By Kurt Schwenkel, HOA President

One of the most frequent complaints about homeowners’ associations is that they sometimes appear to focus on minor issues while overlooking more significant concerns—such as an unkempt yard, a deteriorating fence, or abandoned vehicles in a driveway.

Another common comment is that the HOA or management company makes money by sending violation notices, creating an incentive to focus on easy-to-address violations rather than more serious problems.

There is an important part of the process that residents may not see.

HOA violation correspondence is confidential. Only the homeowner, the HOA Board, and the management company are aware of a specific citation. If a neighbor has an unkempt yard or another issue, other residents have no way of knowing whether the homeowner has received a notice, whether the homeowner has contacted the management company, or whether the issue is already being addressed.

That confidentiality is intentional. An HOA should not publicly shame a homeowner who may be dealing with financial difficulties, illness, family circumstances, or another personal situation that makes it difficult to address a problem immediately. What may appear to be inaction from the outside typically involves communication and progress that cannot be shared publicly.

At the same time, homeowners who receive a notice and choose not to address the issue can expect the matter to progress through the HOA's enforcement process. Depending on the circumstances, that process can involve additional notices, fines, and potentially other costs, including attorney fees.

The simplest advice is this: If you receive a notice about your property, don’t ignore it.

If the issue is valid, take care of it. If the property or issue identified in the letter is not yours, or if the issue had already been corrected before the letter arrived, let SBB know. The instructions are in the letter.

If you are unable to correct the issue because of legitimate circumstances, or if you don’t understand why you received the notice, contact SBB Management. You can do this by logging into your online account at SBB Management's Owner Portal. The notice should appear on your My Items page under the reference number identified in the letter. You can simply click Reply to ask questions or provide additional information. Or send an email to support@sbbmanagement.com and reference your home address.

Homeowners may also discuss concerns with the SBB Property Manager. To request that option, email support@sbbmanagement.com.

What About the Cost of the First Letter?

There is also a misconception that the HOA or management company earns money every time a courtesy notice is sent.

No one is paid for sending the first courtesy letter, and there is no charge to the homeowner for that initial notice.

The purpose of the courtesy letter is exactly what the name suggests: to give the homeowner an opportunity to correct an issue before the matter progresses further.

The goal of the HOA enforcement process is not to generate revenue. It is to maintain the community while treating homeowners fairly, consistently, and respectfully.

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