Welcome to your new home and Welcome to our family!
Are you a new homeowner in Emerson? I look forward to assisting you and making your transition into a new home and community a pleasant experience. Everything a new homeowner needs to know is provided below.
So what exactly is Emerson Community Association? As an owner at Emerson, you are automatically a member of the Emerson Community Association, which is a non-stock, not for profit-corporation organized under the laws of the State of Maryland; it’s membership is comprised of all owners of lots within the community. The Association owns and maintains any common areas and facilities that are not part of the individual lots or sub associations.
Living in a homeowner association community can provide many benefits. At the same time, it imposes certain restrictions on individual property rights, particularly with respect to the right of homeowners to change the appearance of their home and lot. In addition, the Association is responsible for enforcing the covenants and restrictions that are contained in the legal documents and that are intended to maintain the aesthetic appearance and character of the community. These covenants/guidelines are readily available through the management office (on-site) or online through the website. All changes to the outside of your home will go through an approval process which includes filling out an application, attaching relevant or required submission items, and returning everything to the Management Office. Emerson has detailed submission guidelines for any project that will be provided to you by request; the application is available online and in person at the office. Jose Palacios, your Community Manager, will help guide you through this process.
There are two managing bodies to an association:
- Board of Directors – The Board of Directors is the executive organization of a homeowners association and is responsible for operating the association in a prudent and businesslike manner for the benefit of all homeowners. Currently, the Emerson Community Association Board of Directors is comprised of two persons appointed by the Developer and three persons elected by the membership. The Board meets every month (normally the 2nd Tuesday) via Zoom; meetings start at 7pm. The current Board of Directors are:
- Neil Madan, President
- Kate Sanft, Vice President (represents James Knott Realty)
- Neeraj Singh, Treasurer
- Mitesh Parikh, Secretary
- Rashida George, (represents Howard Hughes Corporation)
- Felecia Taylor, Director
- Management Agent – Typically, a Board of Directors for a community association retains a professional managing agent. An agent is responsible for routine day-to-day management operations of the association (i.e., collecting assessments, paying bills, supervising contractors, etc.). Community Management Corporation (CMC) has been engaged by the Board of Directors of the Emerson Community Association to provide professional managerial services for the Association. The Community Manager for Emerson works on-site at the clubhouse by the pool. Office hours are 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.Any questions or concerns related to management and operation of the Association, questions related to your assessment account, or questions in general should be addressed to the On-Site office.
Homeowner Assessment Fees. Hopefully someone has explained this to you, but if not here it is: every HOA has an assessment, which is an annual charge paid by all owners on a monthly basis. This assessment serves to offset the cost of maintaining all amenities, which serve all members of the Emerson community, including the walking paths, pool, the Clubhouse, tennis courts and other common area facilities. The frequency of use by you of these amenities does not impact or alleviate your responsibility to pay the Emerson assessment. The yearly Emerson assessment is set by Emerson’s Board of Directors. The rate for the current fiscal year assessment is $0.18 per $100 of the assessed value of your home. The Emerson assessment is billed in July and is payable in twelve monthly payments – due by the 1st of each month. Payments are sent to Emerson Community Association, P.O. Box 61148 Phoenix, AZ 85082. You also have online payment options that can be set up through customer service or by creating an account in TownSq and paying that way. If the invoice is not paid when due, late fees and collections costs could apply.
Additionally, if you own property within a townhouse subdivision, you will also receive a bill representing a second fee for that particular community. These fees offset the cost of maintaining the common areas and amenities applicable to your individual community and serve only the owners within your particular subdivision. For example, since your townhouse association owns the private streets and parking areas located within your subdivision, the County does not maintain them. Accordingly, this second fee offsets the cost of maintaining the private streets and parking areas, including the cost of snow removal, within your community. You should receive, under a separate cover, invoices from your townhouse association advising when payments are due and where to remit these fees. If you need help with identifying who your subdivision/sub-association please contact the Management office.
Any questions concerning your assessment account should be addressed to the Virginia office. The address and contact information is provided below.
Community Management Corporation
P.O. Box 10821, Chantilly, Virginia, 20153-0821
Telephone: 703-631-7200 (Toll Free: 800-262-3090)
Fax: 703-631-7200
The Virginia numbers above are connected to an answering service and may be used to notify us of any emergencies that occur. CMC personnel are assigned to respond to emergency situations during non-business hours. Please remember that emergencies should be confined to common area problems, not problems with your home, which are the owner’s responsibility. When phoning CMC during normal business hours or using the emergency answering service, be certain to provide the name of your association and your telephone number.
Change of Address. Please be sure to notify CMC, in writing, if you relocate but do not sell your home. Providing this information to CMC is very important since, as an owner, you will continue to receive all pertinent information relating to the Association.
Design Guidelines. As mentioned above, virtually all external structural modifications or alterations to the exterior of your home or lot must be approved in advance by the Board of Directors of the Association. Applications can be obtained from the on-site office or online through the Resident’s Portal (login is required). Completed applications should be mailed to CMC’s on-site office. Homeowners are advised to submit applications well in advance of any planned improvements in order to allow adequate time for review.
Trash Removal. Trash service is provided by Howard County not through Emerson. Please call Howard County Public Works at 410.313.6444 should you have any questions or concerns regarding trash pick-up. Trash may be placed outside on the evening prior to pick-up. Trash containers should be removed from the street and stored out of view as soon as possible following pick-up. If you want to check collection days and other information use the online tool here.
Landscape Maintenance. The Association will provide landscape maintenance services for all landscaped common areas owned by the Association once these areas are substantially completed and accepted for maintenance responsibility. Homeowners are responsible for maintaining their property including all trees on their lot. Street trees (the ones between the sidewalk and the curb) are also the adjacent owner’s responsibility not the HOA.
On behalf of CMC, I would like to again welcome you to your new home and the Emerson Community Association. Please do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions concerning management and operation of the Association.
Jose Palacios