I would like to know what you neighborhood HOA does to enforce the pool rules in your neighborhood. We obviously have keys to get in the gate, but kids are jumping the fence to get in. We do have cameras as well. Our pool is not being monitored properly due to a lack of volunteers in the neighborhood. The board gets many complaints but does not seem to enforce the rules consistently. There have been many incidences where kids have been asked to leave the pool, and they find out where that person lives and do damage to the homeowners house. So most of the homeowners "overlook" many of the rules being broken. Our HOA dues do not cover lifeguards. So we do not have them. So I am asking for what works in your community?
We don't have a community pool or an HOA, but I would be calling the sheriff if the kids are turning vigilante when the rules are enforced. And what about the parents? Maybe you could temporarily terminate the family membership if their child is guilty of pool-hopping or vandalism?
How high is the fence? I currently don't live in a neighborhood with a community pool but at my last house we did. The fence around the pool was 6 feet high and we had a key to get in and out. Once you got into the clubhouse/bathhouse area there was another fence you had to get through to get to the pool, but it didn't have a key and that fence was about 3 feet high. We didn't seem to have any problems with the pool, but had more problems with damage to the playground equipment next to the pool (not in the fence) and the tennis courts. The tennis court issue was resolved by locking it as well.
We do call the police ALL the time! But like I said, many/most residents do not like to do that in fear of retaliation from the kids or parents. We have had parents yell at the pool committee members because a member asked their child to NOT jump the fence. It is really getting ridiculous. So I am just wondering how other communities are handling things. I have heard of colored wristbands for you to wear while at the pool, the are relatively inexpensive, but would help identity residents and non-residents easier.
The fence is in accordance to the state law of 4 feet. To raise the fence you need money from HOA dues to cover it. It is really expensive, and our HOA just does not have a lot of money in the budget.
Now that would defeat the purpose of having a pool. We want to enjoy the pool without having to have these issues. We would love to have a lifeguard, we have tried pool monitors, they just came up and talked on their cell phones, so that did not wok either. We just need some good suggestions. How do you get your community to get more involved. We ask and ask for volunteers and we get NO responses....
I know and I understand that, I didn't mean to sound sarcastic or anything but it sounds like some of these kids and their parents need their privledge taken away temporarily.
I totally AGREE!!! We have done that too. But things just seem to get worse every year. Many of the parents are the issue. They are not making their kids follow the rules and with parents working while the kids are at home they have NO idea what the kids are doing. When they get a call telling them that if their child breaks the rules again they will loose their pool key, they get really angry and then the children do even more things to break the rules. It is a vicious cycle. We have run out of ideas, I was hoping to hear something that we have not thought of that would help us out.
I'm actually surprised that they are not more concerned. If one of those kids gets hurt god forbid you know their parents will be taking them to court even though the kids jumped the fence to begin with.
Is this happening at night when the pool is closed? Raise the dues and hire a security officer for the evening shift. I know raising dues upsets many residents in a HOA, but maybe then they wouldn't have to pay for vandalism repairs.
You all are too nice, I would probably spike the pool one evening with an extra heavy dose of chlorine! :twisted:
Just keep calling the cops! If the homeowners are afraid that their homes might get vandalized etc, then aren't the kids winning the battle? Do you have monthly Board Meetings? The president of the Board needs to tighten up on the Pool Committee to manitain the cameras, etc. Our neighborhood originally had a 4 ft fence, but has since put up a 6' to avoid some of those problems, and for the most part, I think it is working. 1 offense- a talking to the parents and child that violated, 2nd offense-priviledges taken away from family, 3rd offense- all priviledges for that year are terminated. I know that our association is looking into the credit card type of system to get in. That way, each resident has their own # and the committee can monitor it more closely to see who is in and out.
Sounds like the neighborhood over where Guy and Amelia Church intersect... unless you're buddies with the HOA board, the rules apply to you and not them. I know a person who was brave enough to challenge on of the teens and he (with his adult sized body and kindergarten level of thought process) came at her like he was going to 'handle' it... long story short, no consequences for the kid and the HOA just wants to have pretty yards and the illusion of domestic perfection (in other words: don't make waves). One of a plethora of reasons I won't ever buy a house with an HOA.
Well, since you have cameras why not use them? Even after our pool is closed and the lifeguards are gone we have kids trying to sneak into the area. One year a friend of mine and I went up around 1:00 am and laid down on the chair in the little kids pool. After watching for a while what we saw were teens at the tennis court obviously smoking dope, teens in the club house parking lot drinking and making out and a few who jumped the fence but just to run across to the other side and jump back over. Must not be much to do around here. We did some of that stuff but we went out in the country so that people didn't tell our parents. In today's world they look at you and say yep, go ahead and tell my parents. I have told parents before to no avail. I would turn the cameras on and take the film to the police station. Whoever owns the pool should be the one filing the complaint. No doubt in my mind! I like Hugh's response as well...put poppers up around the fence so when they land on them a loud sound goes off...tee hee. Sherry
The cameras are always on. They run on 24 hour loop. That is when they are working. Yes we do have monthly board meetings, but no one seems to know where the President is or what the president does for the community. Much less any of the other board members. Someone is going to get hurt, whether it is a child or parents or just a trespasser. The board that is in place now does NOT enforce any of the rules, and just about everyone is no longer enjoying the neighborhood. It was really a great place to live several years ago. I guess many neighborhoods go through changes, it is just really getting tuff here! It seems they do not want to make any waves. When it comes to safety I say they cannot be to strict, especially when it comes to the pool guidelines.
How about not paying the HOA dues? Get a group together to protest by doing this and sending a letter instead of a check stating what the HOA should and must be doing. Sherry
