Frequently Asked Questions
Why Are We Not Allowed To Park in Front of Dumpsters To Load/Unload Our Cars?
As most of you understand, parking and lot space is limited at Hillwood. It may seem like there is plenty of room in front of the various dumpsters to park a car for a short time to load or unload, but doing this actually blocks other homeowners from pulling or backing in to their owned parking spaces. Additionally, many people say they are just going to park in the no parking zone for a short time, and it ends up being a lot longer. If a car is parked in front of the dumpster when Allied Waste comes for their routine pick-ups, they are unable to do so, and the Condos are charged for this. Unfortunately, this charge then has to be put back on the homeowners.
Why Don’t We Have Enough Visitor Parking Spaces?
When the complex was being converted into condos (they used to be apartments), the sales staff sold various parking spaces along with units on a first-come, first-serve basis. The last unit was finally sold in February 2009, leaving Hillwood with only four (4) regular visitor parking spaces and two (2) handicap visitor parking spaces. These spaces are situated in front of the Hillwood Clubhouse and are painted “Visitor” on the ground and have parking signs in front of them labeled “Visitor”. The handicap spaces are marked according to state law.
Why Can’t Homeowners Park in Visitor Spaces?
Visitor spaces are just that, for visitors. Homeowners already own their own spaces, and should only be parking there. If you have a visitor over, please instruct visitors to park in the marked visitor spaces only, or in your owned space if it is available. Violators will be towed immediately. Also, parking is available on the street (18th Ave. S.) during the marked hours.
Why Does the City Restrict Street Parking on 18th Avenue?
Because 18th Avenue leads to the Mt. Rainier Senior High School, school buses must use that street as a way to access the school when dropping off and picking up students. The city of Des Moines restricts parking on the 18th Avenue stretch in front of Hillwood from the hours of 6 a.m.-4 pm. Monday-Friday to allow space for school buses to turn and safely drive up the road. Parking is available there from 4 p.m.-6 a.m. Monday-Friday and all hours on the weekends. Please be careful if you park there during no parking hours, as police do regularly ticket violators.
When Will The Clubhouse Be Set Up With A Workout Room?
Many of us were told by the sales staff that the Clubhouse was going to be turned into a gym upon completion of sales. However, what they did not tell us was the homeowners would be responsible for paying to turn it into a gym. The HOA Board is currently saving money to work towards improving the Hillwood Clubhouse. Currently, the Clubhouse is available for event rentals.
Why Do Homeowners Have to Pay to Rent the Clubhouse?
Rental of the Clubhouse is very minimal in cost. It is only $20 per hour plus a refundable deposit. The reason for this fee is to ensure that there are funds to clean the Clubhouse as it incurs wear and tear and to keep it in great condition for the homeowners. Fees for the Clubhouse were never accounted for in the homeowners dues when they were created and set, so a small fee is necessary to allow use and upkeep.
Why Did Our HOA Dues Go Up On January 1st, 2009?
When the dues for Hillwood were originally set, they were set to cover costs in the year 2006. After collecting dues for the 2008 year, there simply wasn’t enough money to cover all the necessary costs and reserves that were needed to run a successful HOA because the dues were set to a budget from two years ago. After the Board studied the budget and possible increases, a 23% dues increase was proposed to make sure Hillwood would be successful. However, the Board felt that was too high and settled on a 10% increase, in addition to working hard to limit uneccesary costs and obtaining the best prices for services Hillwood purchases.