfare of the community. In doing so we become “a village.”
Becoming “A Village”
In recent weeks several residents have commented that here
at Vint Hill they know more than their immediate neighbors. In their old
neighborhoods they did not know anyone beyond the family next door. Everyone
was busy with careers and raising families. Here it is common to hear how one
neighbor has been helping out another neighbor. It would appear that this
community is looking for more than they experienced in their old neighborhoods.
Over the next decade the need for senior care will increase
significantly while the resources available from government will decrease. As a
group we need to be smarter about how our future will unfold.
It would be accurate to say that the goal of the senior
village should be to sustain quality independent living. We are looking to live
in our homes as long as we can ---partly because we watch out for each other.
The Price of Our Houses
At some point we will all put our houses up for sale.
Because Vint Hill Manor is an age 55+ community the buyers pool is limited and
our competition easy to identify. The age 55+ communities around us are
marketing their homes as “ active living” for seniors that provide many
appealing life style benefits. For example, the Heritage Hunt community in Gainesville
won the 2005 national “Community Humanitarian Association of the Year” award
from the Community Association Institute (CAI) for its many activities that
benefit the larger community. These communities boast of clubhouses, golf
courses, swimming pools, exercise facilities, clubs and activities and travel
opportunities. A way to maximize the appeal of our community is to provide
many of these benefits but at significantly lower costs.
The best way to maximize the value of our homes is to
establish a community that is so appealing, to the current homeowners and to
future homeowners, that buyers will select a Vint Hill home before one at
another age 55+ community. We can position ourselves between the communities
with high assessments and great benefits, and the non-age restricted homes with
no dues but no benefits.
If our community becomes perceived as a desirable place to
live,---i.e. significant benefits with low assessments--- our homes will sell
faster and for better prices.
An Unofficial Function & the Social Glue: The
September Club
The September Club, formed and functioning since the early
stages of the development, serves as the social element of the community. The
club sponsors regular social events that allow the community members to know
each other as friends. Card playing, bible study, Christmas events and
community dinners are already popular. Other activities could be added with the
goal of having every resident participating in some social activity. The social
participation in the community is the glue that will hold together the village.
Friends will help out friends. The club has its own officers and an independent
treasury. The club is an independent organization that already provides great
community building impact. We are lucky to have this valuable organization and
we appreciate the efforts of this group.
The HOA Committees: A List Of Possibilities
In addition to the “official” functions of the HOA, and the
purely “unofficial” social functions of the September Club, we envision several
work groups that would focus on the health, safety and welfare needs.
Community volunteers would contribute to the work groups.
Participants’ fees would mostly cover the costs. The HOA could provide small
“seed funds” to help facilitate activities to the benefit of the members. The
work groups would have considerable latitude, and minimum meetings.
As work groups study their respective areas of focus they
would make recommendations to the Board Of Directors (BOD) for programs, write
short articles for newsletters, host guest speakers and arrange tours.
1. The Programs Work Group
The main focus would be to provide low cost/no cost
educational and informational programs or activities. An initial list of work
groups might include:
·
Safety/Security
·
Medical/Health/Wellness
·
Environmental
·
Community Relations
The members of the community bring great diversity of
experience to the community. Community members with previous job experience can
bring much talent to these work groups. The following is a preliminary list of
possible work groups with some functions that have been proposed.
A. The Safety /Security Workgroup
The committee monitors the safety and security of the
community. Potential programs might include:
- Establishing liaison with the New Baltimore Volunteer Fire
Department
- Establishing liaison with the Fauquier County Sheriff
department
- Sponsoring AARP driver training classes
- Providing a bumper sticker to identify residents’ cars
- Sponsoring “House Watch”
New Baltimore Volunteer Fire Department
As a group, the community could adopt the New Baltimore
Volunteer Fire Department as our sponsoring non-profit organization. The EMTs
of this volunteer fire department have already made a number of trips to our
homes when we called 911. Consideration should be given to exploring and
supporting any fund raising efforts of this department, which services our
community.
Sheriff’s Department: The security work group could
get information on crime trends being committed in the local area. The work
group could publish data on the kinds of crimes that could occur in the
community and any trends. If a serious threat is identified, the workgroup
could issue a bulletin with prevention tips. Several members of the community
have had careers in law enforcement and would be excellent at this function.
Driver Training: In Virginia the state law requires
all auto insurance companies to give a discount to any over age 55 driver who
attends a drive training class. The AARP provides such classes for the cost of
the books. The class must be repeated every three years to keep the insurance
discount. Discounts are as high as $300.
Reducing Fire Department Response Time: The house numbers
over our doors cannot be seen at night. This could slow up the response time
of an emergency vehicle at night. Painting of reflective house numbers on the
curbs could save minutes in helping emergency vehicles respond.
“House Watch”: When a community member plans to be
absent from their home for overnight or longer they would register with “House
Watch” who would assign members to watch over their homes. “House Watch” would
maintain an emergency point of contact for all homes in case the owners cannot
be contacted.
B. Medical/Health/Wellness Workgroup
The medical/health workgroup sponsors classes and activities
such as:
- Sponsor adult CPR & first aid training
- Sponsor exercise groups (bike riders, mall walkers, weight
lifters, water aerobics)
- Arrange for flu shots
- Sponsor infant CPR & first aid for baby sitting
grandparents
- Assist in medical legal documents like medical power of
attorney
- Sponsor medical support groups for medical problems such
as diabetes
- Sponsor wellness seminars
- Assist with medical directives, health care powers of
attorney
C. Environmental Workgroup
The workgroup focuses on issues associated with energy
conservation, environmental clean up and similar “green” activities. Activities
could include:
·
Litter pick up day
·
Spring clean up days
·
Provide information on recycling for newsletter and website
·
Information on tax credits for energy improvements
·
Information on environmentally sound lawn care.
·
Inspect the wooded areas and watercourses for problems and report
to the responsible parties.
D. Community Relations
The workgroup would represent the community to the area
around us.
- Attend the Vint Hill Conservancy meetings, or serve as a
voting member of the “Conservancy” board
- Attend Vint Hill Economic Development Authority (VHEDA)
meetings
- Attend county Board of Supervisors meetings
- Attend other county boards and commission meetings
- Serve on the New Baltimore Service District planning group
- Arrange for elected public officials to speak at open
meetings with residents
- Coordinate activities with the Vint Hill Homeowners
Association
- Write short information summaries for publication in the
community newsletters and websites.
2. Communications
Committee
The communications committee keeps the members informed of
1) HOA business, 2) educational and informational opportunities.
Possible activities might include:
·
Newsletter
·
Directory of Association Members
·
Photo directory with Photos of Members
·
Website
·
Monthly speaker forum
Quarterly Guest Speaker Forum
The forum will provide monthly expert guest speakers or
field trips. The forum would inform the community on relevant issues. While a
communication function, the speaker forum would be conducted jointly with the
work groups. Possible topics could include reverse mortgages, nursing home
insurance, wills, trusts, medical advance directives, and medical power of
attorney. Tours might include local assisted living /nursing home facilities,
or Fauquier hospital
Community Web Site: Operate and maintain a HOA web
site to keep all informed about community issues.
3. Community Member
Support Committee
The HOA charter documents provide for the HOA to provide for
services to the members that are appropriate to an age restricted community.
The services of this committee may be premature for the current group of
members. Nonetheless in the future a member support committee might provide services
above the core services but less than an assisted living community.
Short-term services to assist ill or short-term infirmed
such as:
- Provide transportation to medical or non medical
appointments
- Help with household chores
- Assist with errands
- Pay friendly visits to isolated seniors
- Make daily/regular phone checks of housebound residents
- Provide information and assistance in obtaining services
from county, and state or non-profit agencies
- Community chaplains
Association members would donate time to support other
members with short-term needs. A volunteer would coordinate these activities.
The number of nursing home beds in the county has been
decreasing while the demand is about to increase. The Vint Hill Economic
Development Authority goal of providing a site on Vint Hill for a nursing home
facility is hampered by a reluctance to sell land to a non-profit that would
not contribute to the county tax base.
Assisted Living beds are currently costing $3,000 or more
per month. If we can help a neighbor live one year longer in their home we can
save them $36,000.
“House Care”: A work group to watch the maintenance
and repair trends. The group could research equipment and vendors and negotiate
volume discounts for items like water treatment systems, air filters, and such.
In the future the association may contract for services for
the homeowners. On page 9 article IV states that in addition to the expected
services and common area maintenance the association can “(vi) … so elect the
services indicative of a senior housing community such as maintain yards, snow
removal of sidewalks and drives, exterior paint, gutter cleaning and special
recreational or social activities.” This allows the members to grow the
association to meet broader needs than routine maintenance and services. For
example, community spirited members have already negotiated the purchase of
discounted water treatment equipment, porch hand railings, and insect treatment
for the community.
Community Chaplain
- Provide outreach programs
- Church rides for non drivers
The Technical Watch Group for Telephone, Cable, and Cell
Phone
- Prepare information sheet on best rates and reception
What Others Are Doing
Other age 55+ communities have been evolving new models for
a senior community. Information can be found at the following websites. Review
these web sites to see what other communities are doing.
1. Beacon Hill Village A
December 2005 AARP Bulletin discussed Beacon Hill Village, an innovative
program providing services to over age 55 individuals in Boston. See www.beaconhillvillage.org. Other
communities have established special senior communities with services intended
to keep individuals in their home instead of assisted living.
2.Community Association Institute Contact the
institute for training and publications. Go to the web site to see what the
national trends are in HOA services.
3. Near-by HOAs Have a member contact near-by HOAs
and report back on the rules and programs of the near-by HOA to identify good
ideas. See the enclosed following article about Heritage Hunt.
The Start of a Vision
The above vision is but a starting place. It is intended to
initiate a process of discussion and evaluation.
On page 9, article IV. states that in addition to the
expected services and common area maintenance, the association can “(vi) if the
association shall so elect the services indicative of a senior housing
community such as maintain yards, snow removal of sidewalks and drives,
exterior paint, gutter cleaning and special recreational or social activities.”
What “ special needs or social activities” do we want
to fill for ourselves as a group?
Of course, if we are to achieve an enhanced community,
individuals must participate. The actual programs to be offered will be
directly proportional to the willingness of community members to offer up time
and talent for the common good of the community.
If you have good ideas or can contribute to any of the
workgroups please indicate so on the enclosed questionnaire or e-mail or drop a
note to the BOD programs coordinator. Together we have a vast collective
experience, and much individual knowledge about what works.
Interest and Talent Survey
The Board of Directors has attached a survey asking
community members about their interests and talents. The input will be used to
help develop HOA financial Plan and the 2008 HOA budget and to identify
individuals who can contribute to the community.
BULL RUN OBSERVER
By Nancy Johnson
March 2006
Heritage Hunt winner of
Humanitarian Association of the Year Award
Heritage Hunt community won the Humanitarian
Association of the Year award from the Community Association Institute (CAI)
for its many activities that benefit the larger community outsides its gates.
The award was presented to Heritage Hunt Homeowners Association director Joe DeBell
at CIA’s D.C. conference February 18.
Every fall a volunteer fair showcases opportunities for
residents to share talents, interests, and skills for the benefit of the
community–at-large. Heritage Hunt volunteers can be found at the Prince William
Hospital in the county libraries, at Hospice, in service groups such as Lions,
helping the Red Cross, and working at Habitat for Humanity.
Volunteers knitted and quilted 1400 blankets for
“Project Linus,” nursing homes, and woman’s shelters. They have sponsored
drives for “Toys for Tots” and food for SERVE and ACTS. The Men’s Chorus
performs at community events in retirement homes and nursing homes. Heritage
Hunt clubs raise money for many local charities with an annual house tour and
sales of a cookbook and a Heritage Hunt calendar. This year the sold-out
calendar features a spoof, inspired by the movie “Calendar Girls.”
Thousands of dollars have been raised for the cancer
research and the Cancer Center in Gainesville through walks, casino nights, an
annual Mother’s day tea, and charity golf events. Over the past five years, the
Heritage Hunt Charity Golf Classic, supported by more than 60 volunteers has
donated $320,000 to cancer organizations.