Community Associations Network Industry News

Spring, Texas (PRWEB) August 29, 2007 -- Best known as one of Houston's first master-planned communities, Champion Forest subdivision melds old-world charm and technology with its newly developed website and community marketing plan.

The Champion Forest Fund Inc., the homeowner's association of this 2000-acre community, which was declared a bird sanctuary by the Audubon Society and defined as an actual "forest" according to criteria established by American Forestry associations, recognized the need for improved communication within the neighborhood and surrounding community and began work on the new website, www.championforestonline.com , in 2005. The end result of the volunteer effort is today a vehicle through which news of some of the most exciting changes the community has seen in years now travels.

The new website features news of neighborhood organizations, local security and community activities, as well as informative links and contact information. Costs of the website will be offset with an advertising plan featuring banner ads and sponsored support from community organizations and businesses.

"We have a wonderful newsletter printed free of charge by Champions Printing, but we recognized the need for a broader-reaching communication tool," said CF Fund, Inc. (HOA) President Arthur "Roy" Riley.

"And given the large scale development plans presented these past two years for new parks with linking walking trails, prestigious shopping centers and renowned medical facilities, we thought this was the time to launch a neighborhood website," Riley added.

The website continues to evolve just as the community has and is expected to be an important revenue generator and networking tool for the neighborhood - linking residents and resources in an increasingly Internet-driven society.

Among some of the "hot items" recently spotlighted on the Community page of the new Champion Forest website include an expansive park and connecting walking trail bordering the Hewlett-Packard NW Harris County campus and Cypress Creek and the Vincent Kickerillo exclusive home community and upscale shopping center, The Vintage and Vintage Park, which will feature Mediterranean styled architecture, a number of banks, exclusive boutiques, a signature HEB and one of the largest Kelsey-Seybold clinic and surgical centers in Texas.

The community also celebrated within the past few years the opening of the new Barbara Bush Library and the Northwest Houston Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts - Cypress Creek. To learn more about the Champion Forest community, log onto www.championforestonline.com.

Posted by Joe at 8:59 AM | Permalink

CARY, NC--Back in 1997, Cary, NC, which is close to the state’s Research Triangle Park, wanted high speed Internet delivered throughout the town. But service providers balked, saying it would take three years. After leaving office, then Cary Mayor Glen Lang saw an opportunity in providing state-of-the-art Internet, TV, phone, and security services to new developments.

“I read the report the city commissioned. The utilities were unhappy, the developers were unhappy. Residents were unhappy. I thought, maybe there’s a better way,” Lang, founder and CEO of Connexion Technologies says. His experience as mayor, even prior to that, had shown that getting state-of-the-art services installed in new developments often posed numerous difficulties.

Developers naturally want services turned on when they begin to sell homes or condos, but Time-Warner or the phone company may not be able to schedule connections as soon as desired. Residents moving into a new home in the past often had to schedule phone hookups, Internet hookups, cable TV and security, then wait for installation by service providers.

Second largest
Connexion Technologies, which Long founded in 2002, solves those problems. The company initially raised $700,000 from angel investors and later several million more, also from individual angel investors. It also has substantial debt funding from an LLC with which SAS founder and chair Jim Goodnight is associated, Lang says.

The 300-employee company installs fiber optic infrastructure for new residential communities nationally since last year, although it began with a focus on the Southeast. The company quickly grew to the second largest provider of fiber-to-home services for new developments, behind only Verizon.

The company made two acquisitions this year, both of companies Lang says could have developed into competitors. It has between 130,000 and 140,000 units under contract and somewhere “north of 170 live developments,” says Lang.

Tremendous advantages
Delivering fiber optic wiring directly to individual homes has tremendous advantages to both the developers and the homeowner, explains Lang. “The developer sees a huge increase in lot values.”

A study by Connexion partner Corning shows that a development with fiber optic infrastructure rather than traditional copper is worth $3,000 to $6,000 more per lot. “Since we put up the capital to put the fiber in, the developer gains 5 to 10 percent per lot without investing more capital.” A typical lot in areas where Connexion is selling goes for from $50,000 to $60,000.

One of the things Connexions has to do, says Lang, is make sure developers market the fiber optics as an amenity. “From the developer standpoint, it makes houses and lots more marketable,” he adds. That includes having the bandwidth to supply high-end phone systems and specialized TV channels to developments such as Florida’s Ginn Resorts. Because they had a lot of European and foreign channels and sports channels covering events they sponsor such as PGA tournaments and NASCAR races.

More speed, more channels, no bill
For the new home or condo buyer, it offers equally impressive advantages. “We light the fiber before they move in,” says Lang. No scheduling hassles, no waiting for service. They move in and the phone, cable TV, Internet and security systems are on.

Not only that, the fiber provides up to 15 times the speed of commercial products and at a discount of as much as a third off retail because they pay through a condo or homeowners’ association.

“And they don’t get a bill,” says Lang, “it’s part of their condo or homeowner association fee.”

On top of all of that, the fiber optic system has safety advantages over copper or traditional phone lines. No one backs over phone company or service boxes. All the fiber is installed underground with no surface bumps or boxes. And no one has to turn off everything when a lightening storm strikes.

Copper conducts electricity extremely well. “In Florida,” Lang notes, “70 percent of homes have had lightening strikes rolled up into the house. It’s 50 percent up here.” Fiber, however, “doesn’t transmit electricity. Lightening strikes the ground, nothing happens,” Lang says.

Lang says Connexions is moving toward “a liquidity event” in the next 18 months to two years, whether via IPO, private equity, or sale.

On the Web: www.cnxntech.com

Posted by Joe at 7:04 PM | Permalink

Minneapolis—GAF Materials Corp., a roofing manufacturer, has awarded the GAF Master Elite Consumer Protection Excellence Award to the BEI Exterior Maintenance Corp., based in Minneapolis.

According to GAF Materials Corp., the Better Business Bureau lists roofing as one of the highest inquiry categories nationwide. The GAF Master Elite Consumer Protection Excellence Award recognizes BEI Exterior Maintenance Corp.’s dedication to helping consumers better understand roofing options as well as helping consumers make educated roofing decisions.

GAF says that only two percent of the roofing contractors in the country have earned the corporation’s Master Elite status. With this distinction, BEI Exterior Maintenance Corp. now has access to CARE (Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence), a non-profit educational institute supported by GAF and dedicated to changing the industry through education.

BEI is a member of the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association (MHA), Community Associations Institute (CAI), National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCS), and the Builders Associations of Minnesota and the Twin Cities (BAM and BATC).

Posted by Joe at 8:46 AM | Permalink

Community Associations Institute (CAI) is unveiling a series of guidelines to help association boards identify and meet basic benchmarks of responsible governance—the cornerstone of any successful common-interest community.

CAI's Community Association Governance Guidelines address a dozen of the most potentially contentious components of association management and governance—annual meetings, assessments, association records, communications, conflicts of interest, elections, financial transparency, foreclosure, governance and the law, grievances and appeals, reserve funding and rules.

The guidelines were developed under the auspices of the Center for Community Association Volunteers, CAI's specialized member group for homeowners, board members and other community leaders.

"There are a number of communities, especially new and struggling associations, that can benefit from these guidelines," says CAI President Ronald L. Perl, Esq. "We know there are some community association boards that need to be reminded that there are reasonable expectations that should be met."

Even though every community has unique circumstances and challenges, the guidelines can be applied in almost any association. "What works in one association may not work in another, but the basic attributes of good, conscientious governance are universal," says Jack McGrath, chair of CAI's Community Association Volunteers Committee. "We believe these guidelines can enlighten boards, prompt constructive community dialogue and lead to more responsible, responsive and transparent governance."

Most community associations function without major upheaval. In fact, national research conducted by Zogby International in 2005 showed that close to nine out of every 10 community association residents believe their board members strive to serve the best interests of the community. The Zogby research belies any suggestion that most board members aren’t doing a good job.

Still, not all boards govern as responsibly as they should. That can and does lead to homeowner frustration, factional conflict and, in the most egregious cases, lawsuits. These situations also perpetuate the negative and largely unwarranted perceptions of associations, board members and the professionals who support them.

There are an estimated 300,000 homeowners associations, condominium communities and cooperatives in the United States. If only 2 in 100 boards are underperforming, at least 6,000 associations are not reaching their full potential.

"We believe homeowner and condominium associations can and should exceed the expectations of their residents," adds Perl. "The Governance Guidelines can help communities achieve that goal, increasing harmony, reducing conflict and building successful communities in the process. That's our vision at CAI, a vision we believe every association board should share."

Learn more and download the guidelines here. Single copies of the printed brochure can be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to: Governance Guidelines, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Communities that want to move beyond these guidelines should consider adopting Rights and Responsibilities for Better Communities, 42 specific practices and principles developed by CAI for associations, boards and homeowners. Visit www.caionline.org/rightsandresponsibilities to learn more.

CAI is a national membership organization dedicated to fostering vibrant, competent, harmonious common-interest communities. Founded in 1973, CAI and its 58 chapters provide education, tools and resources to the volunteers who govern communities and the professionals who support them. CAI’s 28,500-plus members include community association volunteer leaders (homeowners), managers, management firms and other professionals who provide products and services to community associations.

For members and general inquiries, contact the CAI Direct customer service team:
Community Associations Institute
225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-548-8600
Fax: 703-684-1581
Email: CAIdirect@caionline.org

Posted by Joe at 8:59 AM | Permalink